See Indiana native Harrison Whitaker wager big on ‘Jeopardy!’
Harrison Whitaker, a researcher originally from Terre Haute, took down a four-day champion on “Jeopardy!”
Words uttered by host Ken Jennings in the final round of “Jeopardy!” turned prophetic for Indiana super champ Harrison Whitaker on Monday, Dec. 1. The researcher from Indiana was on a 14-game winning streak and looked poised to secure another victory when Jennings gave this remark:
“They may be small but they could have a big impact on today’s game,” Jennings said.
They did — a clue about a 1959 4-cent stamp ended Whitaker’s reign on the popular quiz show.
Terre Haute native Harrison Whitaker loses ‘Jeopardy!’ Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Who did he play against?
On Monday, Dec. 1, Whitaker faced Libby Jones, a recruiter from Davenport, Florida, and Brendan Thomas, a historian from Fayetteville, Arkansas.
What was the Final Jeopardy question for Monday, Dec. 1, 2025?
The Final Jeopardy clue Monday, Dec. 1, read: “A 1959 4-cent stamp depicts an eagle and a maple leaf beneath the name of this project.”
Players had 30 seconds to respond.
Up until Monday, Whitaker had typically lead each game by thousands of dollars ahead of the other contestants, sometimes by twice or even three times the amount.
That wasn’t the case Dec. 1.
While Whitaker maintained his first place spot heading into Final Jeopardy with $21,000, Jones wasn’t far behind with $17,200.
In third place with $3,600 was Thomas. He gave the correct response: “What is the Saint Lawrence Seaway?” Thomas’ wager of $3,599 nearly doubled his money for a total of $7,199.
Jones also wrote down “What is the Saint Lawrence Seaway?” Her bet of $7,600 brought her to a total of $24,801, meaning Whitaker had to both give the correct response and wager enough money to surpass Jones.
Whitaker, “now in second place, needs to get this right,” said Jennings. “Did he come up with the Saint Lawrence Speedway?”
Whitaker responded, “What is the Ambassador Bridge?” A wager of $13,401 dropped him down to $7,599 to end the night in second place.
The Terre Haute native will nevertheless go home with hundreds of thousands of dollars and recognition as Jeopardy!’s season 42 first “Super Champion.”
How much money did Harrison Whitaker win on ‘Jeopardy!’ after 15 games?
Whitaker’s total winnings on “Jeopardy!” earned him $373,999.
How to watch ‘Jeopardy!’ When is it on?
“Jeopardy!” airs at 7:30 p.m. on weeknights on NBC.
Watch ‘Jeopardy!’ on Peacock
How to stream ‘Jeopardy!’
You can watch the show live with some Peacock subscriptions. Recent episodes stream the day after they air.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
