recaps
Season 41
Today’s Final Jeopardy – Monday, December 30, 2024
Warning: This page contains spoilers for the December 30, 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 Geographic Names) for Monday, December 30, 2024 (Season 41, Game 81):
In 1492 Columbus visited this island that he named for the country whose flag he flew
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Tekla Sauter, a nonprofit strategist from Chicago, Illinois
Will Yancey, a lecturer of history from Banquete, Texas
Alex Michev, an attorney from Richmond, Virginia
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Today begins the postseason Road to the 32nd Tournament of Champions with our first week of Second Chance competition. Our first set of returnees are Tekla Sauter, Will Yancey, and Alex Michev; Tekla was the third player in the Drew Basile–Adriana Harmeyer game, Will picked up over $10,000 in the opening round back in September, and Alex had $16,000 in Coryat in the game where strong player David Erb lost. The prediction model slightly favors Tekla; “strength of schedule” has been a surprisingly strong predictive factor the past few years in determining who might be strong players in a return to the show.
As was suggested this weekend over in the preview thread, I will reiterate the following guideline that I have been using to moderate my comment section: Any comments left in a game comment section must be specifically to do with the episode in question. General complaints regarding the show will be summarily removed.
(Content continues below)
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Correct response: What is Hispaniola?
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.)
In 1492, most experts believed that Christopher Columbus’s estimates regarding the circumference of the earth were wildly incorrect. However, after Bartolomeu Dias returned to Portugal having successfully rounded the southern tip of Africa, the Spanish decided to fund a Columbus voyage while sailing westward. Presumably, this was because they concluded that had determined that a westward voyage might be a good way for them to lose the crackpot in their midst—Columbus had been given generous terms by the Spanish that led many historians to believe the Spanish crown was not confident in Columbus’s return. Columbus was given three ships and permitted to leave in 1492 once Ferdinand and Isabella’s kingdom had defeated the Moors (the Moops?) at Granada.
Having found what is now one of the Bahamian islands in October, Columbus later found what is now the island of Hispaniola—which was named as such after the Spanish crown.
As someone who generally does well on geography questions, I found this to be a straightforward Final Jeopardy clue.
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Monday, December 30, 2024 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: A Eurocentric Category; Rhyme Time; Transportation; Color My World; Book “Of”; Merman)
Though there were some incorrect responses early, all three players were in a good position after 15 clues. At the interviews, the scores were Will $2,800 Tekla $1,800 Alex $1,600.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Will 5 correct 1 incorrect
Tekla 3 correct 1 incorrect
Alex 5 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Tekla had a watch party at her local pizza place with her book club and family.
Will had a cousin who became a minor celebrity on Reddit after Will’s appearance.
Alex is happy to get a good night’s sleep because he has a six-month old at home.
Alex picked up seven correct in the second half of the found to hold the lead after thirty clues.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Alex 12 correct 2 incorrect
Will 8 correct 2 incorrect
Tekla 4 correct 1 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Alex $4,800
Will $3,200
Tekla $2,800
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Issuing A Cetacean; Art & Artists; Same First & Last Letter; The 13th Century; Thinkers & Their Thoughts; Mood Indi-Go-Go)
Alex started well in this round, but Will charged into the lead after picking up Daily Doubles on back-to-back clues. A close battle between Alex and Will broke in Will’s favor late as he led going into Final Jeopardy.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Will 20 correct 4 incorrect
Alex 20 correct 2 incorrect
Tekla 8 correct 2 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 26 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Will $14,800
Alex $12,800
Tekla $5,600
Everyone got Final correct; Will is now a finalist!
Tonight’s results:
Tekla $5,600 + $5,598 = $11,198 (What is Hispaniola?)
Alex $12,800 + $1,500 = $14,300 (What is Hispaniola?)
Will $14,800 + $10,801 = $25,601 (What is Hispañola Hi Coco) (Finalist)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) A EUROCENTRIC CATEGORY $1000 (clue #3)
Will 200 +1000 (Alex 0 Tekla -600)
2) SAME FIRST & LAST LETTER $2000 (clue #5)
Will 4800 +2400 (Alex 7200 Tekla 2800)
3) THE 13th CENTURY $1200 (clue #6, $28800 left on board)
Will 7200 +1200 (Alex 7200 Tekla 2800)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 167
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Alex 3 4
Will 5*
Tekla
DJ! Round:
Alex 2 3 4
Will 5* 3*
Tekla 1
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Will 4.33
Alex 3.20
Tekla 1.00
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 26 (0.32 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Will $14,400 Coryat, 20 correct, 4 incorrect, 33.33% in first on buzzer (19/57), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Alex $12,800 Coryat, 20 correct, 2 incorrect, 36.84% in first on buzzer (21/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Tekla $5,600 Coryat, 8 correct, 2 incorrect, 17.54% in first on buzzer (10/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $32,800
Lach Trash: $13,000 (on 12 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $8,200
Lead Changes: 7
Times Tied: 7
Player Statistics:
Alex Michev, career statistics:
39 correct, 5 incorrect
2/2 on rebound attempts (on 9 rebound opportunities)
35.09% in first on buzzer (40/114)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $14,400
Will Yancey, career statistics:
42 correct, 9 incorrect
4/5 on rebound attempts (on 8 rebound opportunities)
34.21% in first on buzzer (39/114)
4/5 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $4,200)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $14,400
Tekla Sauter, career statistics:
23 correct, 2 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 10 rebound opportunities)
18.42% in first on buzzer (21/114)
1/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $3,000)
2/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $7,600
Andy’s Thoughts:
- Today’s box score will be linked to when posted by the show.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Will $14,800 Alex $12,800 Tekla $5,600)
Alex: Bet no more than $1,599 to keep Tekla locked out. (Actual bet: $1,500)
Will: Cover bet over Alex is $10,801. (Actual bet: $10,801)
Tekla: Bet no more than $1,600 to stay ahead of Will if Will is incorrect in Final (and bets to cover.) (Actual bet: $5,598)
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