Celebrities such as Aaron Paul are known to have appeared on popular game shows as contestants before they became famous. But Ken Jennings went on to become the host of "Jeopardy!" after enjoying one of the most iconic winning streaks on any television game show. The software engineer won a record 74 consecutive "Jeopardy!" matches before taking over as the game show’s host in 2021. While he won millions playing as a contestant, Jennings continues to draw an impressive salary, leading the show from the front.
In 2004, Jennings appeared on "Jeopardy!", after the five-game restriction on champions was lifted. Coincidentally, Jennings went on to win his game racking up $37,201. He then forged an iconic streak, winning the next 74 games, buzzing the correct answer some 2,700 times according to Britannica. His record-setting steak earned Jennings a whopping $2.52 million in winnings and a $2 million additional amount on further appearances.
He then went on to appear in a number of special tournaments, including the “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT) tournament in 2020, where he competed against James Holzhauer, a professional gambler who was also a 32-game champion.
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Apart from "Jeopardy!" Jennings has also appeared on "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?" where he won $500,000, "Grand Slam" where he won $100,000 and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" where the trivia expert bagged $100,000, as per Celebrity Net Worth.
While most fans thought the GOAT was the last of Jennings on "Jeopardy!", the producers had different plans. Jennings was already serving as a consultant for the show and when long-time host of 36 years, Alex Trebek was diagnosed with cancer, he occasionally filled in for him.
When Trebek passed away in 2020, Jennings became one of the leading contenders for the co-host position. However, a controversy on X (formerly Twitter) nearly destroyed as per USA Today.
Producers then tried out celebrity hosts including Aaron Rodgers, LeVar Burton, Mayim Bialik, and the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards finally became the successor to Trebek. However, he only lasted for a short time after another controversy became public. In 2022, Jennings was brought back as a permanent co-host alongside Bialik. Later in 2023, Bialik announced that she was fired from the show and Jennings would become the sole host of the franchise.
Ken and Mayim were initially announced as the successors of the late Alex Trebek. At the time of departure from the show, Trebek was reportedly making about $10 million per year. Naturally, Jennings wasn't as famous as the iconic host and so his salary was reportedly less as well. When Jennings was announced as a co-host, he was reportedly tied to a $4 million per year contract, which is what he still makes, as per The US Sun. Although the exact numbers haven't been revealed, Ken makes over $30,000 for an episode, as per reports, with some even saying he makes around $75,000 per episode.
Despite being less than Trebek's salary, the figure positions him among the higher echelons of game show hosts. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the "Jeopardy!" host has a net worth of $4 million as well, as of 2024.
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The publication reported that Jennings does not have a long-term contract as of yet, but he is committed to the long haul. According to its sources, the show is "Jennings' religion" and "he lives it, and he breathes it."
