Today’s Final Jeopardy – Monday, December 26, 2022

Current Champion

Nikolas Polsinelli, career statistics:
44 correct, 6 incorrect
2/2 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
35.96% in first on buzzer (41/114)
4/5 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $10,600)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $17,500

To win:
3 games: 64.111%
4: 41.102%
5: 26.351%
6: 16.894%
7: 10.831%
Avg. streak: 3.786 games.
(Click Here for Methodology)

Upcoming Encore Presentations

September 26-27: S42 E174 (May 7, 2026)
October 3-4: S42 E175 (May 8, 2026)
October 10-11: S42 E176 (May 11, 2026)
(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 $1,598,403
7. Victoria Groce $1,023,801
8. Mattea Roach $897,983
9. Jamie Ding $885,605
10. David Madden $785,733
11. Cris Pannullo $754,286
12. Roger Craig $706,200
13. Andrew He $684,365
14. Larissa Kelly $671,930
15. Matt Jackson $623,612
16. Jason Zuffranieri $549,496
17. Paolo Pasco $548,717
18. Scott Riccardi $533,000
19. Jerome Vered $499,102
20. Julia Collins $495,767
21. Austin Rogers $493,000
22. Juveria Zaheer $491,000
23. Ben Ingram $449,201
24. Adriana Harmeyer $446,600
25. Buzzy Cohen $441,603

Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category TV Finales) for Monday, December 26, 2022 (Season 39, Game 76):

In a reunion over 40 years in the making, Dolly Parton appeared as an angel named Agnes in the final episode of this comedy in 2022

(correct response beneath the contestants)

Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:

Bobby Freitas, a middle school teacher from Long Beach, California

Sarah Schmeer, an executive assistant from Portland, Oregon

Ray Lalonde, a scenic artist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada (7-day total: $192,700)

Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:

Since Jeopardy! began publishing box scores on January 12, 2022, the average Jeopardy! contestant makes 34.2 attempts per game on the signaling device. The average champion makes 38.3, while the average challenger makes 32.2. Cris Pannullo, in his 21-game win streak, averaged 45.7. Five-time champion Luigi de Guzman from earlier this season averaged 50.2 (which will certainly help Luigi’s Tournament of Champions chances next fall). Ray Lalonde, in his seven games so far, is averaging 46.4. If Ray is able to keep that going this week, we may see our second double-digit winner of Season 39. However, Ray has only found 10 Daily Doubles in 7 games thus far. (By way of comparison, Cris Pannullo had found 17 in his first seven games.) The fact that Ray’s opponents are finding these Daily Doubles may give Ray’s opponents more chances to beat him. Could that variance work in Sarah Schmeer’s or Bobby Freitas’s favor today?

PSA: The best way to keep COVID-19 at bay (and keep Jeopardy! producing new episodes) is for everybody to get their vaccinations as soon as they can, including any boosters as recommended. When wearing a mask, please ensure that your mask covers both your nose and your mouth.

Do you appreciate the work I do here on The Jeopardy! Fan? Would you like to make a one-time contribution to the site? You may do so here!

Correct response: What is Grace and Frankie?

More information about Final Jeopardy:

(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2022 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)

The acclaimed Netflix comedy series Grace and Frankie, which saw its finale take place in 2022 at the end of its seventh season, starred Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, both of whom starred with Dolly Parton in the classic 1980 film 9 to 5. Parton’s cameo in the finale, thus, served as a reunion of sorts for that film’s starring cast. (I’ll avoid talking about plot points in this write-up because we’re still within a year of the finale).

I suspect that some older viewers are going to complain—as they always seem to when it comes to current entertainment—that the entertainment space has become much more fractured in the late 2010s such that it’s harder to keep up with. And that’s true, to a point—even Jeopardy! itself believes that this fracturing has made the show harder because it has led to an expansion of the “canon” of things to possibly ask about. But, Tomlin and Fonda have been nominated for five Emmy Awards between them for their respective roles on Grace and Frankie, and I would say that it’s an incredibly easy argument to make that a TV series receiving Emmy nominations in major categories would be 100% appropriate to be the subject of clues—even Final Jeopardy! clues—in any era of the show.

We have many new offerings at The Jeopardy! Fan Online Store! Proceeds from the sale of the “Doctor Oz’s Fast-Acting Snake Oil Elixir” T-shirt are being donated to The Trevor Project:

In order to redesign our merchandise area to serve you better in 2026, all merchandise sales have been temporarily taken offline. Look for a return in late 2026! All previous orders will still be supported.

Game Recap:

Jeopardy! Round:

(Categories: Word Puzzles; The 18Th Century; The Office; Vacation Isles; Apps & Websites; Remember The Alamo Bowl)

Ray got off to a very hot start, picking up 8 correct and the Daily Double before the interviews. After the break, both challengers pulled closer, but Ray still lhad a strong lead after 30 clues.

