James Holzhauer to return to ‘Jeopardy!’ for champions tournament
James Holzhauer will make his much-anticipated return to “Jeopardy!” next week in the game show’s 10-day Tournament of Champions, which starts Monday.
The Las Vegas-based professional sports bettor will compete in the quarterfinals on Nov. 6, against Alan Dunn, a software development manager from Johns Creek, Georgia, and Lindsey Shultz, a physician and healthcare analyst from Pittsburgh.
Holzhauer, 35, became a national sensation earlier this year when he won $2.46 million during a 32-game winning streak that was ended by Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher on the June 3 episode.
A potential Holzhauer-Boettcher rematch will have to wait until the semifinals, which air Nov. 11-13. The finals air Nov. 14 and 15.
“I wasn’t surprised that we weren’t matched up together, because ‘Jeopardy’ has historically not put two people from the same taping session into a quarterfinal game together,” Holzhauer said in an email Monday night. “They did make the two of us shoot a lot of video promos for a potential rematch before taping commenced. (Emma was much too nice to talk any trash.) Stay tuned to see if they get to use any of it!”
Boettcher will compete in the quarterfinals on Nov. 7 against Eric R. Backes, an attorney from Oviedo, Florida., and Josh Hill, a network engineer from North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Hill is second in the field of 15 former champs to Holzhauer in total winnings, with $163,721, and is in a three-way tie for second in games won with seven.
The winner will claim the $250,000 grand prize. The runner-up earns $100,000. Third place takes home $50,000.
“Jeopardy!” airs weekdays at 7 p.m. on KLAS-TV, Channel 8.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.