Another Season 43 record has been broken. A Jeopardy! contestant got the highest payout of the season, just days after Caleb Groen bested Jamie Ding. Was it the law and policy student, who is trying to reach Super Champ status, who did it, or one of his opponents?
Groen, from Thousand Oaks, California, entered his tenth game with a total of $240,500. On July 14, he played against Armando Marin, from Queens, New York, and Marisa Rizzuti, from Centerport, New York. Warning: Spoilers for the July 15 episode of Jeopardy! ahead!
Groen was in the lead with $3,400 when he found the Daily Double on clue nine. He wagered $1,000 in “Barber Shop.” The clue read, “This London street that was the epicenter of British journalism is also the site of some barber-ous murders in a classic musical.”
“What is Fleet Street?” he answered correctly. This gave him $4,400, compared to Marin’s, an attorney, $600. Groen still had the lead by the first break with $6,200.
By the end of the round, Groen maintained the lead with $8,600. Marin had $4,400. Rizzuti, a director of planned giving, was in third place with -$800.
In Double Jeopardy, Groen found the first DD on clue two. He had $9,800 and wagered $4,000.
The clue in “Notorious” was “Robert Stroud, who became a self-taught ornithologist during his years in solitary, is best known by this nickname.” Groen moved up to $13,800 when he correctly answered, “What is the Birdman of Alcatraz?”
On the next clue, the reigning champion found the last DD. He wagered $5,000 in “Poems.”
The clue read, “Milton’s poem this I man ‘Agonistes’, meaning enduring struggle, describes him as ‘eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves.’” “Who is Sampson?” he answered, unsure, but he was correct and put $18,800 in his bank.
The rest of the round was filled with a handful of Triple Stumpers and about three clues correct from both Marin and Rizzuti. All of the rest of them went to Groen, who ended with $38,000.
Marin had $4,400. Rizzuti ended with $3,200. The category for Final Jeopardy was “20th Century History.”
The clue read, “The U.N. Conference of April 25, 1945 opened with a speech that said this man ‘gave his life while trying to perpetuate these high ideals.’” Only two of the game show contestants had the correct response.
Rizzuti wrote, “Who <3 to my?” She was wrong and wagered $1,201, giving her $1,999.
Both Marin and Groen had the correct response of “Who is Franklin D. Roosevelt?” Marin wagered $2,001, making his final total $6,401.
Groen wagered $22,067, making his total $60,067. This gave him a ten-day total of $300,567. During Groen’s sixth game, he broke the season record with the highest payout of $60,000.
He became a Super Champ and joined the ranks this season of Jamie Ding, Harrison Whitaker, Tristan Williams, and Adam Remsen. Groen will return for his 11th game on July 16.
According to The Jeopardy Fan, Groen is in 18th place for All-Time Winnings, Regular Play Only. Can he continue to climb the leaderboard?
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