Jeopardy!, the beloved American television quiz show, continues to captivate viewers. The show, which has become an iconic part of American culture, has kept audiences engaged with its unique format. On July 25, 2025, Friday, fans were eagerly watching to see who would win this exciting episode. As always, the competition was fierce. The spotlight was on Scott Riccardi, a 16-day champion, who had already amassed a remarkable $455,000 during his streak. Charlotte Cooper and Jonathan Hugendubler, the two challengers, were determined to dethrone him and win the coveted title. In this episode, Jeopardy! featured the final round that would determine the winner. Despite the fierce competition, it was Jonathan Hugendubler, an adjunct professor and trivia host from Baltimore, Maryland, who triumphed. Jonathan correctly answered the Final Jeopardy! question, "Who is William Randolph Hearst?" securing a win that left the audience cheering.Jeopardy! episode highlights - July 25, 2025, FridayJeopardy Round:Things moved quickly, and there were a lot of surprises in the first round of the evening. There were many categories for the contestants to solve, such as War Bonds, Stars, and Televised Criminal Behavior. Even though Jonathan Hugendubler got off to a slow start with three wrong answers, he fought back hard.On the other hand, Scott Riccardi did as well as usual and finished the round with seven correct answers. Scott was in first place with $5,600 at the first break. Charlotte Cooper was in second place with $2,200, and Jonathan was in last place with -$200.After the break, Scott found the Daily Double, adding another $2,000 to his total. He was firmly in the lead, but Charlotte and Jonathan still had opportunities to make a comeback. By the end of the Jeopardy! Round, the scores were:Scott: $10,800Charlotte: $3,000Jonathan: $800Double Jeopardy round:The Double Jeopardy round was crucial for all contestants. The categories included Stately Bodies of Water, Writers on Writing, Famous Animated Voices, and 16-Letter Words. Jonathan showed his strategic thinking by finding both Daily Doubles early on. This helped him close the gap with Scott, bringing his total up to $14,000.By the end of Double Jeopardy, the scores were:Scott: $23,600Jonathan: $14,000Charlotte: $7,800Final Jeopardy Round:The final round was where everything came to a head. The Final Jeopardy question, in the category 20th Century Names, was as follows: "According to one obituary, in 1935 he owned 13 magazines, 8 radio stations, 2 movie companies & $56 million in real estate."The correct response was: Who is William Randolph Hearst?Charlotte and Jonathan both correctly answered the question, boosting their totals. Unfortunately for Scott, he answered incorrectly, guessing "Who is Howard Hughes?"While he finished with a respectable $18,600, it wasn't enough to secure the win. Jonathan's correct answer put him at the top, with a final score of $23,601, making him the new champion.Charlotte: $7,800 + $7,800 = $15,600Jonathan: $14,000 + $9,601 = $23,601Scott: $23,600 - $5,000 = $18,600Contestant Profiles View this post on Instagram Instagram PostScott RiccardiBefore this episode, Scott Riccardi, an engineer from Somerville, New Jersey, had won 16 straight games. Scott was a fan favorite and made a total of $455,000. The key to his success was that he stayed calm and did well in every round. He did well in the earlier rounds, but his wrong answer in Final Jeopardy broke his winning streak.Charlotte CooperA graphic designer from San Francisco, Charlotte Cooper, made the game more interesting and creative. She was present throughout the episode and showed how quick she could think and how much she knew about many topics.Charlotte was in third place at the end of Double Jeopardy, but she beat the competition by getting all of her Final Jeopardy questions right. She made a good total of $15,600, even though she didn't win.Jonathan HugendublerJonathan Hugendubler, an adjunct professor and trivia host from Baltimore, Maryland, was the most formidable challenger to Scott Riccardi’s title. Even though Jonathan made a few mistakes early on, his strategic play showed in the Double Jeopardy round, where he got two Daily Doubles and closed the gap on Scott. With a final score of $23,601, his last correct answer on Final Jeopardy! gave him his first win.How is Jeopardy! different from regular game shows? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostJeopardy! does not operate like other trivia shows. Here, the contestants are given answers, and they have to respond in the form of questions. The game has three rounds: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy. The Daily Double adds a layer of strategy and lets players bet a lot of money. The way the show is set up requires strategizing, especially in the Double Jeopardy round, where the odds are higher. There is only one question on Final Jeopardy that can make or break a contestant's chances of winning. Jeopardy! stands out because of how fast-paced and difficult it is.Game Statistics from tonight’s Jeopardy! episodeJeopardy Round:Scott: 7 correct, 0 incorrect – $10,800Charlotte: 3 correct, 0 incorrect – $3,000Jonathan: 3 correct, 3 incorrect – $800Double Jeopardy Round:Scott: 13 correct, 0 incorrect – $23,600Jonathan: 7 correct, 3 incorrect – $14,000Charlotte: 6 correct, 1 incorrect – $7,800Final Jeopardy Round:Scott: Incorrect – Final Score: $18,600Charlotte: Correct – Final Score: $15,600Jonathan: Correct – Final Score: $23,601When Jonathan Hugendubler won Jeopardy! on July 25, 2025, it was a great way to end season 41. Together, his comeback in Double Jeopardy and a correct answer on Final Jeopardy gave him the win. Even though Scott Riccardi's winning streak ended, he was still a strong champion all season.