‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Gets One Of Worst Scores Ever

Martin Holmes November 24, 2021, 8:12 am

Not every Jeopardy! contestant can have a successful, history-making run like recent champion Matt Amodio; in fact, sometimes a contestant gains notoriety for the complete opposite reason.

That was, unfortunately, the case for Matt King on the Tuesday, November 23 episode of the long-running quiz show. The lawyer from Lewisville, Texas, played hard and took plenty of risks, but, in the end, finished with -$6,400 and was shut out of Final Jeopardy!.

King started the night well, particularly excelling in the categories about football and quickly amassing $2,400. However, it was all downhill from there, as King blew his winnings, finishing the evening with only eight correct responses and ten wrong answers.

Current host and Jeopardy Greatest of All-Time champion Ken Jennings offered his commiserations, telling King, “Matt, I’m afraid you took your swings. That’s a strategy. It didn’t always pay off. You were close so many times, but we’re gonna have to say goodbye to you here. You’ll finish in third place with $1,000.”

Viewers at home felt for King, many of them sharing their support and admiration for his bold gameplay.

“Matt went down swinging. I have to respect that,” tweeted one viewer, while another stated, “Matt was out there playing like me at home lol.”

Matt went down swinging. I have to respect that. ✊🏾 #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/2ceUOiYoc4

— Baldwyn English (@benglishjr) November 24, 2021

Matt was out there playing like me at home lol. #Jeopardy

— Desi (@desipoo26) November 24, 2021

Poor Matt. He went full Marge Simpson #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/xrU4njFqt4

— Jackson Vandemark (@hmcc06) November 24, 2021

Every time Matt Buzzed in 😅#Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/rZLEUHoONP

— Tor Tor 🦎♊️ (@Catchthenewt) November 24, 2021

Others wondered if King’s low score was a Jeopardy! record.

What is the most negative score on #jeopardy? Are we doing it today @mfc248?

— Kathy Bennett 🙈🙉🙊 (@KatBenn1plus2) November 24, 2021

I wonder what the largest deficit someone has faced after Double Jeopardy. Matt just ended with -$6,400. Can’t say I remember seeing too many with a bigger one than that. #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/9sVpurBfPG

— Lucas Howe (@LucasEatWorld) November 24, 2021

Fortunately for King, he’s not the most losingest player in Jeopardy! history. That title goes to contestant Patrick Pearce, who this past summer finished the game with -$7,400, breaking the previous record of -$6,800 held by Stephanie Hull. King’s score puts him in a tie for third place next to 2012 contestant Christy Gibson.