Statistics at the first break (15 clues):

Ray 8 correct 0 incorrect
Sarah 4 correct 0 incorrect
Bobby 3 correct 0 incorrect

Statistics after the Jeopardy round:

Ray 11 correct 1 incorrect
Sarah 8 correct 2 incorrect
Bobby 8 correct 2 incorrect

Double Jeopardy! Round:

(Categories: Sounds Like A University; Stage Musicals By Song Lyrics; Africa; Your Elemental Hit Parade; Write Place; Wrong Time)

Ray started the round well, picking up the first Daily Double to extend his lead to over $13,000. However, Sarah stormed back with the game’s final Daily Double, and she did just enough in the endgame to ensure that Ray didn’t have a runaway going into Final! Scores going into Final were Ray at $21,600, Sarah at $11,600, and Bobby at $3,400.

Statistics after Double Jeopardy:

Ray 25 correct 3 incorrect
Sarah 14 correct 3 incorrect
Bobby 13 correct 5 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 12 (0 today).

Both Ray and Sarah were correct in Final, and that means Ray is now an 8-day champion, winnings over $200,000! He returns tomorrow for game #9!

Tonight’s Game Stats:

Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Monday, December 26, 2022 Jeopardy! by the numbers:

Scores going into Final:

Ray $21,600
Sarah $11,600
Bobby $3,400

Tonight’s results:

Bobby $3,400 – $3,200 = $200 (What is …)
Sarah $11,600 + $11,500 = $23,100 (What is Grace + Frankie Frankie?)
Ray $21,600 + $5,000 = $26,600 (What is Grace + Frankie?) (8-day total: $219,300)

Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:

Ray $7,000
Sarah $4,400
Bobby $3,400

Opening break taken after: 15 clues

Daily Double locations:

1) THE 18th CENTURY $800 (clue #9)
Ray 1800 +1800 (Sarah 1600 Bobby 1600)
2) AFRICA $1200 (clue #9)
Ray 13800 +3000 (Sarah 3600 Bobby 200)
3) WRONG TIME $1600 (clue #17, $12000 left on board)
Sarah 6800 +4000 (Ray 16400 Bobby 2200)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 181

Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:

J! Round:
Ray 3 5 1 4*
Sarah 3 2
Bobby 4 4 3

DJ! Round:
Ray 4 5 3 4 5 2 3* 4† 5† 3
Sarah 1 3 4*
Bobby 3 2 4 5

† – selection in same category as Daily Double

Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:

Ray 3.64
Sarah 2.60
Bobby 3.57

Unplayed clues:

J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 12 (0.16 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles

Game Stats:

Ray $18,800 Coryat, 25 correct, 3 incorrect, 40.35% in first on buzzer (23/57), 2/3 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Sarah $9,200 Coryat, 14 correct, 3 incorrect, 24.56% in first on buzzer (14/57), 0/2 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
Bobby $3,400 Coryat, 13 correct, 5 incorrect, 28.07% in first on buzzer (16/57), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $31,400
Lach Trash: $9,400 (on 8 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $13,200

Ray Lalonde, career statistics:

205 correct, 26 incorrect
15/17 on rebound attempts (on 27 rebound opportunities)
42.54% in first on buzzer (194/456)
12/12 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $36,300)
6/8 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $20,000

Sarah Schmeer, career statistics:

15 correct, 3 incorrect
0/2 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
24.56% in first on buzzer (14/57)
1/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $4,000)
1/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $9,200

Bobby Freitas, career statistics:

13 correct, 6 incorrect
1/2 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
28.07% in first on buzzer (16/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $3,400

Ray Lalonde, to win:

9 games: 80.855%
10: 65.375%
11: 52.858%
12: 42.738%
13: 34.556%
Avg. streak: 12.223 games.

Today’s interviews:

Bobby taught English in South Korea.
Sarah owned a 5-foot-tall stuffed giraffe as a prized possession.
Ray finds his job a lot of fun.

Andy’s Thoughts:

• Ray moves into 20th all time in terms of regular play winnings. Larissa Kelly sits 19th at $222,597.

• Today’s box score: December 26, 2022 Box Score.

Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:

(Scores: Ray $21,600 Sarah $11,600 Bobby $3,400)

Ray: Standard cover bet over Sarah is $1,601. (Actual bet: $5,000)

Sarah: Bet at least $8,401 to surpass Ray in case he makes cover bet and is incorrect. (Actual bet: $11,500)

Bobby: If Sarah makes her minimum bet and is incorrect, she falls to $3,199. Limit your bet to $199. (Actual bet: $3,200)

---

Add The Jeopardy! Fan to your preferred sources on Google by clicking the button below!

Become a Supporter now! Make a monthly contribution to the site on Patreon!

Contestant photo credit: jeopardy.com

When commenting, please note that all comments on The Jeopardy! Fan must be in compliance with the Site Comment Policy.

If you are going to quote any information from this page or this website, attribution is required.

Have you had a chance to listen to our podcast game show, Complete The List, yet? Check it out! It's also available on Apple Podcasts.

---