NJ 'Jeopardy' Contestant's Reign Continues With 14-Game Winning Streak

SOMERVILLE, NJ — Somerville resident Scott Riccardi on Tuesday continued his winning streak on "Jeopardy", securing his 14th consecutive victory and bringing his total winnings to nearly $391,000.

Riccardi, a 26-year-old engineer, made his first appearance on the show on July 3. Following his wins, Riccardi has earned $390,902 in prize money.

“It sounds completely made up,” Riccardi said of streak following his 12th win. “I really have experienced every type of game…It’s been a good variety.”

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Tuesday's Final Jeopardy question stumped both Riccardi and one of his competitors: "Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is said to have quipped: 'To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse' this."

The answer: "What is German?"

Riccardi wagered $1,999, which cut into his winnings, but he still walked away with another $28,001.

With each win, Riccardi inches closer to ranking on the Leaderboard of Legends. Ryan Long, who ranks at No. 10 for the most consecutive victories, won 16 games in 2022. As of Friday, only 13 other "super-champions" had won more games than him.

“That is a smaller number than I was expecting,” Riccardi said. “I don’t really feel like a legend, so it’s weird to hear that.”

Ken Jennings, current "Jeopardy" host, still holds the all-time record with 74 consecutive games won.

Riccardi has had the longest winning streak of Season 41, ahead of eight-time champion Laura Faddah. He's also won the most money, more than two-and-a-half times the previous high mark of $137,804.

Now, Riccardi has his sights set on a new goal — to finish the season strong and “be the [reigning] champion for the whole summer.” Only Jennings and 38-game super-champ Matt Amodio have accomplished this feat.

“That would be an experience only shared by two other people,” Riccardi said. “It would be rarified air almost.”

On Wednesday, Riccardi will take on Gerri Budd, an adjunct professor and small business owner from Nutley, and Andrew Crowley, a freelance writer from Henderson, Nevada.

To watch Riccardi compete, tune in at 7 p.m. on ABC.