Jeopardy! Upset: A Smiley Face Bet Wins All

Contestant Alison Betts achieved an unexpected victory in the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament by employing a unique wagering strategy. Trailing by a significant margin heading into Final Jeopardy!, Betts placed a minimal bet with a playful message, anticipating her two opponents would wager their entire scores. Her strategy proved successful when both Josh Hill and Isaac Hirsch bet everything, subsequently answering the clue incorrectly. This allowed Betts, who had bet only $414, to win with $2,786.

While Betts' opponents' wagers were strategically sound for a standard game, the tournament's format introduced a critical nuance. Non-winners with the highest scores could still advance as wildcard contestants. Experts, including Keith Williams, noted that $7,600, the score Hill and Hirsch would have ended with had they bet nothing, would have been sufficient for a wildcard berth. However, their all-in bets, likely influenced by the stacked field and the desire to secure a higher score, inadvertently led to their elimination.