Ed's
Jeopardy Page!
There are two
articles on
this page:
1) How much money, in theory, could a person win after playing a single game of Jeopardy? |
2) A tip for all future contestants, that I rarely ever see utilized. |
1) How
much money, in theory, could a person win after playing a single game
of Jeopardy?
I came across this question and
answer at another website and I was surprised to find the author of the
article came up with the wrong answer! I wanted to set the record
straight right here.
In the first two rounds there are
a total of 30 answers; five answers in each of six different
categories. (Reminder... in Jeopardy, the answers are
given, and the contestant must come up with the question.) |
CAT #1 | CAT #2 | CAT #3 | CAT #4 | CAT #5 | CAT #6 |
$200 |
$200 |
$200 |
$200 |
$200 |
$200 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$600 |
$600 |
$600 |
$600 |
$600 |
$600 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$1000 |
$1000 |
$1000 |
$1000 |
$1000 |
$1000 |
In determining the
amount of money a person can win, we need to make a few assumptions. First, we assume not only does "our hero" answer every single question, he/she answers every question correctly. (Contestant #2 and Contestant #3 don't answer any of the questions correctly at all.) Second, we also assume the three Daily Doubles in each of the first two rounds are always hidden underneath the lowest dollar amount possible. To clarify, in the first round, the Daily Double is hidden underneath any of the $200 answers. In Double Jeopardy, both Daily Doubles are hidden underneath a $400 question. Three, in the first round, our hero finds the Daily Double last, after he/she has answered all of the other questions. In the Second Round, our hero also finds both of these Daily Doubles last again, after answering every other question correctly. That's it! We're ready to
figure compute the answer!
Total amount our hero has won so far:
Our hero risks this entire amount on this Daily Double question and wins. Total amount won: $35,600 ($17,800 x 2) The Single Jeopardy Round is finished and our hero has $35,600.00. The Double Jeopardy Round
begins. This initial board layout looks something like this: |
CAT #1 | CAT #2 | CAT #3 | CAT #4 | CAT #5 | CAT #6 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$400 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$800 |
$1200 |
$1200 |
$1200 |
$1200 |
$1200 |
$1200 |
$1600 |
$1600 |
$1600 |
$1600 |
$1600 |
$1600 |
$2000 |
$2000 |
$2000 |
$2000 |
$2000 |
$2000 |
Our hero answers
every question but the last two $400 questions, which contain the Daily
Doubles.
Total amount won in this round so far:
We add the amount won so far in this round to the amount our hero won in the first round. Our hero now has $70,800. ($35,600 + $35,200) Our hero risks this entire amount on the first Daily Double and wins. Current total: $141,600 ($70,800 x 2) Our hero risks this entire amount on the second Daily Double and wins. Current total: $283,200 ($141,600 x 2) It's now time for Final Jeopardy. With just one question left, our hero risks it all and wins. Final total: $566,400 ($283,200 x 2) That's it. We have our answer: In theory, a
person could win $566,400.00 |
2) Here's a
strategy tip for all future contestants, that I rarely ever see
utilized in actual play. I find myself shaking my head each time I see this...or rather, each time I don't see it. It's beginning to drive me crazy because to me it's so obvious, and these contestants are supposedly a lot smarter than I am! To my knowledge, this strategy tip has never appeared in print before, so you're seeing it here for the first time. The tip is this: In the Double
Jeopardy round, immediately after finding the first Daily
Double, That's
it! Now permit me to explain. Now, let's take
a look at the following hypothetical, but very possible, example.
Whether this player correctly gives the correct question to this answer is irrelevant. And how much money this player has in relation to the other contestants at this point is also often irrelevant. Whatever the situation, after Player #1 answers, he/she would now love to also find the second and final Daily Double. Why? That's easy. It's always an advantage to find them.
The other players can
both say the same thing. Please... future
contestants... give yourself a free shot of finding that last DD before
you potentially lose control of the board, possibly never to get it
back. Select a dollar amount from another category.
Anywhere. It doesn't matter. Since the remaining DD must be
somewhere else, in makes no difference which other category you choose. Here's an
obvious endgame situation that clearly demonstrates the power of this
move.
Player #2, trailing
in the game, has control of the board, having just found and answered
the first Daily Double in Category #2. Player #2 now must select
a category and dollar amount. Again, a tip for all future contestants: In the Double
Jeopardy Round, immediately after finding the first Daily
Double, The next time you watch Jeopardy, watch how many players miss this tactic. Since writing this article, it's happened every single time I've watched the program! |