Although James Holzhauer wasn’t current for Season 3 of Jeopardy! Masters, he was nonetheless on lots of people’s minds, together with contestants’. Masters champion, Yogesh Raut, reveals he acquired some helpful recommendation from earlier Masters winner, Holzhauer, earlier than getting into the event.
Raut spoke out about his expertise on Masters on Fb. Towards the top of his submit, he shared his favourite second from the 2024 event. “One among my favourite moments from final 12 months’s event occurred when James was requested to pose at his podium whereas pointing at his (third-place) whole and replied, ‘No.’ Standing close by, I mentioned, ‘Wait, you’re allowed to do this?’ and the images crew burst into laughter. (Just a few moments later, after they considerably sheepishly requested me for a similar pose, I used to be high quality with it.)”
“It was then that James gave me a key piece of recommendation I haven’t actually adopted via on — ‘It’s good to get comfy with throwing your weight round; you’re one of many stars of the present now’ — earlier than including, with real modesty, ‘That’s the one notice I’ve in your recreation.’”
Holzhauer gained Season 1 and got here in third in Season 2. He determined to sit down this season out, regardless of being invited again as a result of his third-place end. Raut got here in second in Season 2 and gained Season 3.
“Anyway, this time round I dutifully jumped via all of the posing hoops they requested of me … till they requested that I kiss the trophy. I requested for my ‘James Holzhauer exception’ they usually knew immediately what I meant,” he ended.
Whereas holding up the Alex Trebek Trophy for pictures, Raut revealed that it’s “actually heavy” and he struggled to carry on to it and “maintain it upright.” He mentioned his opponent and second-place finisher Juveria Zaheer, mentioned, “I wish to hug you, however you’re holding the trophy!” When varied individuals took the trophy from him, Zaheer lastly acquired to hug him and talked about how heavy the trophy was.
“After that occurred a few instances, part of me needed to be like, ‘Oh, did you assume I used to be playacting? Or simply that I’ve no upper-body power?’ (After I informed this story at my watch get together, Suresh waggishly famous, ‘It may be each!’),” he mentioned.
Raut additionally revealed a couple of extra behind the scenes secrets and techniques that occurred in the course of the finale.
“In the course of the break earlier than FJ, producer Sabrina got here as much as us to as soon as extra go over the directions for a way we have been to behave when the winner was introduced (together with *NOT* coming off our podiums and hugging one another like we did final 12 months). As quickly as she was accomplished, Victoria [Groce] recapped every part she mentioned … which was good as a result of I had not processed a single one in every of her phrases, as a result of my thoughts was too busy going over each portray I’d ever seen in my life,” he shared. However, Raut wound up getting hugs afterward.
The champion additionally lately talked about one other factor he took away from the event —a bond with Isaac Hirsch, who completed in fourth place.
Jeopardy! Masters, Season 3, now streaming on Hulu