[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the Friday, July 25, episode of Jeopardy!]
Season 41 of Jeopardy! has come to a detailed. Tremendous champ Scott Riccardi made the final month of the season a whirlwind, however will followers see him once more subsequent season? Learn on to search out out.
Riccardi, from Somerville, New Jersey, gained 16 video games with a complete of $455,000. He made it into the highest 10 for all-time winnings in common play, touchdown in spot quantity eight, and even tied for tenth place for consecutive video games gained. The strain was on for Scott Riccardi, an engineer, to win the final sport of the season towards two new opponents.
On July 25, he performed towards Jonathan Hugendubler, from Baltimore, Maryland, and Charlotte Cooper, from San Francisco, California. Might both of those two contestants take down the beast?
By the primary break, Riccardi was within the lead after a tricky spherical stuffed with Triple Stumpers and contestants within the purple. When the sport present returned, he discovered the Each day Double in “What’s That Spell?” With $5,600 in his financial institution, he wagered $2,000, which might nonetheless give him the lead if he obtained it improper. The clue learn, “Spell 77 in one in every of these funerary texts written for a person named Ramose was for reworking him right into a golden hawk.” Uncertain, Riccardi shook his head and answered, “What’s The Guide of the Useless?” He was appropriate and improved to $7,600.
To nobody’s shock, Riccardi was within the lead by the top of the spherical with $10,800. Cooper, a graphic designer, had $3,000. Hugendubler, an adjunct professor and trivia host, lastly obtained out of the opening with $800.
In Double Jeopardy, Hugendubler discovered the primary DD of the spherical on the primary clue chosen. He wagered $2,000 in “Stately Our bodies of Water.” The clue was, “This bay that had a colony named for it extends southward over 40 miles from Cape Ann.” “What’s Massachusetts Bay?” he answered appropriately, giving him $2,800.
Two clues later, he discovered the final DD. With $4,400, he made it a real Each day Double. In “They’re All Greeks to Me,” the clue learn, “On this play by Aristophanes, we hear, ‘O girls, if we’d compel the lads to bow to peace, we should chorus–.’” He answered, “What’s Lysistrata?” bringing his complete to $8,800, placing him in second place.
The remainder of the spherical was a battle between Riccardi and Hugendubler, however Riccardi got here out on high. By the top of the spherical, the reigning champion had $23,600. Hugendubler had $14,000. Cooper was in third with $7,800.
A wild wager in Remaining Jeopardy modified your complete sport. The class for Remaining Jeopardy was “twentieth Century Names.” The clue learn, “In accordance with one obituary, in 1935 he owned 13 magazines, 8 radio stations, 2 film firms, and $56 million in actual property.” The reply was “Who’s William Randolph Hearst?” Solely two contestants obtained it proper.
Cooper answered appropriately and wagered $7,800, bringing her complete to $15,600. Hugendubler additionally answered appropriately. “Oh, this simply obtained fascinating. He’s appropriate as nicely,” host Ken Jennings mentioned. He wagered $9,601, placing him $1 over Riccardi. Riccardi answered, “Who’s Howard Hughes?” eliciting an enormous groan from the group. He wagered $5,000, making his last complete $18,600.
Hugendubler turned the brand new champion, defeating 16-time champ Scott Riccardi. He might be again subsequent season to see if his streak continues. Hugendubler stood there in shock. After he pulled himself collectively, he went over to hug Riccardi.
Followers reacted to Hugendubler’s stunning win on Reddit. “Loopy factor is he was -2,600 after 7 clues, when you might wager on him successful at that time, you can retire,” one mentioned.
“Sure, severely. It was a disastrous begin with the dangerous solutions to the historical past questions. I might think about getting discouraged and never centered after the beginning, and messing up the buzzer timing. Props to Jonathan for enjoying a powerful sport the remainder of the way in which and giving himself a preventing likelihood,” replied one other.
“Holy s**t. The primary time a superchampion has misplaced on the final day of the season. What a strategy to wrap it up, congrats Jonathan!!” a 3rd added.
“Jonathan actually capitalized on his each day doubles. Effectively performed! A good way to finish the season. Thanks additionally to Charlotte and Scott. Look ahead to seeing Scott in TOC,” a fan wrote.
“Effectively, wasn’t anticipating that ending,” mentioned one Reddit consumer.
“Nobody anticipated this ending to a season! However we’ll see Scott within the TOC,” one other wrote.
“I’m floored that Scott misplaced on that Remaining Jeopardy, which was like…at most twentieth percentile FJ problem. No hate to an unimaginable champion, I simply by no means in 1,000,000 years would have thought he’d have gone out on that one. This sport can nonetheless shock us!” a shocked fan mentioned.
“Nice sport!! Unhappy to see Scott go (cherished him) however happy he has earned a spot on the Leaderboard of Legends,” one final fan mentioned.
Jeopardy!, September 2025, test native listings