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On February 17, 2025, Jeopardy! aired another thrilling episode of its 41st season. There were three skilled competitors, each bringing something different to the game as part of the second Jeopardy! Tournament, which started Week 8 of the 10-week postseason.
Many individuals watched to see if one of the all-time greats could win or if a new contender would step up and win. Finally, Matt Amodio won the game.
On the show was novelist Doug Molitor, who has been on Jeopardy! many times, Hannah Wilson, who has won eight times, and Matt Amodio, who has won 38 times. The stakes were high because the competition was a match between experienced players from different backgrounds with great track records.
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The long-running quiz show Jeopardy! is known for its unique format. In the form of a question, contestants have to answer trivia clues. Fans have loved it for decades due to its intellectually challenging and fun format. The contest on tonight's episode was just as exciting and high-stakes as always.
Jeopardy! episode highlights: February 17, 2025, Monday
Jeopardy round
Jeopardy had categories like Novel Title Characters, We're Talkin' Baseball, and This & That. Finding the Daily Double early on gave Hannah Wilson a big advantage, letting her take the lead with a smart bet. By the fifteenth clue, she was way ahead with $8,600, leaving Matt Amodio in second place with $3,200 and Doug Molitor in third place with -$200.
Hannah correctly answered seven clues this round, while Matt correctly answered five times with two mistakes. With three correct answers near the end, Doug found his rhythm, but it wasn't enough to make up for his mistakes earlier. The scoreboard showed that Hannah had $9,600, Matt had $6,800, and Doug had $800 at halfway.
Double Jeopardy round
When they played Double Jeopardy, the stakes were higher. The categories were Ancient Times, Scientific Discoveries, and Philosophy. Doug Molitor tried to get out of the hole early on, but his wrong answer to the second Daily Double put him even further behind and eliminated him from the Final Jeopardy race.
At the same time, Matt and Hannah kept up their fierce rivalry. Matt took the lead when he doubled up on a Daily Double, giving him a score of $30,400. Hannah's score was $22,400. Doug unfortunately lost $3,200 at the end of the round, which meant he couldn't play in Final Jeopardy.
Final Jeopardy round
The final Jeopardy question was about Literature & Sickness. It said:
This strep infection that causes a rash has terrible effects in the Little Women and Little House on the Prairie books.
The right answer was:
What is scarlet fever?
Both Matt and Hannah answered correctly. Matt's win was solidified by his large lead, and he moved on to the semifinals with a $45,400 score. Hannah won $30,401 because she gave the right answer. Doug, who had been eliminated in the previous round, did not play in Final Jeopardy.
Contestant profiles
Doug Molitor: Jeopardy! fans are familiar with Doug Molitor, a novelist from Altadena, California. Later, in the 1970s and early 1990s, he had a great run. In his first five matches, he won four times and made it to the semifinals of the Tournament of Champions.
As a Jeopardy! veteran Doug was a strong contestant tonight. Despite having been on the show before, he had a hard time in both Jeopardy! and Double Jeopardy, leaving him with too much ground to make up for the other two players.
Hannah Wilson: Hannah Wilson is the owner of a yarn store in Chicago, Illinois. She had won eight times on the show before this invitational tournament. She was sure of herself going into tonight's game as she was known for playing strategically.
Early on, her quick thinking and sharp responses helped her keep a solid lead. However, even though she did very well, she couldn't beat Matt in the final round. However, her $30,401 score was a good result.
Matt Amodio: Before the game, Matt Amodio, a quantitative researcher from New York, New York, was the clear favorite among fans. He had won 38 times on Jeopardy! before and was very good at trivia and the game itself.
He got ahead of the other contestants as he answered questions quickly and correctly. His decisive answers and calculated wagers in the Double Jeopardy round ultimately secured him the victory and a spot in the semifinals of the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament.
Jeopardy! Game recap: Monday, February 17, 2025
Jeopardy Round:
Categories:
- We’re Talkin’ Baseball
- This & That
- 2-Word Rhymes
- Clothes Minded
- Novel Title Characters
- The President Is In Trouble
Daily Double (DD1): Hannah found it early and used it to build a strong advantage.
Scores after 15 clues (at the first break):
- Hannah: $8,600
- Matt: $3,200
- Doug: -$200
Clue Statistics at the first break:
- Hannah: 7 correct, 0 incorrect
- Matt: 5 correct, 2 incorrect
- Doug: 1 correct, 1 incorrect
Interviews (During the break):
- Doug: Credits his writing career to his history on Jeopardy
- Hannah: Opened a yarn store in Chicago and did an escape room in Toronto with Jeopardy contestants Juveria Zaheer, Ray Lalonde, and Mattea Roach.
- Matt: Wants to be the "game show villain."
Jeopardy round summary (After 30 Clues):
- Matt picked up 11 correct answers after the break, but Hannah still maintained the lead due to her early advantage.
Statistics after the Jeopardy! Round:
- Hannah: 9 correct, 1 incorrect
- Matt: 16 correct, 2 incorrect
- Doug: 3 correct, 1 incorrect
Scores after Jeopardy! Round:
- Hannah: $9,600
- Matt: $6,800
- Doug: $800
Double Jeopardy Round:
Categories:
- Ancient Times
- Sudden “Death”
- Scientific Discoveries
- Taking Lessons
- Album Fill In The Blank
- Philosophy
Daily Double (DD2): Doug found it immediately but gave an incorrect response, putting him in the negative and out of contention for Final Jeopardy.
Daily Double (DD3): Matt doubled up here, taking the lead and pulling ahead of Hannah going into Final Jeopardy.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
- Matt: 26 correct, 2 incorrect
- Hannah: 20 correct, 2 incorrect
- Doug: 6 correct, 4 incorrect
- Total unplayed clues this season: 26 (none today).
Scores Going into Final Jeopardy:
- Matt: $30,400
- Hannah: $22,400
- Doug: -$3,200 (Did not participate in Final Jeopardy due to being in the red)
Final Jeopardy Results:
- Both Matt and Hannah were correct in Final Jeopardy.
- Hannah: $22,400 + $8,001 = $30,401 (correct response: "What is scarlet fever?")
- Matt: $30,400 + $15,000 = $45,400 (correct response: "What is scarlet fever?")
- Winner: Matt advances to the semifinals!
Tonight's Final Results:
- Doug: -$3,200 (Did not participate in Final Jeopardy)
- Hannah: $30,401 (correct response: "What is scarlet fever?")
- Matt: $45,400 (correct response: "What is scarlet fever?") - Semi-Finalist!
On tonight's episode of Jeopardy!, three talented contestants were in a fierce battle. While Doug Molitor had trouble keeping up, Hannah Wilson and Matt Amodio both showed how smart they were. Because Matt did so well in Double Jeopardy! and got the right answer in Final Jeopardy!, he won and moved on to the semifinals.
The performances of the other contestants showed how the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament is always changing. Each contestant's journey is different, and tonight's game showed how skilled and strategic the show is. Since Matt made it to the next round, the tournament is still full of exciting moments for all Jeopardy! fans.
