“Jeopardy!” champion Jamie Ding extended his winning streak to 29 consecutive games on Wednesday, emerging victorious even after missing the Final Jeopardy clue, and he says when the run finally ends, he plans to spend much of his earnings on others.
Mr. Ding, 33, a Princeton University graduate and current law student at Seton Hall University who works as a tax credit program administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, has amassed $793,602 in winnings over his 29-game streak, placing him fifth all-time in both consecutive wins and regular-season prize money.
Despite entering the final round with a commanding $20,200 lead, Mr. Ding and both of his opponents — Ruey Yen and Suzanne Perla Blank — answered the Final Jeopardy clue incorrectly. Mr. Ding wagered conservatively, dropping from $20,200 to $19,001 but retaining the win. Mr. Yen fell from $7,600 to $5,200, and Ms. Perla Blank, who had wagered all but $100 on a Daily Double earlier in the round and gotten that clue wrong as well, was left with nothing.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Mr. Ding said the public’s response to his streak has been overwhelming.
“Just so many people have been rooting for me and reaching out to me,” he told the magazine. “Just complete strangers, but also people from my past, like old teachers, old friends. It’s so nice hearing from everyone and knowing they’re enjoying my run.”
The son of Chinese immigrants and a Detroit-area native, Mr. Ding has become a fan favorite not only for his trivia mastery but for his personal quirks, including an unwavering devotion to the color orange. He makes a point of wearing it on the show each night and told People his love of the color even helps him get recognized on the street.
“I insist on wearing orange everywhere, so I think that might make it easier,” he said of fans approaching him. “Strangers will come up for a selfie, and I like it. It’s fun.”
As for his winnings, Mr. Ding said he intends to put a significant portion toward charitable causes.
“There are some causes I would like to support,” he said. “Some organizations could really use the money because the federal government is making so many cuts and things are getting so expensive and it’s a tough time out there for so many people.”
He added that immigrant communities are especially on his mind. “I haven’t committed to anything definitive yet, but it’s tough out there for immigrants. I’ve always wanted to be doing good things for others and now I’ll have significantly more power to do that.”
Mr. Ding also expressed pride in what his run represents. “As an immigrant and a person of color, I was able to become part of the history of an American institution,” he told People. “I hope that immigrants can be seen in a positive light, too.”
The only contestants to have won more consecutive games than Mr. Ding are James Holzhauer in 2019 (32 games), Matt Amodio in 2021 (38 games), Amy Schneider in 2022 (40 games) and current host Ken Jennings, who set the all-time record with 74 straight wins in 2004. Mr. Ding needs four more victories to surpass Mr. Holzhauer for fourth place.
He did allow himself one personal indulgence when asked how he might spend some of the money.
“I’d like to buy more orange things,” he said. “Like maybe a fancy orange watch.”
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