Danger! Champion Matthew Marcus admits the new player’s gameplay glitch led to his third win as fans rage over the contestant’s move

DANGER! Contestant Matthew Marcus has admitted he was given a helping hand in his third straight win as fans fumed at his rival’s gameplay – or lack thereof.

Tanya Parrott bet so low on two daily doubles that even the reigning champion posted on Reddit that she helped his cause more than hers.

5

5

The returning champion met Jesse Lampert, a sales manager from Los Angeles, California, and Tanya, a librarian from Gainesville, Virginia.

Matthew, a software developer living in Portland, Oregon, won the game almost automatically—and even he admitted it soon after.

As host Ken Jennings, 48, applauded mid-episode, it was a “very even game.”

Tanya was on his heels the whole time, and when she appeared on one of the two daily doubles at the Double Jeopardy! Lap – Ken said, “You could catch or even overtake the champion”.

She had $5,000 to Matthew’s $9.4,000 and bet only $1,000, making a nervous, contorted face.

Despite being wrong, she then ended up on another and the last available “Daily Double”.

Participants choose how much they want to risk for the special hidden clues (there are three per game – the two more important ones go to the second round).

She bet frantically just under $1,000 again – this time she had $8.4,000 to his $9.8,000, and Ken chuckled loudly in response.

Tanya got it right this time, and had she bet more, she might have entered Final Jeopardy as the leader.

Instead, instead of capitalizing on the fund, she trailed the reigning winner by just $2,800.

Final Jeopardy under “Inventions” read: “In 1917’s ‘Elements of Trench Warfare’ it said this Old West item was ‘difficult to destroy’ and ‘difficult to get through’.”

Everyone was right about “barbed wire”.

“I COUNT MY LUCKY STARS”

Matthew added $8,000 to win with $21,400 and a three-day total of $87,400.

Tanya – who bet $1 – ended up with $10.1k despite landing on both crucial daily doubles, getting one and getting the last clue right.

In other words, she basically ran the board and still lost.

In a Reddit thread about the game, fans expressed frustration that a contestant would not take full advantage of their chance to topple a champion.

One wrote: “Today’s game made me very angry [the] at least. It’s like Tanya lacked the killer instinct to win.

“Too conservative gameplay, too conservative in betting. It’s like she has almost no confidence in her ability to win.”

Another agreed: “Traditional gameplay is kind of acceptable as long as you can counteract it with big bets on daily doubles.

“Because at least it shows that you are making an effort and that you are doing your best. But today’s game is the example of how not to win at Jeopardy.”

A third fan wrote: “There are times when you have to be conservative but when you’re behind that’s not one of them. And it always hurts me when people bet less than the hint values ​​unless you’re protecting a decent lead.”

In the same Reddit thread, Matthew chimed in and agreed that he was surprised:

“I’m counting my lucky stars that Tanya was conservative on her daily double bets…especially the one she cashed in on a correct answer!”

Matthew also hinted that he could lose soon, which was a surprising addition to the thread.

“I didn’t sleep very well for the second night in a row (should have gone for a hotel without a flea market), which may or may not be good for my ability to last the ‘week’. …but no spoilers!”

GO FOR MAN

Now with just one win away from qualifying, fans are hoping Matthew – many of whom have a great British accent – will be at the 2023 Tournament of Champions.

So far this season, which is nearing its halfway point, only five contestants large enough to qualify for next year’s tournament have won.

We look at recent 6-day winner Troy Meyer, fan favorite Ray Lalonde with 13 wins, former poker ace Cris Pannullo with 21 wins, five-day champion Luigi de Guzman, and four-day champion and priest David Sibley.

Some viewers were admittedly confused as to where the champion came from.

Host Ken recently opened up a show by sharing that Matthew was from New York – not Oregon.

Producers announced on Monday’s Inside Jeopardy! that “Matthew obviously has a very identifiable accent. In fact, he was born in New York!”

“Then he was quickly taken to the whales for 10 years. He lived in London and attended Oxford,” he now resides in the Pacific Northwest.

Much like the controversial 3-day winner Jake Dearruda or the infamous Yogesh Raut, this reigning champion hasn’t been shy about sharing his thoughts on his games.

He also brought up the odd moment on Friday’s episode when host Ken rambled on about a response – he claimed it “locked him out” from humming in.

5

5

5