recaps
Season 40
Today’s Final Jeopardy – Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Warning: This page contains spoilers for the January 31, 2024, game ofJeopardy!— please do not scroll down if you wish to avoid being spoiled. Please note that the game airs as early as noon Eastern in some U.S. television markets.
Current Champion
Matthew Riggle, career statistics:
47 correct, 6 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
41.23% in first on buzzer (47/114)
3/3 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $7,600)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $21,300
To win:
3 games: 68.027%
4: 46.277%
5: 31.481%
6: 21.415%
7: 14.568%
Avg. streak: 4.128 games.
(Next game: September 14)
(Click Here for Methodology)
Upcoming Encore Presentations
August 12: S42 E98 (January 21, 2026)
August 13: S42 E99 (January 22, 2026)
August 14: S42 E100 (January 23, 2026)
August 15-16: S41 E141 (March 24, 2025)
August 17: S42 E101 (January 26, 2026)
August 18: S42 E105 (January 30, 2026)
August 19: S42 E102 (January 27, 2026)
August 20: S42 E103 (January 28, 2026)
August 21: S42 E104 (January 29, 2026)
August 22-23: S41 E142 (March 25, 2025)
August 24: S42 E106 (February 2, 2026)
August 25: S42 E107 (February 3, 2026)
August 26: S42 E108 (February 4, 2026)
August 27: S42 E109 (February 5, 2026)
August 28: S42 E110 (February 6, 2026)
August 29-30: S41 E143 (March 26, 2025)
(Source: Bell Fibe TV program guide)
All Time Winnings
All Time Jeopardy! Winnings, Regular Play Only:
1. Ken Jennings $2,520,700
2. James Holzhauer $2,462,216
3. Matt Amodio $1,518,601
4. Amy Schneider $1,382,800
5. Jamie Ding $882,605
6. Cris Pannullo $748,286
7. Mattea Roach $560,983
8. Jason Zuffranieri $532,496
9. Scott Riccardi $455,000
10. David Madden $430,400
11. Julia Collins $428,100
12. Matt Jackson $411,612
13. Austin Rogers $411,000
14. Ray Lalonde $386,400
15. Harrison Whitaker $373,999
16. Adriana Harmeyer $349,600
17. Caleb Groen $346,968
18. Adam Remsen $306,415
19. Ryan Long $299,400
20. Arthur Chu $297,200
All Time Jeopardy! Winnings, Including Tournaments (and Consolation Prizes):
1. Brad Rutter $4,968,436
2. Ken Jennings $4,372,700
3. James Holzhauer $3,614,216
4. Matt Amodio $1,964,601
5. Amy Schneider $1,864,800
6. Yogesh Raut $1,098,403
7. Mattea Roach $897,983
8. Jamie Ding $885,605
9. David Madden $785,733
10. Victoria Groce $773,801
11. Cris Pannullo $754,286
12. Roger Craig $706,200
13. Larissa Kelly $671,930
14. Matt Jackson $623,612
15. Jason Zuffranieri $549,496
16. Andrew He $534,365
17. Scott Riccardi $533,000
18. Jerome Vered $499,102
19. Julia Collins $495,767
20. Austin Rogers $493,000
21. Ben Ingram $449,201
22. Paolo Pasco $448,717
23. Adriana Harmeyer $446,600
24. Buzzy Cohen $441,603
25. Juveria Zaheer $441,000
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Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category American Musicians) for Wednesday, January 31, 2024 (Season 40, Game 103):
Also an author, this singer who had 5 top 40 hits in the 1970s was called the “Pirate Laureate”
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Ron Cheung, an economics professor from Lakewood, Ohio
Erin Portman, a high school English teacher from Naperville, Illinois
Michael Menkhus, a data analyst from Kansas City, Missouri
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
The first two games of these semifinals have seen all six players have at least $10,000 going into Final Jeopardy. Honestly, it would not surprise me if we went 9-for-9. Michael, Erin, and Ron are all very strong players, and I am expecting another competitive game today that comes down to Final Jeopardy. (And, after Monday and Tuesday, I think we are all best to throw our prediction papers out the window.)
Another reminder that I have started a Sunday mailbag column where I answer fan & viewer questions regarding the show. If you have a question, feel free to send it to mailbag@thejeopardyfan.com!
(Content continues below)
Are you going on the show and looking for information about how to bet in Final Jeopardy? Check out my Betting Strategy 101 page. If you want to learn how to bet in two-day finals, check out Betting Strategy 102. In case the show uses a tournament with wild cards in the future, there is also a strategy page for betting in tournament quarterfinals.
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Correct response: Who is Jimmy Buffett?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2024 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
Famed singer Jimmy Buffett began hitting it big as a musical artist after moving to Key West, Florida in the 1970s; instead of the area’s “Poet Laureate”, Buffett became known as the “Pirate Laureate”, a nickname that appeared in many obituaries of him when he passed away in September 2023.
