Did the Dude Win Again on Jeopardy
Who is Matt Amodio? The 'Jeopardy!' contestant shares his thoughts on his winning streak
A New Englander made history Friday night, reaching second-place on the "Jeopardy!" All-Time Sequent Win list.
Matt Amodio'due south 33rd straight win pushed him past "Jeopardy!" champion James Holzhauer's 32-game streak. The Yale Ph.D. educatee is behind only Ken Jennings, now an executive producer of the bear witness. The winner of the Goat tournament, Jennings set the elevation record of 74 wins in 2004.
Overtaking Holzhauer is "deeply rewarding, but simultaneously it doesn't feel correct," Amodio says. "James Holzhauer is an accented fable. Putting my name at the same level every bit his but seems out of identify."
After reaching the $1 1000000 mark Sept. 24, he's currently earned $i,267,801. The only other contestants to win more than than $1 million in regular season games are Jennings at $two,520,700 and Holzhauer with $2,462,216.
The New Haven, Connecticut resident, who will become for win 34 on Mon, Oct. four, shows no signs of slowing down.
The contestant who one time drew heat for beginning every answer with "What'south?" — i.east. "What's Longoria?" instead of "Who is Eva Longoria?" — is at present a full-blown Twitter favorite and "Jeopardy!" great. For my money, he could become the greatest to ever play the game. As a lifelong "Jeopardy!" fan, I've loved watching Amodio play. Honestly, I tin see him hit 75 games. This horse has legs.
Similar to Holzhauer, Amodio'south strategy is to go for big coin questions early on. Because he'southward so often controlling the board, he tends to notice Daily Doubles — and make them "truthful" Daily Doubles. I've seen him — at least twice — bet it all, lose it all, and start Double Jeopardy with $0, only to come up back and win by $20,000 or $30,000. (And if your eye is in your pharynx when he does this — so is his.) And nevertheless most of the fourth dimension, information technology pays off. He doesn't simply win — he wins by landslides. As current host Mayim Bialik told Amodio onstage recently: it's a joy watching him play.
Perhaps near remarkable: he's kept his head in the game, no thing who'southward at the podium — and he's seen a few hosts come and get. (Bialik is doing a tremendous job, in my opinion.) In cosmic timing, Amodio may be going for Jennings' tape while Jennings himself is behind the host podium once more in November.
Amodio has also proved to be a fun Twitter follow, even joking with "Jeopardy!" greats, including noted Twitter kidder "Jeopardy James" Holzhauer.
Kidding aside, Amodio has made a proper name for himself in the game and online, as a gracious and humble role player. He has talked nearly his lack of self-confidence, but onstage, that only reads every bit pure joy and awe. The nighttime earlier he tied Holzhauer's 32-games, he tweeted: "Information technology would be an honor to be unfavorably compared to a person I adore and then much!"
As the #AmodioRodeo continues, I caught up with the "Jeopardy!" contestant to talk strategy, nerves and why he loves New England.
Lauren Daley: How did it feel to striking the $1 million mark?
Matt Amodio: It felt dandy! I've been proud of every unmarried win along the way, but to striking this milestone has been incredibly rewarding. It's an exclusive gild that I yet don't feel like I vest in.
Your Twitter bio says "Current status: Dream, Living the."
I've always wanted to exist on the bear witness. I've watched it with my family since earlier I can remember, and I've idolized the best players of the game. I knew Ken Jennings' stats the manner I knew Baby Ruth's stats. To exist on the show was always a dream of mine.
Tell me a bit virtually yourself, and time in New England.
I grew upward nearly Cleveland, I came to New Oasis for schoolhouse. I moved to Connecticut in 2017, which feels like just yesterday. One of the things I love almost New England is how city life and nature are so close together. I dear living in a urban center, and enjoying the culture — but I also dearest getting to the woods. Here, you tin exercise both without having to travel far.
I have visited Boston a couple of times now; it's such a great city. I'yard a big baseball fan, and I've really liked the several games I've seen at Fenway — even if I'chiliad rooting for the abroad squad. Deplorable.
For strategy, your play reminds me of Holzhauer — going for big money questions, risking it all on Daily Doubles. Did you study tapes of him earlier going on the show? How did you prep?
I took a lot of inspiration from James. As a guy who thinks statistically myself, I related to his approach a lot. I think more than than studying him, I studied the aforementioned sorts of statistical/probability based strategies every bit him, and meet a lot of the same reasoning.
What's a typical day similar? How many games do you shoot per day?
Each tape twenty-four hours has five episodes in it. It'due south a long day. We arrive at 7 a.thousand. and it has been as late as 8 p.m. that I've gotten out. The endurance required to play a whole day is an underrated part of the difficulty.
Your streak has run through quite a few hosts. Has it been hard to ignore the host drama and focus on the game?
It's been surprisingly easy to but focus on the game. When you're on the stage, in that location's and then much to think about that you really only accept to focus on the clues one at a fourth dimension. And the mechanics of the game stay the aforementioned, so there's a lot of constants.
What'south your overall experience been like?
This has been a delightful experience from acme to bottom. I love the challenge of the game, the tremendous compliments I accept received, and virtually of all, the people I've met.
Do you think you can crush Ken Jennings' record?
I don't take any single game for granted; y'all can't worry about the game two days from now. You can just focus on the task at hand.
Timing-wise, if y'all get at that place, he might be at the podium. Volition it feel weird going for Ken'southward record while he's hosting?
It would feel extra special. I want to impress him; he is my idol. Having the chance to practise it in person would be my dream.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Source: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/10/04/matt-amodio-jeopardy-contestant-consecutive-wins
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