Summary

• Ken Jennings - $4,370,700
• Brad Rutter - $4,938,436
• James Holzhauer - $3,612,216

Jeopardy!, the iconic American television game show, has become a cultural phenomenon since its inception in 1964, and the top Jeopardy! winners have amassed millions of dollars. Known for its unique format of presenting answers and requiring contestants to respond in the form of a question, Jeopardy! has garnered a loyal following and critical acclaim. Contestants can accrue significant earnings, especially if they go on winning streaks, leading to substantial totals by the end of their runs.

Hosted for years by the late Alex Trebek, whose intellect and charisma became synonymous with the show, Jeopardy challenges contestants on a wide range of topics, from history and literature to science and pop culture. The top Jeopardy! winners remain celebrated for their monetary winnings, breadth of knowledge, strategic gameplay, and sometimes even quirky personalities. Over the years, some contestants have risen to legendary status, amassing impressive winnings and setting records that have made them household names. These champions' success stories prove their intellect, quick thinking, and sometimes sheer luck.

15 Jerome Vered - $499,102

Vered Broke The Record For Most Single-Game Earnings

Jerome Vered, a graduate of Harvard and USC, took the Jeopardy! test four times before getting a call to the show as an alternate in 1991. He didn't make it then, but he returned in 1992 and won when he eventually made it onto the show. He ended up as a five-day champion, winning $96,801. At that time, the winnings ranked second in Jeopardy! history. He then returned to the 1992 Tournament of Champions and finished third.

Jerome Vered once competed in one game against the two most successful Jeopardy! champions in history.

However, Jerome Vered saw his greatest success in 2005 at the Ultimate Tournament of Champions, where he again finished third, but that won him $250,000 since he lost in the finals to Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, the two biggest Jeopardy! winners in history. In 2009, he was also the first American to ever finish in the top 10 at the World Quizzing Championships.

14 Jason Zuffranieri - $542,496

Zuffranieri Won More Regular Season Money Than All But 3 People At The Time

Jason Zuffranieri was a math teacher from New York who tried out eight times before getting a chance to play. When he got on, he went on a massive 19-game run as Jeopardy! champion in 2019, and when he finished, he had won more than all but three other winners during regular season play. When he was invited back for the 2021 Tournament of Champions, he finished in the semifinals and won another $10,000, but thanks to his initial run, he still walked home with $544,496.

This is most impressive because many of the Jeopardy! winners on the all-time money lists won large amounts of cash in tournaments and invitationals after their first run on the show. As a math teacher, he said that he had plans to invest his winnings, so he likely didn't need to worry about future appearances on the show in the same way that some others contestants have.

13 Roger Craig - $555,200

Craig Broke The Record For The Biggest Game Ever

Roger Craig was a graduate student from New York when he appeared in 2010 on Jeopardy! He then ended up on a six-game winning streak and won $213,200 in those six games, an astronomical number for such a limited number of wins.

In his second game of the competition, he won more money in a single game than anyone in history, with $77,000, a record he held for eight years. Craig impressed the game show so much that he received three more invitations to compete again.

He played in the 2011 Tournament of Champions (which he won), the 2014 Battle of the Decades (making it to the finals), and the 2019 All-Star Games. By the time he finished, he had well over $550,000 in winnings and said that he owes his success to practicing on fan-run Jeopardy! game sites.

12 Yogesh Raut - $598,403

Raut Had The Only Perfect Game This Century

Yogesh Raut is one of the most recent additions to the Jeopardy! winners group when it comes to overall winnings. He set his mark with his appearance in 2024 on the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. He had previously won $98,000 and was part of the only Perfect Game on Jeopardy! this century.

The incredible feat made it so he planned on allowing that win to be the end of the road for him, but then he got the invitation for 2024's big tournament. He took it invite and the Washington native showed up at the 2024 tournament and won it all.

This netted Raut another $250,000 to add to his original winnings and earned him an automatic spot on Jeopardy! Masters. He finished in second place there for another $250,000 win, to push him to $598,403 in total winnings over his time on the popular game show.

11 Matt Jackson - $611,612

Jackson's Background As A College Quiz Bowl Competitor Helped Him.

Matt Jackson, a paralegal hailing from Washington, D.C., became one of the most successful and memorable contestants in Jeopardy history with his 13-game winning streak, amassing a total of $611,612 in earnings. His remarkable run on the show in 2015 was characterized by his distinctive gameplay and rapid-fire responses, which quickly caught the attention of both the audience and the media. Jackson's success was attributed not only to his extensive knowledge across various categories but also to his strategic wagering in Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy rounds.

