Who won Jeopardy! tonight? April 17, 2025, Thursday

Jeopardy! always offers an intellectual challenge and the Thursday, April 17, 2025, episode (Season 41, Game 139) was no different. Though three players battled hard throughout the episode, Steven Hoying finally won. With a last total of $29,403, he not only ruled the board but also managed to win Final Jeopardy, beating his rivals.

Steven found himself leading from early in the game and made an amazing comeback in the second round of tonight's Jeopardy! His strong Double Jeopardy! performance gave him a notable lead; even though both he and Andrew answered correctly in Final Jeopardy, Steven's large winnings made him the winner.

Contestants on Jeopardy! daily trivia game show fight it out by answering questions from several categories to win money. The show has evolved into a cultural phenomenon over time, bringing out not just general knowledge but also the players' capacity to think fast under pressure.

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Highlights of Jeopardy! episode on April 17, 2025, Thursday

The episode featured Steven Hoying, Andrew Hayes, and Michelle Dolinski competing in what proved to be a thrilling contest. Here's a break down the rounds and the events that led to Steven’s victory.

Jeopardy round

The game began with an exciting Jeopardy! round. Categories included Game Over, Man! It’s Game Over!, Silver, Words Ending In “B”, and others. Steven found the Daily Double just before the break, and he doubled his wager, putting him in the lead.

Scores after Jeopardy! Round:

• Steven: $8,200
• Andrew: $6,000
• Michelle: $2,600

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Double Jeopardy round

In the Double Jeopardy round, the contestants faced new categories such as The Vice President Who…, Canadian Lakes, and Mythology. Steven performed exceptionally well, securing both Daily Doubles and gaining a combined $11,000. His performance made the final round less of a contest as he was well ahead in points.

Scores after Double Jeopardy Round:

• Steven: $29,200
• Michelle: $13,400
• Andrew: $8,800

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Final Jeopardy round

The Final Jeopardy question was in the category Fictional Characters, and the prompt was as follows:

"This character’s efforts in Africa to end an epidemic killing monkeys inspired Jane Goodall to do something similar."

Correct response: Who is Dr. Dolittle?

Both Steven and Andrew were correct, identifying Dr. Doolittle as the answer. However, Steven’s lead from earlier in the game was enough to secure him the win.

Final Scores:

• Steven: $29,403 (correct response: Who is Dr. Doolittle?)
• Andrew: $13,410 (correct response: Who is Dr. Doolittle?)
• Michelle: $8,400 (incorrect response

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About Jeopardy! Contestants from April 17, 2025 episode

Steven Hoying

Throughout the show, Hilliard, Ohio lawyer Steven Hoying displayed his keen mind and strategic play. His best performance was in Double Jeopardy round, when he expertly managed both Daily Doubles, totaling $11,000 and confirming his lead.

Steven kept his dominance all through the game with a cool and confident attitude, correctly responding to important questions even in Final Jeopardy! where he won with $29,403. His triumph shows not only his knowledge but also his capacity to handle stress well.

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Andrew Hayes

Andrew Hayes, a law student from Tupelo, Mississippi, entered the game as a six-day reigning champion. His deep knowledge and strategic thinking were apparent as he quickly gained traction in the Jeopardy round.

Though Andrew correctly responded to the Final Jeopardy question, his earlier round performance left him unable to narrow the gap to Steven's significant lead. Though he played well, Andrew finished second with $13,410. Though tonight, Steven outperformed him, his steady performance during his run showed he is a strong competitor.

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Michelle Dolinski

A physics professor from Philadelphia, Michelle Dolinski, used her knowledge on Jeopardy! to easily respond to scientific and academic-related inquiries. She found it tough to catch up with her rivals in Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy rounds, though.

Though she had a good knowledge foundation, Michelle's slower speed cost her important points. With $8,400, she finished third. Though sadly she couldn't compensate for the earlier shortcomings during the game, Michelle's remarkable intellectual talents remained bright.

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An overview of Jeopardy! episode on April 17, 2025

Jeopardy round:

Categories: Game Over, Man! It’s Game Over!; Silver; Words Ending In “B”; College Athletes; Fly; Off The Shelves

• Steven found the Daily Double just before the break and doubled up through it, jumping into the lead.

Scores at the first break (14 clues):

• Steven: $6,000
• Andrew: $4,000
• Michelle: $600

Statistics at the first break:

• Steven: 5 correct, 0 incorrect
• Andrew: 6 correct, 1 incorrect
• Michelle: 1 correct, 0 incorrect

Today’s interviews:

• Michelle: Got a Russian tortoise as a going-away present.
• Steven: Went to The Ohio State University.
• Andrew: Spent a summer in Bolivia during college.

After the Jeopardy Round:

• Steven: 11 correct, 0 incorrect
• Andrew: 11 correct, 1 incorrect
• Michelle: 5 correct, 0 incorrect

Scores after Jeopardy Round:

• Steven: $8,200
• Andrew: $6,000
• Michelle: $2,600

Double Jeopardy Round:

• Categories: The Vice President Who…; Canadian Lakes; Mythology; Weights & Measures; TV Abbreviations & Acronyms; Give Us 2 Words
• Steven played both Daily Doubles in a three-clue span, gaining a combined $11,000 and maintaining a strong lead.

Statistics after Double Jeopardy:

• Steven: 23 correct, 2 incorrect
• Michelle: 14 correct, 0 incorrect
• Andrew: 15 correct, 4 incorrect
• Total number of unplayed clues this season: 30 (0 today)

Scores going into Final:

• Steven: $29,200
• Michelle: $13,400
• Andrew: $8,800

Final Jeopardy:

• Andrew and Steven were both correct in Final Jeopardy.

Final scores:

• Andrew: $8,800 + $4,610 = $13,410 (Who is Dr. Doolittle? I love you, Kaitlyn!)
• Michelle: $13,400 – $5,000 = $8,400 (Who is ?)
• Steven: $29,200 + $203 = $29,403 (Who is Doctor Doolittle?)
• Steven's total: $29,403 (1-day total: $29,403)
• Steven is your new champion and will return tomorrow to defend his title.

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Steven Hoying won the Double Jeopardy round particularly well in tonight's Jeopardy! episode. His capacity to benefit from the Daily Doubles gave him a notable lead, which finally turned out to be impossible to overcome.

Though there was a tight race and both Steven and Andrew answered Final Jeopardy correctly, Steven's early game strong performance guaranteed his win. Offering viewers the ideal mix of knowledge and strategy, Jeopardy! remains an exciting game show. Contestants can't wait to see Steven back to defend his title tomorrow!