‘Jeopardy!’ James Holzhauer Receives Key to Las Vegas Strip, Winning Streak at 21 Games

Posted on: May 3, 2019, 08:57h. 

Last updated on: May 3, 2019, 09:12h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Jeopardy! superstar James Holzhauer describes himself as a professional sports bettor in Las Vegas. But after the last month, he’ll presumably forever be known as the man who dominated his opponents and seemingly cracked the code to the syndicated television trivia show.

Jeopardy! James Holzhauer Las Vegas
Clark County officials have declared May 2 as “James Holzhauer Day” in honor of the “Jeopardy!” champ’s play and pledge to give part of his winnings to area charities. (Image: Caroline Brehman/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

On Thursday, the Clark County Commission presented the 34-year-old with the key to the Las Vegas Strip. Commission Chair Marilyn Kirkpatrick said Holzhauer is a goodwill ambassador for the gaming mecca.

He told reporters in front of the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, “There are some opportunities that are being floated in front of me right now that I can’t really talk about. They’re interesting things. I can’t really say what the future holds, but I’d like love to stay in Las Vegas. I love it here.”

Holzhauer has won 21 consecutive Jeopardy! games, amassing winnings totaling $1,608,627. The champ says he plans to donate some of the money to local Southern Nevada charities including the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.

On the Records

Holzhauer had one goal heading into his first Jeopardy! appearance on April 4: break the single-day winnings record of $77,000 held by Roger Craig since 2010. On his fourth show, the Las Vegas sports bettor accomplished the feat by a wide margin when he won $110,914.

On his 10th show, he topped himself when he won $131,127 – which remains the all-time largest haul on a single regular season Jeopardy! episode. To date, Holzhauer has topped Craig’s $77,000 mark 11 times.

His 21-game win streak is second only to Ken Jennings, who won 74 games in 2004. Holzhauer is also second to Jennings in regular season winnings. He needs $912,073 to equal Jennings’ $2,520,700 total.

Holzhauer is averaging $76,601 per game. At that rate, he will need 12 more victories to surpass Jennings. Holzhaur has answered correctly 759 times out of 786 attempts (96.6 percent), and has been first to buzzer in 58.4 percent of the time. He’s also 47 of 51 on Daily Doubles for earnings of $450,035.

Trebek Cancer

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek announced in early March that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The American Cancer Society says the five-year survival rate for the disease at that stage is just three percent.

“My oncologist tells me I’m doing well even though I don’t always feel it,” Trebek said on Good Morning America this week. “I’ve had kidney stones, I’ve had ruptured discs, so I’m used to dealing with pain – but what I’m not used to dealing with is the surges that come on suddenly of deep, deep sadness and it brings tears to my eyes.”

People all over America have been sharing their good thoughts, their advice, their prayers,” he added. “And I feel it is making a difference in my well-being.”

As for Holzhauer, the 78-year-old gameshow host says the champ “has no weakness.”

“He has forced me to change a view that I’ve had for many years … that the Ken Jennings record will never be broken,” Trebek declared.