James Holzhauer, a 34-year-old professional gambler from Las Vegas, obliterated the all-time single-day record on the quiz show "Jeopardy!," earning $110,914 on Tuesday.
Holzhauer, harking back to his profession, used a trio of huge bets en route to the all-time record. The previous record Jeopardy! single-game record was $77,000 set by Roger Craig in 2010.
“I said all along that I wanted to break Roger Craig’s one-game record and I did it,” Holzhauer said.
Earning $110,914 was significant to Holzhauer, whose daughter was born November 9, 2014 (11/09/14).
Holzhauer drew some gasps from the audience by calling for a true Daily Double early in Double Jeopardy. He was able to double his earnings to $29,200. Later in Double Jeopardy, he wagered $25,000 in the other Daily Double.
Going into Final Jeopardy with $72,600 -- a lead of $65,600 -- Holzhauer wagered $38,314, and answered correctly in the category "physics terms." Holzhauer won by more than $98,000.
After winning just four episodes with total winnings of $244,365, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek was already making a dubious comparison.
“Is it too soon to make Ken Jennings comparisons," Trebek remarked at the end of the episode. Jennings set the Jeopardy record of winning 74 consecutive episodes.