Buffett’s five Top 40 hits in the 1970s were 1974’s “Come Monday” (#30), 1977’s “Margaritaville” (#8), 1977’s “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” (#37), 1978’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” (#32), and 1979’s “Fins” (#35). He also had three New York Times bestsellers: Tales from Margaritaville, Where Is Joe Merchant?, and A Pirate Looks at Fifty.
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Wednesday, January 31, 2024 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: The English Past; Platforming; Silent H; A Square Meal; The State’S Most Populous County; Questionable Movies)
Ron got off to a hot start, picking up 4 of the first 6 clues; unfortunately, an incorrect True Daily Double put his score’s advancement on furlough. Interestingly, we had a player shut out in the opening segment for the second successive day (today was Erin.) After the break, Michael picked up another seven correct to extend his lead.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Michael 6 correct 0 incorrect
Ron 7 correct 2 incorrect
Erin 0 correct 0 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Ron is happy to return because his wife is able to attend this time.
Erin is wearing her famous question mark/exclamation point earrings.
Michael is wearing a pin in honor of his corgi Wallace.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Michael 13 correct 0 incorrect
Ron 12 correct 3 incorrect
Erin 2 correct 0 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Michael $7,400
Ron $2,800
Erin $600
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: The English Past Tense; Opera; Business & Finance History; Tech Talk; Mountains Of Literature; Artful Rogers)
The Daily Doubles were not kind to our players in Double Jeopardy today—both Michael and Ron were incorrect. However, Michael did enough to have a runaway going into Final Jeopardy!
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Michael 26 correct 3 incorrect
Ron 20 correct 4 incorrect
Erin 7 correct 1 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Michael $17,800
Ron $8,200
Erin $2,600
Michael and Erin got Final Jeopardy correct, and Michael is your third finalist!
Tonight’s results:
Erin $2,600 + $2,600 = $5,200 (Who is Buffett?)
Ron $8,200 – $0 = $8,200 (Who is Bob Dylan? Hi Colin & Naomi! <3)
Michael $17,800 + $0 = $17,800 (Who is Jimi Jimmy Buffet?) (Finalist)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) SILENT H $800 (clue #7)
Ron 3200 -3200 (Michael 1600 Erin 0)
2) OPERA $1600 (clue #6)
Michael 10600 -2000 (Erin 1800 Ron 6400)
3) TECH TALK $2000 (clue #19, $8000 left on board)
Ron 9600 -3000 (Michael 12600 Erin 1400)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: -150
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Michael 4 5 3
Erin
Ron 4 5 3 4*
DJ! Round:
Michael 3 4* 5† 4 3 4 5 3
Erin 5 5 5 2 1 2†
Ron 4 3 3 4 5*
† – selection in same category as Daily Double
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Michael 3.91
Ron 3.89
Erin 3.33
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 0 (0.00 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Michael $19,800 Coryat, 26 correct, 3 incorrect, 49.12% in first on buzzer (28/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Ron $14,400 Coryat, 20 correct, 4 incorrect, 36.84% in first on buzzer (21/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Erin $2,600 Coryat, 7 correct, 1 incorrect, 12.28% in first on buzzer (7/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $36,800
Lach Trash: $7,200 (on 5 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $10,000
Lead Changes: 1
Times Tied: 0
Player Statistics:
Michael Menkhus, career statistics:
127 correct, 24 incorrect
3/3 on rebound attempts (on 15 rebound opportunities)
47.37% in first on buzzer (135/285)
3/8 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: -$1,400)
3/5 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $16,160
Erin Portman, career statistics:
72 correct, 8 incorrect
6/9 on rebound attempts (on 20 rebound opportunities)
27.63% in first on buzzer (63/228)
3/4 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $3,200)
4/4 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $11,950
Ron Cheung, career statistics:
66 correct, 18 incorrect
2/2 on rebound attempts (on 12 rebound opportunities)
31.14% in first on buzzer (71/228)
4/7 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $9,800)
0/4 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $12,600
Andy’s Thoughts:
I’m going to have more to say on the “homage” controversy—that will inevitably be discussed tonight—in my editorial column on Saturday. However, there is precedent for this decision: Dave Mattingly was given credit for a mispronounced “Erdogan” on July 20, 2018, despite that clue specifically saying there’s a silent letter.
- Today’s box score will be linked to when posted by the show.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Michael $17,800 Ron $8,200 Erin $2,600)
Michael: Limit your bet to $1,399 and enjoy your victory! (Actual bet: $0)
Erin: Bet whatever you like. (Actual bet: $2,600)
Ron: Limit your bet to $2,999 or less and take second place. (Actual bet: $0)
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