Jeopardy! is one of the most famous and longest-running game shows on TV. Its quick wit and intellectual challenges have kept viewers interested for decades. The format of the game show is known for being unique: contestants are given answers and have to come up with the questions that go with them. Season 41, Game 170, aired on May 2, 2025, Friday, and is an exciting episode of the popular show.
Ben Ganger won tonight’s episode of Jeopardy!. He now has an impressive string of wins. Ben, a data analyst from Goshen, Indiana, has been beating everyone. With his win tonight, he now has $96,415 for the four days. He did well tonight, finishing strongly in both Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy, which helped him keep a large lead throughout the game. He’ll be back for the next episode to try to get his fifth win.
Merv Griffin made Jeopardy!, which has become a cultural icon since its first show in 1964. It challenges contestants with questions about general knowledge, history, literature, and other subjects. Its unique format and high level of intellectual difficulty make it stand out.
Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer, two champions who became famous after their long runs on the show, made a mark on the history of entertainment.
Jeopardy! episode highlights – May 2, 2025, Friday
On May 2, 2025, episode, three contestants were competing for the title. Ben Ganger, the reigning champion, faced off against Sam Sabulis, an attorney from Atlanta, and Shweta Balasubramanian, a marketing manager from Pomona, California. Ben’s previous winnings made him a strong contender, but Sam and Shweta were eager to challenge his reign.
Jeopardy! round
In the Jeopardy round, Ben took the lead early on, quickly finding the Daily Double. He doubled his $1,200 to $2,400, while Sam and Shweta struggled to catch up. At the first break, Ben had $4,000, Sam had $1,200, and Shweta had -$1,000. Despite a late surge from Sam, Ben’s strong showing of 12 correct answers secured his lead.
Jeopardy round scores:
- Ben: $5,600
- Sam: $1,800
- Shweta: -$200
Double Jeopardy round
Ben’s dominance continued in the Double Jeopardy round. He landed the first Daily Double and quickly gained $5,000, then picked up another $3,500 from the second Daily Double. With his substantial earnings, Ben was on his way to a runaway victory, and Sam and Shweta could only watch as Ben’s lead grew. Ben ended the round with $22,500, while Sam had $7,800 and Shweta had $1,000.
Double Jeopardy round Scores:
- Ben: $22,500
- Sam: $7,800
- Shweta: $1,000
Final Jeopardy round
The Final Jeopardy category for the night was Boats & Ships, with the clue:
“Nearly a century after her 1851 sporting triumph, she was a rotting hulk finally scrapped in 1945.”
Correct response was: What is America?
None of the contestants answered correctly. Ben, however, had enough of a lead to still claim the victory with $20,000, adding to his impressive four-day total.
Final Jeopardy round Scores:
- Ben: $20,000
- Sam: $5,189
- Shweta: $320
Contestant Profile
Ben Ganger
With his fast thinking and extensive knowledge, Goshen, Indiana data analyst Ben Ganger has shown himself to be a dominating force on Jeopardy!. Ben came into tonight’s show with a three-day total of $76,415; his performance tonight confirmed his ability even more.
Over the course of the game, he showed remarkable memory on a range of subjects, including history, literature, and even pop culture.
His commanding lead was preserved by his calculated use of Daily Doubles in both rounds. However, he didn’t correctly answer the Final Jeopardy question, Ben’s significant lead guaranteed he finished the game with $20,000, therefore increasing his four-day total to $96,415. His steady play keeps him a strong candidate for the Tournament of Champions.
Sam Sabulis
An Atlanta, Georgia lawyer, Sam Sabulis, added a special degree of competitiveness to tonight’s match. Although Sam did well in Jeopardy! round, he found it difficult to keep up against the strong Ben. Sam showed his keen mind all through the episode by correctly and quickly responding to several questions.
Though he had some exceptional times, like a high-scoring right answer, he fell behind Ben’s Double Jeopardy round supremacy. Although he came in second, Sam’s last score of $5,189 shows a good and strong effort.
