“Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings — who awed audiences when he won 74 straight games in 2004 — is ready for the next challenge.
Jennings returns to the royal-blue set of the iconic game show on Tuesday for the first “Greatest of All Time” tournament, where he’ll take on fellow greats James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter.
Holzhauer won 32 games in a row in the summer of 2019, racking up $2.4 million and scores of devoted fans in the process.
But Jennings says Holzhauer is not the favorite — Rutter is.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Jennings tells his area publication Seattle Refined of Rutter, the “Jeopardy!” top earner of all time, with total earnings of almost $4.7 million between regular-season games and tournaments. Jennings has taken home $3.37 million during his 15 years of “Jeopardy!” appearances.
Rutter is “almost unbeatable on the buzzer,” adds Jennings. “I’ve played Brad in four different tournaments and he’s beat me three times. I’m like a perpetual second-place finisher to Brad. Somebody said, ‘Often a Bradsmaid, never a Brad’ which — that really hurt.”
The tournament structure — where Holzhauer will face Rutter and Jennings for the very first time — is different from a standard one-night “Jeopardy!” game: The first player to win three matches will receive $1 million and the title of “Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time.” The tournament could last up to seven days. Each non-winner will receive $250,000.
At 45, Jennings, an author, is the oldest “Greatest of All Time” contestant. Holzhauer is a 35-year-old professional gambler, while Rutter is a 41-year-old game-show professional.
“Age matters on ‘Jeopardy!’ ” Jennings says. “I wish it didn’t, because I am 15 years older than when I first played, but I can tell the difference. I’m a little bit slower on coming up with names, and my rhythm isn’t that great on the buzzer.”
Given all his time on the “Jeopardy!” airwaves, Jennings is close to beloved host Alex Trebek, who is battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
“Last I heard Alex is doing very well,” says Jennings. “He started the second round of chemo and his numbers were very good. He’s already had a remarkable recovery for someone with that kind of diagnosis. He still does a very difficult job with amazing plumb, which I admire the heck out of. Last time I saw him it was after his diagnosis, and I went backstage to see him and I thought, ‘I hope this isn’t the last time I see him.’ I grew up with this; this is my favorite show. So no matter who wins this tournament, I’m just delighted I get to spend more days with Alex again. He’s the only ‘Jeopardy!’ host I can imagine, and I hope it’s not the last time.”
As part of his preparations to play Rutter and Holzhauer, Jennings has watched as much “Jeopardy!” as possible.
“I have a pretend buzzer that I play along with, and I watch Alex every night,” he admits.
Despite his game-show stardom, Jennings still gets nervous: “I never sleep well the night before” a taping. But he’s got his game face on for the tournament.
“James and Brad, I just want to put you guys on notice,” he says. “I may be a little older. I was playing during the first Bush presidency, a long time ago. But I’m not old and dried up yet. I can still play this game. Watch out.”