Who won Jeopardy! Tonight? July 17, 2025, Thursday

Scott Ricardi is the winner of Jeopardy! tonight, Thursday, July 17, 2025. He secured his 11th consecutive victory, further solidifying his place in the game show’s hall of fame. With a commanding performance from the very beginning, Scott ended the game with $20,000 after a high-risk wager in the final round. Although he missed the Final Jeopardy clue, his strong lead made the outcome certain before the final buzzer.

The way Scott planned his moves and controlled the buzzer gave him a big edge in every round. None of the contestants got the Final Jeopardy clue right, but Scott had a big lead because he had won both Jeopardy! and Double Jeopardy! earlier.

In the last round, he made a big bet of $20,000 and still won $20,000. With this win, Scott has now made a total of $282,101, which puts him in the top twenty all-time regular season winners.

The American quiz show Jeopardy! gives the answers first, and the contestants have to come up with the right questions. It is known for being intellectually challenging, having iconic theme music, and having a loyal fan base.

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Jeopardy! episode Highlights – July 17, 2025, Thursday

Jeopardy Round

The Jeopardy round on July 17 included the categories Auntie Defamation League, Movie Titles in Italiano, Oh Dear, They Died, Nothing Compares 2 U, There’s Always a Time, and When You Must Stand for Something.

Scott Ricardi opened strong, quickly identifying high-value clues and controlling the board. He found the first Daily Double under There’s Always a Time at the $800 level. With $2,400 at stake, he made it a true Daily Double, successfully doubling his score to $4,800.

From there, Scott widened the gap between himself and the other two players. His accuracy and confidence on the buzzer helped him close the round with $12,800.

Marisa Cohen, although off to a rocky start, picked up momentum later and finished the round with $2,400. Chad Biele stayed close early on and managed to close the round at $1,800. By the first commercial break, Scott already had a significant lead with $9,400 while Chad had $1,400, and Marisa was at –$400.

Scores at the end of the Jeopardy Round:

• Scott Ricardi: $12,800
• Marisa Cohen: $2,400
• Chad Biele: $1,800

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Double Jeopardy! Round

In the Double Jeopardy round, the categories were A Hotel Most Unusual, Britishisms, Opera Characters, Fabrics & Materials, A Dose of Math, and “N”tertainment.

Chad attempted to make a comeback by selecting the first clue in Britishisms. He found the second Daily Double there. With $1,800, he went all in. Unfortunately, his answer was incorrect, and he dropped to $0. That setback made it hard for him to regain ground. He later fell into the negatives and ended the round ineligible for Final Jeopardy!.

Scott discovered the third Daily Double under Opera Characters for $1,600. Already sitting at $13,600, he bet $4,000 and answered correctly, bringing his total to $17,600. His steady and assertive performance carried through the rest of the round, ending with an impressive $40,000.

Marisa stayed consistent, finishing Double Jeopardy! with $5,200. She avoided major risks but couldn’t close the score gap with Scott.

Scores at the end of the Double Jeopardy! Round:

• Scott Ricardi: $40,000
• Marisa Cohen: $5,200
• Chad Biele: –$2,000 (eliminated from Final Jeopardy!)

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Final Jeopardy! Round

The Final Jeopardy! category was: American Novels

Clue:

A critic described this novel as “a man from down south sitting in a manhole up north… & signifying about how he got here.

None of the contestants provided the correct response.

Correct Response: What is Invisible Man?

Marisa guessed On the Road?, which was incorrect. She wagered $712, reducing her final score to $4,488. Scott also missed the clue but had a massive lead. His bold wager of $20,000 halved his total, but he still ended with $20,000, enough for a clear win.

Final Scores:

• Scott Ricardi: $20,000 (Winner)
• Marisa Cohen: $4,488
• Chad Biele: –$2,000

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Contestant Profiles

Scott Ricardi

Scott Ricardi is a mechanical engineer from Somerville, New Jersey. He has a lot of experience with energy systems and software design. In 2021, he got his degree from Rutgers University.

Scott is very good at using logic and analytical thinking on Jeopardy! because he has worked as a professional in both renewable energy and security systems. Because he is so good at both technical content and timing the buzzer, he has now won 11 games in a row, which puts him among the best players in the history of regular play.

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Chad Biele

Chad Biele is a public relations expert from Atlanta, Georgia. With over 12 years of experience in communications, he currently works as the Global External Communications Leader at NCR Voyix. He is an ultramarathon runner, known for his focus and mental strength.

Despite showing promise, Chad struggled during Double Jeopardy, especially after missing a high-stakes Daily Double. His risk didn’t pay off, and he ended the round in the red with –$2,000, becoming ineligible for Final Jeopardy!.

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Marisa Cohen

The show had a literary depth and media savvy thanks to Marisa Cohen, a veteran magazine writer from New York City. She has written for well-known magazines like Real Simple and Good Housekeeping, and she has also written about parenting and mental health.

Her performance on Jeopardy! was steady and measured. She finished the round of Double Jeopardy with a respectable $5,200, but she couldn't catch Scott, who had a huge lead. Because she made a wrong Final Jeopardy guess, her final score was $4,488.

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How is Jeopardy! Different from Regular Game Shows?

The reverse question-and-answer format of Jeopardy makes it different from other game shows. The contestants are given questions and have to answer them in the form of a question. The clues are hard to figure out because they often require knowledge of history, literature, science, and other subjects.

Jeopardy is not like other game shows that depend on luck or audience appeal. Instead, it depends on accuracy, timing, and a deep understanding of the subject. Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy add strategic betting, which makes the games more difficult. It moves quickly and mentally challenges you because it has multiple rounds and categories that change over time.

Also read: Who won Jeopardy! tonight? July 10, 2025, Thursday

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Game statistics from Tonight’s Jeopardy! episode

Jeopardy Round:

• Scott hit Daily Double #1: $800 clue under There’s Always a Time
• Wagered: $2,400 → Correct → Total: $4,800
• Scores by the end of the round:
• Scott: $12,800
• Marisa: $2,400
• Chad: $1,800

Double Jeopardy Round:

• Chad hit Daily Double #2: $1,600 under Britishisms
• Wagered: $1,800 → Incorrect → Dropped to $0
• Scott hit Daily Double #3: $1,600 under Opera Characters
• Wagered: $4,000 → Correct → Rose to $17,600
• End of round scores:
• Scott: $40,000
• Marisa: $5,200
• Chad: –$2,000

Final Jeopardy Round:

• Category: American Novels
• Clue: A critic described this novel as “a man from down south sitting in a manhole up north… & signifying about how he got here”
• Correct response: What is Invisible Man?
• Final Scores:
• Scott: $20,000 (Winner)
• Marisa: $4,488
• Chad: –$2,000 (Did not participate)

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Scott Ricardi's performance on Jeopardy on July 17, 2025, was yet another example of dominance. He played with confidence, speed, and intelligence, and even though he missed a Final Jeopardy clue, he still won 11 times. With this win, he has now won a total of $282,101, putting him in the top twenty of all-time regular season winners.

While Chad and Marisa each had their strengths, Scott's mastery of the board and smart betting strategy led to yet another huge win. As good as the episode was, it was clear why Jeopardy! is still one of the best and hardest quiz shows on TV.

Edited by Bharath S