Shweta Balasubramanian
The third contestant tonight was Shweta Balasubramanian, a marketing manager from Pomona, California. She had tough competition, but she kept going. Shweta had a hard time in the first few rounds and was far behind when the Double Jeopardy round started.
Her final performance put her in third place with $320, even though she got a few questions right. But Shweta’s time on Jeopardy had some great moments, like when she was honest during the contestant interviews.
It was apparent how much she loved the game, and even though she didn’t win, her participation made the episode more interesting. She was the contestant with the least amount of experience, but she still brought a lot of enthusiasm and persistence to the stage.
How does Jeopardy! distinguish from other game shows
This game show, Jeopardy!, is different from most of the shows. In Jeopardy!, the answers are given first, so contestants have to answer in the form of a question. This is different from other quiz shows. The contestants have to be able to think quickly and remember a lot of different kinds of information.
A unique scoring system gives each question a different value based on how hard it is. This lets players bet their winnings in a smart way during Daily Doubles and the Final Jeopardy round.
The intellectual difficulty and wide range of categories on Jeopardy! make it stand out. The game is hard, and players need to know a lot about a lot of different things, from history to pop culture. This makes it different from other game shows. This type of quiz is different from others because it requires quick thinking, a lot of knowledge, and a plan.
Tonight’s Jeopardy! Game Stats and recap – May 2, 2025
Jeopardy Round:
Categories: World History; A Little Bit Of Lit; Beaver Fever; 4-Letter Synonyms; “Pop”-Pourri; Radio
- Ben found the Daily Double before his opponents had a chance to signal, doubling his $1,200.
Scores at the first break (15 clues):
- Ben: $4,000 (6 correct, 1 incorrect)
- Sam: $1,200 (3 correct, 1 incorrect)
- Shweta: -$1,000 (0 correct, 1 incorrect)
Interviews:
- Sam: Lost his wedding ring on his honeymoon, found it in the swimming pool.
- Shweta: Has a photo with an Oscar statuette but can’t share it.
- Ben: Got into trivia and Jeopardy because of Ken Jennings.
After 30 clues:
- Ben: $5,600 (12 correct, 2 incorrect)
- Sam: $1,800 (6 correct, 2 incorrect)
- Shweta: -$200 (2 correct, 1 incorrect)
Double Jeopardy Round:
Categories: Governors; “A” Is For Capital; Classical Music; From The Bronx; Echo-Nomics; Fancy A Word?
- Ben picked up $8,500 from two Daily Doubles, building an insurmountable lead.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
- Ben: $22,500 (25 correct, 5 incorrect)
- Sam: $7,800 (13 correct, 5 incorrect)
- Shweta: $1,000 (3 correct, 1 incorrect)
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 30 (0 today)
- Final Jeopardy Round:
- Category: Boats & Ships
- Clue: “Nearly a century after her 1851 sporting triumph, she was a rotting hulk finally scrapped in 1945.”
- None of the contestants answered correctly.
Scores going into Final:
- Ben: $22,500
- Sam: $7,800
- Shweta: $1,000
Final Results:
- Shweta: $1,000 – $680 = $320 (Incorrect response: “What is Titanic?”)
- Sam: $7,800 – $2,611 = $5,189 (Incorrect response: “What is SS Rotting Hulk?”)
- Ben: $22,500 – $2,500 = $20,000 (Correct response: “What?”)
- Ben’s 4-day total: $96,415
Ben Ganger claims his fourth consecutive victory tonight, making him a four-day champion heading into Monday’s episode.
Tonight’s episode of Jeopardy! showed how dominant Ben Ganger still is by giving him his fourth straight win. Even though Sam and Shweta were very good, Ben won because he played strategically, especially in the Double Jeopardy round.
As Monday’s show is coming up, Ben is still an extremely strong contestant. This episode showed just how smart you have to be to win on Jeopardy! and proved once more why it’s still one of the smartest game shows on TV.
Edited by Rajasini