On September 30, 2024, the 16th game of Season 41 of the popular game show Jeopardy! aired, and it was a very exciting episode. It was tough from the beginning to the end because there were three smart contestants, including a defending champion.
Ultimately, Ryan Manton, a systems administrator from Columbus, Ohio, emerged victorious. His quick reflexes and strategic gameplay helped him secure the win.
Ryan faced tough competition from Alison Prelusky, a copywriter from Lindenhurst, New York, and Kate Roesch, a data visualization developer from Indianapolis, Indiana, who entered as the returning champion with $28,200 from her previous game.
Despite the strong performance of his competitors, Ryan managed to pull ahead in the Jeopardy round and command a Double Jeopardy round.
Renowned for its original question-answer style, this show has stayed popular for decades, regularly drawing in millions of people with every fresh episode. A fan favorite for years, it adds even more thrill when participants wager and tackle a challenging trivia question that involves audience interaction.
Jeopardy! winner of Monday, September 30, 2024: Ryan Manton
Ryan Manton claimed victory in Monday's episode of Jeopardy!, defeating his fellow contestants with a strong lead. Despite a challenging start, where a missed True Daily Double cost him $5,000 and left him at zero, Ryan showed resilience and came back with impressive responses in both the Jeopardy! and Double Jeopardy! rounds.
He finished the game with $22,178 after a heartfelt shoutout to his wife in Final Jeopardy, writing "I Love You Lauren" instead of the correct answer.
The Final Jeopardy category was Biblical Places, and the clue read:
"The name of this, actually a not very tall hill, became a symbol of Jewish national aspiration & was used in spirituals & reggae"
Correct response:
"What is Mount Zion?"
Alison and Kate got the correct answer, but Ryan's substantial lead meant his playful wager didn’t affect his victory. He will return as the defending champion in the next episode.
Episode breakdown
The September 30 episode of Jeopardy! kicked off with six categories in the Jeopardy! round, including Central Americana, Let’s Play Some Music, and "Starts With Silent 'K.' Ryan had a strong start but faced a setback with a $5,000 True Daily Double miss. At the end of the Jeopardy! round, Ryan rebounded, regaining the lead with $3,400, while Alison and Kate trailed closely behind with $3,200 and $2,600, respectively.
Ryan grew his lead even more in Double Jeopardy by getting both Daily Doubles and answering all 29 clues correctly. By the time Final Jeopardy came around, with a score of $22,200, his great performance meant he had won by a large margin.
Alison and Kate were behind, but they got Final Jeopardy right and won $8,000 and $8,200, respectively. However, Ryan had an outstanding performance tonight; his $22,178 total won him the game.
Contestant highlights
In Monday's episode, systems administrator Ryan Manton from Columbus, Ohio, showed how knowledgeable and competitive he is. He had a big setback early in the game but came back strong by winning the Double Jeopardy round and taking a considerable lead. He played strategically and made risky bets that paid off, giving him a total win of $22,178.
Kate Roesch and Alison Prelusky also showed off their trivia skills. Alison, a copywriter from New York, impressed everyone with how well she could play the game—she didn't get a single answer wrong. The defending champion, Kate, played very well in her first game last week but couldn't keep up with Ryan in this episode, regardless of how well she tried.
Insights about Jeopardy!
The unique format of Jeopardy!, where answers are given in the form of questions, makes it stand out. This is a unique twist that makes it different from other game shows. The final betting round adds strategy and suspense to the mix.
The way the show is set up makes viewers at home want to take part, especially in the Final Jeopardy! round, where fans try to guess the answer to the last question before the contestants do. Over the years, this way of interacting with the show has helped build a solid fan base.
The final round is a vital part of the show’s appeal, giving trailing contestants a chance to catch up with a well-calculated wager or, conversely, allowing a frontrunner to solidify their victory.
On September 30, Ryan’s choice to make a personal shoutout instead of wagering strategically highlights the human side of the game, even as it remains a fiercely competitive contest of knowledge.
The Double Jeopardy! round’s impact
The Double Jeopardy! round is often among the most important parts of the game. Ryan Manton's performance in this round was significant to his win. He got 29 out of 31 clues right and found both Daily Doubles, which put him in charge of the game and let him set the pace.
Before the Final Jeopardy! clue was given, Ryan had built up such a big lead that Alison and Kate couldn't catch up even with the correct answers.
Final Jeopardy strategy
Final Jeopardy is where players can make or break their game. In the episode from September 30, each of the three contestants had a different plan for how to win the final round. Alison and Kate bet small amounts to secure their spots, but Ryan, who was already way ahead, chose to make his answer fun.
His choice to put a personal message ahead of the right answer showed how confident he was in his game, and it paid off big time because he won by a large margin.
Performance at the First Break (15 Clues)
- Kate: 5 correct, 1 incorrect
- Alison: 2 correct, 0 incorrect
- Ryan: 6 correct, 1 incorrect
Summary after Jeopardy! round:
- Ryan: 14 correct, 1 incorrect
- Alison: 7 correct, 0 incorrect
- Kate: 6 correct, 2 incorrect
Scores at the end of Jeopardy! round:
- Ryan: $3,400
- Alison: $3,200
- Kate: $2,600
Statistics after Double Jeopardy!
- Ryan: 29 correct, 2 incorrect
- Kate: 11 correct, 5 incorrect
- Alison: 8 correct, 0 incorrect
- Total unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 for today)
Scores heading into Final Jeopardy:
- Ryan: $22,200
- Kate: $4,200
- Alison: $4,000
Final scores:
- Alison: $4,000 + $4,000 = $8,000 (Correct answer: Zion)
- Kate: $4,200 + $4,000 = $8,200 (Correct answer: Mount Zion)
- Ryan: $22,200 – $22 = $22,178 (Answer: I Love You Lauren) (1-day total: $22,178)
On Monday, September 30, 2024, it was another exciting day on Jeopardy! Ryan Manton won $22,178, showing off his trivia knowledge and ability to plan ahead. Contestants Alison Prelusky and Kate Roesch played well, but it was Ryan’s day to shine.