Development engineer Joey DeSena from Raleigh, North Carolina won $17,497 in Monday's Jeopardy! game, converting three Daily Doubles worth $7,200 total. Competing on November 11, 2024, DeSena answered 23 questions correctly with 4 misses while responding first on 22 out of 57 clues.
Former champion Rachel Marcus, a writer and consultant from New York, placed second with $1 after a $9,399 Final Jeopardy wager. Medical writer Chris Spencer from Washington D.C. finished third. The game's deciding Final Jeopardy clue about President James K. Polk stumped all three players.
DeSena built an $18,200 lead before Final Jeopardy through strategic wagering, with Marcus at $9,400 and Spencer at $8,000. His $703 Final Jeopardy wager preserved enough of his lead to secure the win despite missing the clue.
The game featured 12 categories across two rounds, with DeSena finding all three Daily Doubles through methodical board control.
Jeopardy! November 11, 2024 Episode: DeSena claims victory despite missing final round
Opening round performance
The Jeopardy! round showcased six diverse categories: TIME Magazine's Person of The Year, All A Board!, Sky Rockets In Flight, Lawn & Garden, Sports Nicknames, and Alliterative Phrases. DeSena demonstrated quick command by finding the first Daily Double in Sports Nicknames, converting a $3,000 wager to boost his early score.
After the first 15 clues, DeSena had built $6,800 with seven correct responses and one miss. Marcus held second position with $1,800 from three correct responses. Spencer maintained third place with $600 from two correct answers. DeSena's precise timing let him answer 22 out of 57 clues first throughout the game.
The initial round ended with DeSena expanding his lead to $9,200 through 14 correct responses and two misses. Marcus finished at $2,600 with six correct answers and two incorrect responses.
Spencer closed at $2,000, managing five correct responses with two misses. DeSena's strategic board control and quick reflexes established his dominant position heading into Double Jeopardy.
The Jeopardy! November 11, 2024 Episode contestants revealed interesting personal details during mid-game interviews. Spencer shared his experience as a part-time weekend pet groomer who once tended to musician Sting's dog.
DeSena spoke about meeting his wife during community theatre performances and later marrying on the same stage. Marcus mentioned living in a Lisbon palace during her early teenage years.
Double Jeopardy! developments
The second round featured categories Mexican State Capitals, A No. 1 Bestseller That Year, 3-Letter Responses, In The Archives, Beastie Boys, and Etymology. DeSena found back-to-back Daily Doubles on clues #16 and #17.
With $13,200, he wagered $3,200 on the first, then at $16,400, made a conservative $1,000 bet on the second. His conservative approach on the second Daily Double allowed Rachel Marcus to reduce the gap between their Jeopardy! scores.
DeSena maintained control through precise category selection and quick buzzer work. His performance yielded nine correct responses while encountering two misses.
Marcus answered four questions correctly without any incorrect responses in this round. Spencer improved his standing with eight correct answers despite two misses.
This Jeopardy! round concluded with DeSena holding $18,200, Marcus at $9,400, and Spencer at $8,000. DeSena's steady accumulation of points through methodical gameplay gave him a substantial cushion heading into Final Jeopardy.
Final Jeopardy! details
The deciding round presented a clue in 19th Century America:
"It caused rich amusement that the name of this President, whose wife didn't allow dancing, was similar to that of a dance."
The correct response, "Who is James K. Polk?" referenced Sarah Childress Polk's prohibition of dancing at White House functions.
Each contestant missed the mark with their responses. Spencer wrote "Who is Hi Me" and lost all but $1 of his $8,000. Marcus answered "Who is Rutherford Hayes" and wagered $9,399, leaving her with $1.
DeSena responded "Who is Madison" but his strategic wager of $703 preserved enough of his lead to secure the win with $17,497.
The final statistics showed DeSena's strong accuracy rate of 23 correct responses versus 4 incorrect answers. His first-round performance combined with successful Daily Double conversions built the foundation for his victory. DeSena will return on November 12 to defend his title as Jeopardy! champion.
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