The Jeopardy score of a New Mexico math teacher on a 17-game win streak are really adding up.
Over his 17-game run, Jason Zuffranieri has won $472,096, placing him third on the show’s all-time winnings list behind James Holzhauer and Ken Jennings and already earning him a place in the show’s Hall of Fame.
Also trailing Holzhauer (32) and Jennings (74) in consecutive wins, Zuffranieri can move into third on that list as well if he wins four more games and gets to 21 victories.
Though he hasn’t gained as much buzz as Holzhauer, Zuffranieri is a worthy contestant who first tried out for the show in high school and then again in college, failing the test both times.
Trying online, Zuffranieri eventually passed the test five times but failed to get on the show. On his sixth try, he passed and was approved to hit the stage with Alex Trebek.
Like Holzhauer did before him, Zuffranieri likes starting at the bottom of a category with the higher-value clues and working his way up. “I thought about it, you know. It’s not just to mimic him. Nobody is like him, but it’s such a smart way to do it as well,” he told the show in an interview.
Zuffranieri, who says he’s been mistaken for actor Nicolas Cage and wore the same tie his father tied for him on his first day of high school to the show’s first taping this season, isn’t shooting for Holzhauer ‘s or Jennings’ records, yet.
“I kind of want to reach the best I can, which I know is certainly not as good as some other people who have been on this show,” he said. “But I’m certainly going to try my best, and try to limit my mistakes and maximize my winnings. Just keep it rolling as long as it can – because it’s such a blessing.”
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