Ken Jennings is the highest-earning American sport present contestant ever because of his gorgeous success on Jeopardy! and its spinoff reveals.
However now followers are questioning if the GOAT would nonetheless win if he was all of a sudden thrust again into the highlight as a contestant, or would ring rust from not competing for years drag him again to being a mere mortal in opposition to different gamers?
King Ken has racked up $4,522,700 simply on the syndicated sport present. His authentic look on Jeopardy! marks the longest profitable streak and he holds the report for the very best common of right responses per sport.
In 2020, Jennings was awarded the first-place prize in Jeopardy! The Best of All Time. Earlier than 2003, contestants on Jeopardy! have been solely allowed to win 5 consecutive video games. Initially of the present’s twentieth season in 2003, the principles have been modified to permit contestants to proceed taking part in for so long as they gained.
Till Jennings appeared, the longest streak was held by Tom Walsh, who gained $186,900 in eight video games in 2004. Jennings’ run started in June 2004 on Season 20. After his preliminary run, Jennings joined the present a number of occasions for Match runs together with the Final Match of Champions in 2005, IBM Problem in 2011, Battle of the A long time in 2014, 2019 All-Star Video games, and the 2020 Best of All Time.
After 2020, his reign ended, however he joined Jeopardy! as a consulting producer for Season 37. He and Mayim Bialik took over as co-hosts after Alex Trebek‘s dying in 2020. Bialik withdrew from internet hosting in 2023, as a result of Hollywood labor disputes, leaving Jennings to host on his personal. In December 2023, she was fired from the present, which made Jennings the only host. No alternative was picked for a co-host.
Having not performed in 5 years, followers surprise if Jennings may nonetheless crush the opposition like he did within the outdated days. Reddit customers debated the subject on Wednesday, February 19, on the platform.
“Would Ken nonetheless dominate? Simply curious if folks suppose Ken Jennings may swap positions and nonetheless be a really dominant contestant? I’m wondering if he’s not always prepping, if the data base inevitably begins to fade?” the unique poster requested.
“Though I suppose he does get a pleasant little refresher every day because the host. Regardless, I actually get pleasure from Ken as a result of I do know that he’s not simply the host, but additionally truly very educated concerning the matters.”
Followers chimed in and say they imagine he may with prep time.
“His command of the trivia is huge. Solely query could be if he’s slowed down in any respect on buzzer and recall. I nonetheless suppose he’d dominate,” one consumer stated.
“Operating the present positively retains issues fairly contemporary,” wrote one other.
“His command of the sport and his data is what makes him an distinctive Jeopardy host,” a Reddit consumer stated.
“The GOAT match was solely 5 years in the past. In fact he’d nonetheless dominate. The one query could be if he’d finest 74 video games or not. He in all probability wouldn’t even need to play the fashionable type to win in opposition to common contestants,” a fan credited him.
“He’d slaughter all of them,” commented a Reddit consumer.
Nonetheless, different followers suppose that some current contestants may give him a run for his cash. James Holzhauer is among the names that was introduced up. He’s the third-highest profitable sport present contestant of all-time, with a 32-game profitable streak. Holzhauer and Jennings competed in opposition to one another within the Best of All Time Match.
“He gained the GOAT match in opposition to a nonetheless contemporary James Holzhauer, so he’d undoubtedly nonetheless do actually good and even perhaps win,” a fan stated.
One other contestant that followers suppose may take down Jennings could be Victoria Groce, who competed on The Chase. She additionally gained the Jeopardy! Invitational Match and Jeopardy! Masters in 2024.
Yogesh Raut is the third title that was introduced up. He’s the 2024 Match of Champions winner and a three-time champion on Season 39.
Do you suppose Ken Jennings may nonetheless dominate the competitors? Hold forth within the feedback beneath.