Professional Vegas gambler James Holzhauer notches his 20th straight victory on Jeopardy!, bringing his total winnings to $1.5million as he inches closer to show's all-time record
- James Holzhauer won his 20th straight victory on Jeopardy! on Wednesday
- The 34-year-old won $101,682, which brings his total winnings to $1,528,012
- Holzhauer, a professional gambler from Las Vegas, almost lost out on Monday night when he won by a mere $18
- He is only the second person in 35 years to win more than $1 million
- Holzhauer is now more than halfway to reaching Ken Jennings' $2.5m record
Jeopardy! genius James Holzhauer has just notched his 20th straight victory, bringing his total winnings to more than $1.5 million.
Holzhauer, a professional gambler from Las Vegas, won $101,682 on Wednesday night.
It brings the 34-year-old's total winnings so far to $1,528,012.
His recent victory came just days after his winning streak almost came to an end on Monday night when he won Final Jeopardy by just $18.
Jeopardy! genius James Holzhauer won $101,682 on Wednesday night, bringing the 34-year-old's total winnings so far to $1,528,012
Holzhauer faced his toughest competition yet: A college sports information director at Brandeis University named Adam Levin.
Until Monday's episode, the closest a competitor had come to Holzhauer's final score was by $4,190.
He is only the second person in 35 years to win more than $1 million on Jeopardy!.
With his winning streak, Holzhauer is now more than halfway to reaching Ken Jennings' $2.5million record.
It took Jennings 33 games to reach $1 million in 2004 and 74 games to earn $2.5 million.
But Holzhauer earned $1.06million in just 14 appearances and stands to match Jennings' record in half the time if his winning streak continues.
Holzhauer now has the top eight single-game totals in the show's history.
Holzhauer, a professional gambler from Las Vegas, won $101,682 on Wednesday night. He is pictured with host Alex Trebek
His recent victory came just days after his winning streak almost came to an end on Monday night when he won Final Jeopardy by just $18
In racking up the wins, he has employed a novel - but risky - strategy befitting his day job in Las Vegas.
He frequently zeroes in on the high-value questions first to quickly amass money, and then unhesitatingly bets big on his ability to offer the correct answer when he lands on a special Daily Double question.
Holzhauer planned his strategy from the beginning, only deviating from it if the category is one he's unfamiliar with - such as the U.S. Senate.
His remarkable run has earned him legions of admirers, including Jennings, the man whose record he is threatening to break.
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'This is absolutely insane,' Jennings said on Twitter of Holzhauer's success.
'I've always wanted to see someone try Jeopardy! wagering this way who had the skills to back it up.
'I don't feel I get enough credit for making small, sensible Jeopardy wagers, which helped the show with its prize budget.'
ESPN is covering Holzhauer's episodes on its Chalk betting section.
Holzhauer credits his career with helping 'desensitize' him when it comes to making big bets.
