Who won Jeopardy! tonight? January 6, 2025, Monday

The winner of tonight’s Jeopardy! episode on January 6, 2025, was Drew Goins, a journalist from Honolulu, Hawai’i. This episode marked the beginning of the second week of Winter 2025’s Second Chance competition, bringing together former contestants with unfinished business.

Drew showcased exceptional skill and strategy, securing his spot in the finals. The intense competition featured three skilled contestants battling for supremacy on the iconic quiz show.

Drew Goins clinched the victory with an impressive performance across all three rounds: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy. His quick responses and strategic wagers during the Daily Doubles solidified his lead.

The Final Jeopardy question, under the category 21st Century Business, challenged contestants to identify the app originally called Matchbox, later renamed Tinder. Drew answered correctly and emerged victorious with a commanding lead.

Jeopardy!, a long-standing quiz show, has been entertaining audiences since 1964. Known for its unique format, where answers are given, and contestants must respond in the form of a question, the show remains a benchmark of intellectual competition.

Jeopardy! episode highlights: January 6, 2025, Monday

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Jeopardy round

The opening round of Jeopardy! featured six categories, including Historic History, Albums, and Palindromic Words. Drew dominated early, answering eight questions correctly and taking a commanding lead with $7,800.

Steve Miller, a retired medical transcriptionist, and Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds, a theatrical wardrobe technician, trailed behind with $2,200 and $2,600, respectively. A $3,000 True Daily Double further boosted Drew's lead, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

Double Jeopardy

In the second round, the stakes intensified with categories like Stars of Stage & Screen and Recent Science Nobel Prizes. Drew maintained his momentum, answering 14 additional questions correctly. Steve gained ground by finding and successfully wagering on a Daily Double, doubling his score.

Despite Drew’s minor stumble on a $2,000 clue, he quickly recovered, leveraging another Daily Double to extend his lead. By the end of Double Jeopardy!, Drew led with $25,600, followed by Steve at $12,200 and Jonquil at $7,200.

Final Jeopardy

The Final Jeopardy clue, under the category 21st Century Business, asked contestants to identify the app initially called Matchbox. Drew and Jonquil correctly responded, What is Tinder?

Drew wagered conservatively, securing his win with $30,000. Steve, unfortunately, answered incorrectly, reducing his final score to $6,000. Jonquil finished with $10,800, placing second behind Drew.

Contestant profiles

Drew Goins

A journalist from Honolulu, Drew demonstrated exceptional knowledge and quick thinking. His previous Jeopardy! appearance in September showcased his strong gameplay, which he carried into tonight’s episode.

Steve Miller

Hailing from Eugene, Oregon, Steve brought experience from his earlier stint in May, where he competed against a four-day champion. Though he played well, his incorrect Final Jeopardy response proved costly.

Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds

Representing Ottawa, Ontario, Jonquil, a theatrical wardrobe technician, displayed steady gameplay throughout the episode. Her correct Final Jeopardy answer secured her second-place finish.

Game recap & tonight’s Jeopardy! game stats

Here is the detailed breakdown of tonight’s Jeopardy! episode, Monday, January 6, 2025:

Jeopardy Round

Categories: Historic History; Albums; Palindromic Words; Kickin’ Brass; Flags!; Soy What?

Drew Goins took an early lead with a commanding performance, answering 8 clues correctly. He wagered wisely on a $3,000 True Daily Double, boosting his score significantly to $7,800 at the first break.
Steve Miller and Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds kept a steady pace, each scoring $2,200 by the first break.

Statistics at the First break (15 clues):

Drew: 8 correct, 0 incorrect
Steve: 4 correct, 0 incorrect
Jonquil: 3 correct, 0 incorrect

Today’s interviews:

Drew reflected on a playful jab at Taylor Swift fans, which included his brother.
Steve shared how his family and friends expressed pride in his first appearance.
Jonquil humorously apologized to Idina Menzel for mispronouncing her name in a previous show.
Drew continued his dominance by answering another 8 clues correctly in the second half of the round. He redeemed himself on a Taylor Swift-related clue and ended the Jeopardy round with a substantial lead.

Statistics after the Jeopardy round (30 clues):

Drew: 16 correct, 0 incorrect
Steve: 7 correct, 0 incorrect
Jonquil: 4 correct, 0 incorrect

Scores after the Jeopardy round:

Drew: $11,600
Steve: $3,400
Jonquil: $2,600

Double Jeopardy round:

Categories: Alliteration On The Map; A Little Love Poetry; Stars Of Stage & Screen; Manual Events; Recent Science Nobel Prizes; Soy Que?

Steve Miller made a strong move, finding Daily Double 2 (DD2) and doubling his score with a correct response. This put him back in contention.
Drew remained sharp, answering 14 additional clues correctly, although he missed a $2,000 question, his first and only error of the game.
Drew found Daily Double 3 (DD3) and wagered $5,000, maintaining his lead. Despite this, his score wasn’t enough to secure a runaway lead going into Final Jeopardy.
Jonquil improved her standing by answering 11 clues correctly in this round, closing the gap.

Statistics After Double Jeopardy (60 clues):

Drew: 30 correct, 1 incorrect
Steve: 15 correct, 1 incorrect
Jonquil: 11 correct, 0 incorrect

Scores After Double Jeopardy:

Drew: $25,600
Steve: $12,200
Jonquil: $7,200
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 26 (0 today).

Final Jeopardy Round

Category: 21st Century Business

Clue: An early version of this app was called Matchbox, but that name was too similar to another company that offered the same service.
Correct Response: What is Tinder?
Drew and Jonquil responded correctly. Drew wagered conservatively, securing his victory with a final score of $30,000.
Steve answered incorrectly, reducing his final score to $6,000.
Jonquil finished strong with a final score of $10,800, placing second.

Scores Going Into Final Jeopardy:

Drew Goins: $33,400
Steve Miller: $18,400
Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds: $9,800

Final Jeopardy Clue (Category: 21st Century Business):

An early version of this app was called Matchbox, but that name was too similar to another company that offered the same service.

Correct Response: What is Tinder?

Final Jeopardy Responses and Wagers:

Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds: Correct answer (What is Tinder?), wagered $0, ending with $9,800.
Steve Miller: Correct answer (What is Tinder?), wagered $15,001, ending with $33,401.
Drew Goins: Correct answer (What is Tinder?), wagered $3,401, finishing with $36,801 and clinching the win as a Finalist.

Tonight’s Results:

Drew: $33,400 + $3,401 = $36,801 (Finalist, advances to Thursday and Friday)
Steve: $18,400 + $15,001 = $33,401
Jonquil: $9,800 + $0 = $9,800
Drew Goins’ strategic gameplay, sharp knowledge, and well-timed wagers earned him a decisive win.

Drew Goins’ victory on Jeopardy! tonight was a testament to his intellectual agility and strategic gameplay. As the season progresses, viewers can look forward to more thrilling moments and unforgettable victories on this iconic quiz show.

Edited by Sreerupa Das