Editor’s Note: RealClearLife, a news and lifestyle publisher, is now a part of InsideHook. Together, we’ll be covering current events, pop culture, sports, travel, health and the world.
Jeopardy’s new record-holder for single-game winnings …
Who is James Holzhauer?
Holzhauer, a 34-year-old sports gambler from Las Vegas, surpassed the single-game winnings record of $77,000 that Roger Craig set in 2010 when he walked away with a grand total of $110,914 on last night’s broadcast.
During the win, his fourth, Holzhauer correctly wrote down “WHAT IS QUANTUM LEAP” as his answer in Final Jeopardy and specifically wagered $38,314 so he would end with $110,914 – and his daughter’s birthday would have permanent residence in the Jeopardy Hall of Fame.
James just broke the single-game winnings record with a total of $110,914! pic.twitter.com/tVkOlivPY5
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) April 10, 2019
A savvy move, but also one Holzhauer, who used to run a poker strategy website, pulled on his first day on the show when he wagered $3,268 as a birthday greeting to his nephew.
Considering how he makes his living, it’s no surprise Holzhauer is somewhat of a numbers whiz.
“Now, I focus largely on in-game betting, where the oddsmaker often struggles to put an accurate line with only few seconds to think about it,” Holzhauer told ESPN. “I think my work is similar to an investment bank, except that I’m the analyst, trader, fund manager and day trader all into one. I’m proud that I’ve found success in many different fields of sports betting, but the most important thing about my work is the freedom it gives me to travel and spend time with my family, which I would never have a nine-to-five — although maybe not on a college football Saturday.”
Holzhauer isn’t done either as he’ll be back to play tonight with a chance to add to his four-day total of $244,365.
Still, he has a long way to go to catch Ken Jennings, who won more than $2.5 million during a 74-game winning streak in 2004.
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.
