A “Jeopardy!” contestant just broke one of the show’s longest-standing marks, eclipsing a milestone set by the host currently at the podium.
Jamie Ding, a law student and government employee from Lawrenceville, New Jersey, smashed Ken Jennings’ single-game Coryat score record during his third appearance on the program, which aired on St. Patrick’s Day. Ding posted a remarkable $42,400 Coryat score, surpassing the $39,200 that Jennings—now the show’s permanent host—achieved on June 10, 2004, amid his legendary 74-game streak. The Princeton alumnus topped Jennings’ mark by $3,200, nearly a 10% increase.
The Coryat score reflects a contestant’s unadjusted performance by totaling money earned from correct responses before factoring in Daily Double wagers and Final Jeopardy outcomes. Named for former contestant Karl Coryat, it’s viewed as the clearest indicator of a player’s knowledge and buzzer timing—removing betting swings to show pure dominance.
At the start of the March 17 episode, Jennings lauded Ding’s earlier showing: “Our champion, Jamie Ding, put on a masterclass here yesterday.” He mentioned that Ding’s 36 correct responses in his second game had set a new season high previously held by 14-game winner Harrison Whitaker.
What came next was even more impressive. Ding had a perfect run, answering 44 clues correctly with no misses. His 44 correct responses match James Holzhauer for the second-best single-game total in “Jeopardy!” history—second only to Jennings, who still holds the overall record with 45 correct answers. Ding led from the first round and never relinquished his advantage.
In Double Jeopardy, Ding uncovered the first Daily Double in the “Other Kens” category carrying $18,000. He risked $6,000 on a clue about a 1998 book and correctly named Ken Starr, noting that Starr’s report on President Bill Clinton outsold Tom Clancy’s “Rainbow Six” that year. The correct response moved him to $24,000.
Ding competed against Aidan O’Connell, a wastewater treatment operator from Henderson, Nevada, and Carman Nareau, an Oakland, California founder. O’Connell located the second Daily Double ($2,600) and wagered $2,500 on a “Personifying The Nation” clue about the Philippines, rising to $5,100.
By the close of Double Jeopardy, Ding had a commanding $48,800, with O’Connell at $4,300 and Nareau at $600. Final Jeopardy fell under Historic Names, featuring a clue about a Grand Duchess whose name means “resurrection” in Greek. The correct response: Anastasia.
Even with a huge lead, Ding bet cautiously. He answered the Final correctly and ended the game with $51,234, bringing his three-day total to $77,800. O’Connell, who wrote “Who indeed?” as his answer, wagered nothing and finished with $4,300. Nareau risked $599 and wound up with $1.
The Princeton grad’s journey to “Jeopardy!” fame began in molecular biology. Ding earned his bachelor’s from Princeton in 2013 and wore orange and black—his alma mater’s colors—during his debut as a tribute. He is currently enrolled in Seton Hall University Law School as a weekend JD student while working for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency as a multifamily and tax credit program administrator.
The record-setting outing places Ding among elite company. Jennings holds the top regular-play winnings total with $2,520,700 from his 2004 run. James Holzhauer is second with $2,462,216. Matt Amodio ranks third with $1,518,601, followed by Amy Schneider with $1,382,800. Jennings’ former Coryat record had lasted nearly 22 years.
Ding’s superiority extended beyond the Coryat figure. He won the buzzer on 40 of 57 clues—about 70.18%—leaving his opponents scrambling for remaining clues. His buzzer prowess and wide-ranging knowledge echo tactics used by champions like Holzhauer and Amodio, who transformed the game with bold approaches and intense preparation.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Ding returned for a fourth game and won again, becoming a 4-time champion with cumulative earnings of $106,601. That game was tighter, as challenger Luke Minton matched him through the first 37 clues. A correct $8,200 Daily Double bet gave Ding the margin he needed, and a correct Final Jeopardy answer sealed the victory.
On Thursday, March 19, Ding met two new challengers — Jason Snell, a journalist and podcaster from Mill Valley, California, and Jordan Haynie Ware, a priest from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Jordan led early, but Ding rallied in Double Jeopardy, correctly answering a Daily Double about Utah Beach on D-Day to take the lead with $20,800 into Final Jeopardy.
The Final Jeopardy category was “Composers,” and only Ding correctly named Johannes Brahms, wagering $4,401 to finish the round with $25,201. That win raised his five-day total to $131,802 and earned him a spot in the Tournament of Champions. He returned Friday, March 20, aiming for his sixth victory.
