‘Jeopardy!’ Takes a Dramatic Turn After Daily Double Shakes Up the Game

Four-time Jeopardy! champ Erica Doornek returns to try her hand at a fifth win and secure a guaranteed spot in the Tournament of Champions. A federal employee originally from Glasgow, Montana, Doornek has already racked up $72,401 in winnings, but she’ll have to defend her title against two new challengers before she can celebrate.

Looking to end her winning streak are Betty Hume, a retired library reference assistant from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Cameron Bays, a law student originally from Saginaw, Michigan. Will Doornek make it five wins in a row, or will one of her opponents bring her impressive run to an end?

“She is just one win away from the Tournament of Champions,” said host Ken Jennings, “And that win will also make her, by the way, the biggest winning Jeopardy! champion ever from the Big Sky State! Five wins is something we have yet to see here in Season 43. So, let’s start finding out if that ends today, as Cameron and Betty are here to try to end Erica’s run.”

Doornek started the game with “Shoe Know It” for $400: “Quick as a cat, this sneaker company was founded in 1948 & launched the Atom, its first soccer shoe.” With the correct answer of “What is Puma?,” Hume was the first on the board.

Hume found the first Daily Double under “Dad Bod” for $1,000. Betting $1,000 against her pot of $1,800, she got the clue: “Dad’s going to be fine, but is getting a cholecystectomy to remove this pear-shaped organ just below the liver.” She incorrectly answered, “What is the kidney?,” bringing her total to $800. The correct answer was gallbladder.

By the end of the first round, Doornek was in the lead with $7,400, Hume caught up for second place with $3,000, and Bays was in third with $2,400.

In Double Jeopardy, Bays kicked off the round with “Literary Landmarks” for $2,000: “This Russian stayed at the Nassau hoof in Boden lost big gambling and skipped out on the bill.” A picture clue, Bays answered correctly with Fyodor Dostoevsky and got control of the board.

Bays found the second DD under “International Organizations” for $1,600. He bet $4,500 against $7,600, and got the clue: “In 2025, this organization celebrated its 50th anniversary & achievements like the first landing on a comet by a lander named Philae.” Bays missed the DD with the wrong answer of NASA, bringing his total down to $3,100. The answer was European Space Agency.

Things were looking good for returning champ Doornek, who had a healthy lead of $13,800 until Hume uncovered the third Daily Double under “Literary Landmarks” for $1,200. The clue read, “Tennessee Williams said he hoped he’d die in his townhouse on Dumaine St. in this city, but it happened in a Manhattan hotel.” Hume wagered all $7,800, making it a true Daily Double, and she doubled her score with the correct response of “What is New Orleans?” Suddenly, Doornek’s comfortable lead was gone, turning the game into a tight race heading into Final Jeopardy.

Going into Final Jeopardy, Doornek led with $17,000, followed closely by Hume with $16,000 and Bays with $10,700.

Final Jeopardy! was in the category of “Religion” and offered the clue: “John Calvin, on this artifact: ‘Either St. John is a liar, or all those who boast of possessing the Holy Sudary are.'”

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Both Hume and Bays correctly answered with the Shroud of Turin, but Bays wagered nothing, finishing with $10,700. Hume wagered $5,000, bringing her total to $21,000 and putting her in the lead. Did champ Doornek get it right to come back a fifth time?

Sadly, no. Doornek gave an incorrect response, writing in “What is Hi Jen, Peter, & Mary?” instead, and lost $1,000, finishing with $16,000.

With $21,000, Hume claimed her first victory, ending Doornek’s four-game winning streak and becoming the new Jeopardy! champion.

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