To think that when he first stepped foot on the lectern, that smarmy guy in the suit was going to be the show’s next host. Time is linear, man. Matt Amodio, a historic game-show contestant and noted purveyor of the word “what,†has finally lost on Jeopardy! after an astounding 38 wins. Amodio’s winning streak came to an end on Monday, October 11, when a series of clue fumbles and lack of Daily Doubles landed him in third place. In total, he amassed $1,518,601 in prize money, which he will be saving and not spending.
“Everybody’s so smart and so competent that this could happen any game,†Amodio said after the episode. “And this time it did.†Amodio, who will eventually return to Jeopardy! screens at the next Tournament of Champions, altered the show’s record book when he began his run in August: He now holds the second-best winning streak in Jeopardy! history (beating frenemy James Holzhauer), and the third-highest winnings in regular-season gameplay. Farewell, our goofy Ph.D. prince.