‘Jeopardy Masters’: The 2024 champion wins contest featuring ‘the very best of the best’ (2024)

The 2024 “Jeopardy Masters” tournament named its champion at the end of the Wednesday, May 22 finale, bringing to a conclusion what has been a dazzling three-week display of contestants who seem to know just about everything, and whose competition has been marked by a welcome tone of congeniality and good humor.

• Missed the finale? You can watch “Jeopardy Masters” with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial)

Going into the final two games, James Holzhauer, the winner of the previous season of “Jeopardy Masters” -- and the self-described “Final Boss” of “Jeopardy!” -- was at the top of the leaderboard.

Next was Vancouver’s Yogesh Raut, a cognitive and behavioral scientist who was this year’s winner of the “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions. And in third was Victoria Groce, a writer and television personality from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

All three had prevailed in a field of six highly ranked “Jeopardy!” players who began the tournament, a group that also included Amy Schneider, a writer from Oakland, California; Matt Amodio, a quantitative researcher from New York; and Mattea Roach, a writer and podcast host from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

As host Ken Jennings said as the first of the finals games began, the three players onstage had “proven their prowess over the last 16 games.”

At the end of the first game, the “Final Jeopardy” category was “Politicians.” The clue: “This man was the first to be governor of one state and then senator from another; 173 years later, Mitt Romney became the second.”

Raut had 9,600 and had the correct response, which was Sam Houston. Raut wagered everything, raising his total to 19,200. Groce had the incorrect response, with “What is Johnson?” She wagered 3,800, leaving her with 21,400. Holzhauer also had the right answer, and wagered 1,109, boosting his total to 28,309.

“All three of our Masters are very tightly grouped as we head into Game 2,” Jennings said.

When it was time for the last “Final Jeopardy” of the tournament, the category was “American Women.” The clue: “The New York Times wrote of this woman who had died in 1951, ‘though she was forgotten at the time, part of her remained alive.’”

All three players knew the answer was Henrietta Lacks, the Black woman whose cells became an important part of cancer research. The story was told in the bestselling nonfiction book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by onetime Portlander Rebecca Skloot.

Despite his correct answer, Holzhauer predicted he wouldn’t win, and wrote on his answer card, “Final Boss Death Music,” which he demonstrated with a funny sound and falling movement. Holzhauer’s wager of 908 brought his second game total to 9,708, and when that was added to his first game total, he had 38,017.

Raut bet 10,911, which brought his second game total to 26,710. When his first game total of 19,200 was added, his total was 45,910.

Groce, whose “Daily Double” wins had boosted her to a huge 34,000 lead going into “Final Jeopardy,” wagered zero. When her second game total of 34,000 was added to her first game total, she had 55,400 points, which earned her the $500,000 grand prize, and the Trebek Trophy.

Jennings congratulated Groce for “defeating the very best of the best.” For finishing second, Raut won $250,000, and Holzhauer’s third-place finish earned him $150,000.

As the “Jeopardy!” website notes, “For a contestant who previously only won one game back in 2005 before returning to the Alex Trebek Stage this year and winning the Jeopardy! Invitational, Victoria has proven to be one of the show’s most formidable players.”

Groce also competed on the ABC quiz show, “The Chase,” and has long been active in the international quizzing world.

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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