Jackson's approach to the game was both methodical and bold, often leading him to build insurmountable leads early in the game. His cheerful demeanor, marked by his trademark smile and enthusiastic button presses, made him a fan favorite. Additionally, his background as a quiz bowl competitor in college appeared to have honed his quick recall and buzzer skills, which were crucial to his success on Jeopardy. Despite his competitive nature, Jackson was also known for his graciousness and sportsmanship, often acknowledging the strengths of his opponents.

10 Victoria Groce - $622,801

Victoria Groce Won Her Money After Her Initial Appearance

Victoria Groce was a Jeopardy! contestant who first appeared on the show in 2005. The Georgia native got her start in high school, where she competed in the Academic Bowl and then competed in the College Bowl while at Georgia. She caught everyone's attention when she best 19-game Jeopardy! champion David Madden in her first appearance. She lost the very next day, leaving with only $22,801 in winnings. However, that wasn't the end of the road for Groce.

Victoria Groce was the first American, and first woman, to win the World Quizzing Championships.

In 2024, she received an invitation to return for the inaugural Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament. Groce had a much better showing here and went on to win the tournament and $100,000. This qualified her for the 2024 Jeopardy! Masters, where she also won it for $500,000 more. Besides Jeopardy!, Groce also won the 2024 World Quizzing Championships, the first woman and American ever to win the title.

9 Larissa Kelly - $655,930

Kelly Broke Jeopardy Records At The Time.

Larissa Kelly, an author and academic, made a significant impact on the world of Jeopardy with her extraordinary performance, accumulating winnings of $655,930. Her journey on the show began in 2008, where she quickly distinguished herself with her vast knowledge and strategic gameplay. Kelly's prowess in a wide range of categories, from history to science, and her ability to remain calm under pressure allowed her to dominate several games. Notably, her achievements on Jeopardy broke records at the time, making her the highest-earning female contestant in the show's regular-season history.

This achievement was not just a personal triumph but also a milestone for female representation in the competitive arena of quiz shows. Kelly's success continued in various Jeopardy tournaments, where she further demonstrated her intellectual depth and game strategy. Her participation in the 2009 Tournament of Champions and subsequent Jeopardy tournaments cemented her status as one of the show's all-time greats.

8 Cris Pannullo - $748,286

Pannulo Is A 2022 Addition To The Top-10 Jeopardy Champions.

Cris Pannullo, a former professional poker player from Ocean City, New Jersey, left an indelible mark on Jeopardy with his impressive total earnings of $748,286 in 2022. Pannullo's stint on the show was characterized by his extraordinary depth of knowledge, strategic gameplay, and cool demeanor under pressure, attributes likely honed from his experience in the high-stakes world of professional poker. Throughout his run, he demonstrated a remarkable ability to quickly recall facts across various categories, from literature and history to science and popular culture.

Pannullo's strategic approach was evident in his betting patterns, particularly in Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy rounds, where he employed calculated risks that often paid off significantly. His gameplay was effective and entertaining, as he engaged in playful banter and occasionally showed a lighter, humorous side. His impressive earnings were a testament to his exceptional intellect and strategic thinking, making him one of the most successful Jeopardy champions in recent years.

7 David Madden - $763,733

Madden's 19-Consecutive-Win Streak Set A New Standard.

David Madden, an art historian and former record-holder for the second-longest winning streak on Jeopardy!, amassed impressive total earnings of $763,733 during his memorable run on the show. His journey began in 2005, where he quickly established himself as a formidable contestant with a calm and systematic approach to the game. Madden's extensive knowledge in myriad subjects, from art history to geography and politics, was evident in each episode he played.

His streak of 19 consecutive wins set a new standard at the time and showcased his ability to adapt to different categories and types of questions. He later participated in the 2019 Jeopardy! All-Star Games tournament, which had teams drafted to compete, and he was chosen by Brad Rutter. Their team won, adding even more money to his total earnings. He also made it to the semifinals of the 2024 Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament (JIT).

6 Mattea Roach - $810,983

Roach's Success Was Significant For Jeopardy's LGBTQ+ Representation.

Mattea Roach, a tutor from Toronto, Canada, made a remarkable impact on Jeopardy! with their impressive 23-game winning streak, accumulating a total of $810,983 in earnings. Their run on the show in 2022 was notable not only for the amount they won but also for their distinctive style of play and broad range of knowledge. Roach's youth and their quick, confident responses captivated audiences. Roach's success story was also significant for LGBTQ+ representation on the show.

Mattea Roach Is The Highest-Earning Canadian In Jeopardy! History.

Openly identifying as lesbian, Roach's achievements and visibility on a platform like Jeopardy inspired many in the community. They were only 23 when they competed in the original 23-game winning streak, the youngest contestant to ever achieve this much in winnings. Roach went on to lose out in the 2022 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions and then finished second in the 2023 Jeopardy! Masters.