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The Jeopardy! episode on Thursday, July 9, 2025, saw Scott Riccardi, the defending champion, getting the most attention. After three tough rounds of intellectual battle, Riccardi not only kept his title but also won the game by a large margin. With this win, he made it to the next Tournament of Champions and earned a total of $144,902.
The game had a tough Final Jeopardy question in the Ancient Builders category. Even though Scott had the lead, he bet $500 and got the answer right. His opponents, Sarah Mulligan and Rahul Kak, failed to give the right answer, which widened the gap. Scott had $12,000 in chips before Final Jeopardy, so even a zero bet would have made him win.
Jeopardy! is one of America's most iconic quiz shows. It first aired in 1964 and was popularized by long-time host Alex Trebek. The show tests contestants in multiple knowledge categories, and its answer-and-question format sets it apart from other trivia programs.
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Jeopardy! episode highlights – July 9, 2025, Thursday
Jeopardy round
The Jeopardy round began with categories such as American History, Sporty Stuff, We Are Literary Family, How Now, Dow Jones 30 Symbol, Number, Please, and “Straight” Talk. Right from the first clue, Scott faced challenges. He hit the first Daily Double early and lost $1,000 on a missed answer (“What is Mustang?” instead of “What is maverick?”).
By the first commercial break, the scores were:
- Scott: $1,200
- Sarah: $1,200
- Rahul: $800
Despite a rocky start, Scott regained his pace. He performed well in literature and business categories but faced stiff competition from Sarah, who correctly answered questions on political history and pop culture. Rahul, while slower on the buzzer, made a few strong comebacks in Literary Family and Number, Please.
Double Jeopardy round
In the Double Jeopardy round, the categories were Sketches Give Stitches, Old Reviews, Earth Science, French Proverbs, Take a Long Walk, and Off a Not-So-Short Pier. Scott made a strong comeback here, successfully answering complex clues in Earth Science and Old Reviews.
Two Daily Doubles appeared in this round:
- Daily Double 2: Scott answered “What is convection?” correctly and boosted his score by $4,000.
- Daily Double 3: He bet $5,000 on a geography clue but missed the answer (“What is the Pacific Coast Highway?” instead of “What is the Pan-American Highway?”), dropping him to $5,600.
Despite this, Scott kept a clear lead. Sarah followed with good answers in French Proverbs and Sporty Stuff. Rahul struggled with the buzzer but offered correct responses in Sketches Give Stitches.
Scores entering Final Jeopardy:
- Scott: $12,000
- Sarah: $5,400
- Rahul: $3,800
Final Jeopardy round
The Final Jeopardy category was Ancient Builders. The clue read:
"A 2nd-century inscription in Northern England records that the gods imposed “the necessity of keeping intact the empire” on this man."
Scott was the only contestant to answer correctly: “Who is Hadrian?”
Sarah and Rahul both missed the clue and lost their wagers.
Final wagers and scores:
- Scott wagered $500 → Final score: $12,500
- Sarah wagered $2,201 → Final score: $3,199
- Rahul wagered $1,601 → Final score: $2,199
Contestant profiles
Scott Riccardi
Scott Riccardi is an engineer from Somerville, New Jersey. Now a five-day Jeopardy! champion, he has built his total winnings to $144,902. His gameplay is marked by calm risk-taking and deep knowledge across varied topics like science, history, and literature. Scott secured his place in the next Tournament of Champions with this win.
Sarah Mulligan
Sarah is a lawyer from New York City. Her confident performance in the first two rounds was commendable. She answered well in American History and Straight Talk, showing her depth in current events and law-adjacent topics. However, she struggled in Final Jeopardy and finished second with $3,199.
Rahul Kak
Rahul is a law student from Brooklyn, New York. His performance was steady but slow. He offered a few great answers in the We Are Literary Family and Sketches categories. He seemed to enjoy the experience, even joking about attending a Beyoncé concert after the taping.
How is Jeopardy! different from other game shows?
Since it starts with the answer, Jeopardy!'s format is different from that of other game shows. When the host presents an answer, the contestants have to come up with a question in response. There are three parts to the game: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy.
Unlike shows that depend on luck, Jeopardy! stresses on knowing a lot of different topics. Daily Doubles and smart betting can change the course of the game. Even though it's formal, the tone is friendly, and the fact that contestants often come from different academic and professional backgrounds proves that the show values intelligence over entertainment.
The show Jeopardy! has been around for a long time, has a consistent format, and is dedicated to mental challenges.
Game statistics from tonight’s Jeopardy! episode
Jeopardy! round:
- Categories: American History, Sporty Stuff, We Are Literary Family, Dow Jones Symbols, Number Please, and Straight Talk
- Daily Double 1: Scott lost $1,000 on “What is maverick?”
- Scores at break: Scott $1,200, Sarah $1,200, and Rahul $800
Double Jeopardy! Round:
- Categories: Sketches Give Stitches, Old Reviews, Earth Science, French Proverbs, Take a Long Walk, and Off a Not-So-Short Pier
- Daily Double 2: Scott gained $4,000 on “What is convection?”
- Daily Double 3: Scott lost $5,000 on “What is Pan-American Highway?”
- Scores entering Final Jeopardy: Scott $12,000, Sarah $5,400, and Rahul $3,800
Final Jeopardy! round:
- Category: Ancient Builders
- Clue: A 2nd-century inscription in Northern England records that the gods imposed “the necessity of keeping intact the empire” on this man.
- Correct response: Who is Hadrian?
- Scott: +$500 → $12,500
- Sarah: -$2,201 → $3,199
- Rahul: -$1,601 → $2,199
There were both tough and nostalgic clues in the episode that made it interesting. People found the clue that said "straight, no chaser" confusing because it didn't make sense in its original context.
Another surprise was that, despite being a legend, no one could figure out who Tony Gwynn was in a sports clue. Fans talked about these moments and raised questions about the difficulty of the clues.
Scott Riccardi won Jeopardy! again on July 9, 2025. He became the newest member of the Tournament of Champions with his fifth win, which was marked by smart play and correct answers. He had a strong score of $12,500 and a total of $144,902 at the end of the game.
