Who won Jeopardy! tonight? September 20, 2024, Friday

The winner of Jeopardy! tonight, on Friday, September 20, 2024, is Jen Feldman. She won her second straight despite a challenging Final Jeopardy! round that stumped all three contestants.

With a final score of $14,050, Brooklyn, New York-born Jen, a high school teacher, won the competition. Her two-day overall comes to $27,850 right now. Though her wager wasn’t enough for a large lead, her careful play ensured her return as a reigning champion on Monday.

Jen’s win came after an intense battle with two new challengers: Sarah Preisinger, a family law attorney from Bellevue, Nebraska, and Santhosh Sastry, an information technology executive from Austin, Texas.

Both opponents made strong starts, with Santhosh leading in the Jeopardy! round. However, Jen’s strategic use of Daily Doubles in Double Jeopardy helped her surge to the top.

Jeopardy! episode recap: September 20, 2024

The episode began with all three contestants quickly jumping into action. Santhosh had an impressive start in the Jeopardy! round, answering seven questions correctly without a mistake.

Jen and Sarah followed closely behind, but Santhosh seemed to take control early on. By the first break, Santhosh was leading with $7,800, while Jen and Sarah were tied at $3,400.

In the Double Jeopardy round, Jen found both Daily Doubles, which allowed her to turn the game around. Though Santhosh was first dominant, Jen's strategic play and great performance in genres including Music and 20th Century Women helped her stay ahead in the competition.

At the commencement of Final Jeopardy, Jen possessed $15,101, Santhosh had $9,400, and Sarah held $7,000. The Final Jeopardy! category—Explorations—proved challenging for all three contestants.

Statistics after Double Jeopardy:

Jen: 18 correct, 2 incorrect
Santhosh: 17 correct, 4 incorrect
Sarah: 13 correct, 2 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 today)

Contestants of the episode

The contestants tonight exhibited a varied array of professions and backgrounds. Jen Feldman, the defending champion, is a secondary education instructor from Brooklyn. She captivated audiences with her composed demeanor and extensive knowledge across multiple categories. This marks Jen's second day as champion, having secured her initial victory through astute wagering in Final Jeopardy!

Santhosh Sastry, an IT executive based in Austin, was a formidable adversary. He excelled in the initial phase of the game but lagged in the pivotal Double Jeopardy round.

Despite a robust performance, his Final Jeopardy! response, Isabella Island, was erroneous, resulting in an all-in wager that left him with $0. Sarah Preisinger, a family law attorney from Bellevue, Nebraska, exhibited flashes of brilliance but struggled to maintain pace with Jen and Santhosh during the latter half of the game.

Insights about the show’s format

Due to its unique methodology, this quiz show remains exceptional within the crowded landscape of game shows. In contrast to other shows, it requires candidates to reply in the form of a question, a distinctive characteristic that has become quite attractive for the program.

The show's three-round format—Jeopardy!, Double Jeopardy!, and Final Jeopardy!—ensures that contestants require both knowledge and strategy to succeed.

It is a real test of general knowledge since it covers a range of subjects from history and literature to science and pop culture, so varying from one another. Contestants have to also act quickly since they are vying for buzz against time and each other. Moreover, the last round of the show allows for dramatic comebacks or terrible losses, which keeps the viewers interested until the last second.

Episode highlights: The turning points

Expand Tweet

This evening's episode featured multiple pivotal moments. Santhosh's robust performance in the first round was the initial highlight. He established a substantial advantage early, responding to inquiries with assurance and without pause.

Nonetheless, the game altered in the second round when Jen discovered both Daily Doubles. Her prudent decision to wager conservatively on these enabled her to assume and sustain the lead entering final round

The final round itself was a challenge for all the contestants.

The clue stumped all three players. It read,

“Named for a Spanish queen, this Pacific island chain was a starting point for famous explorations of 1960 & 2012."

The correct response was “Mariana Islands." But none of the contestants could come up with the right answer. Jen’s smaller wager helped her retain her lead, and she walked away with her second win.

Scores going into Final:

Jen: $15,100
Santhosh: $9,400
Sarah: $7,000

Contestant strategies and insights

Each contestant approached tonight’s game with their own unique strategy. Santhosh focused on building an early lead, and it worked for him in the very first round. His strength in categories like On the Map and “Spoke” allowed him to pull ahead quickly. However, his strategy faltered in the second round when Jen took control of the board.

Tonight’s final results:

Sarah: $7,000 – $1,000 = $6,000 (What are the Antilles?)
Santhosh: $9,400 – $9,400 = $0 (What are the Isabella island)
Jen: $15,100 – $1,050 = $14,050 (What is Isabella? <3 Mom) 2-day total: $27,850

Jen's approach was more systematic. She selectively chose her moments to engage in risks, especially concerning the Daily Doubles. Her prudent wagering in the final round yielded dividends once more, as it had in her prior game. Sarah, while less aggressive than the other two contestants, maintained a commendable performance, especially in the domains of history and politics.

With a total of $27,850 over two days, Jen Feldman's triumph tonight confirmed her title as a champion and marked her second straight victory on the show.

Although all three contestants found the final clue to be a challenge, Jen's consistent performance in the previous rounds and cautious wagering gave her the edge.

Edited by Apoorva Jujjavarapu