UPDATE
Apr 28, 2026 12:00 AM CDT
The run is over for America's Jeopardy! sweetheart. Jamie Ding lost on Monday's episode after winning 31 consecutive games—and a spot in the hearts of the game show's fans. Ding holds the No. 5 spot for most consecutive games won, People reports. "I think my last game is unusual, because I was a super champ, but I also lost in a runaway, which I feel like is the first time that ever happened," he tells the magazine—opponent Greg Shahade beat him by 13,990 points, so on Ding's final answer, he decided to write a goodbye note: "TTFN," standing for "ta ta for now." "I wouldn't have done that if there had even been a chance of me coming out with the victory," Ding says. Ding also holds the No. 5 spot for total winnings in the game's history, with $882,605.
Apr 21, 2026 12:05 PM CDT
Jamie Ding may be steamrolling Jeopardy!—but viewers aren't rooting for him to lose. Writing at the Wall Street Journal, John Jurgensen profiles the 33-year-old law student and state housing bureaucrat whose 27-game streak (and more than $750,000 in winnings) has landed him among the show's elite, while somehow dodging the fan backlash that often greets long-running champs. He has blazing reflexes and eye-popping stats that rival host Ken Jennings, yet presents himself as low-key: always in orange, offering an awkward little wave, trading self-effacing banter, and looking almost embarrassed when he wins.
Jurgensen digs into why Ding works for an audience famous for nitpicking everything from wagering strategy to facial expressions. Past stars like Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, and James Holzhauer split viewers over mannerisms or aggressive tactics; Ding, by contrast, leans into humility and respect for the game, even when pulling off record-setting performances and audacious bets. The piece also charts his emerging lore—goose hunts, eclipse chasing, Trebek memories—and why some fans now tune in just for him. Says one superfan of his own mother, who previously avoided the show: "Now she texts me every day when he's on, 'Oh my God, Jamie's doing so good!' She didn't even start watching the show til like last week." For the full deep dive, read Jurgensen's feature at the Wall Street Journal.
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