Final Jeopardy! wagering analysis:
Wednesday, February 17, 2016

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I’ve got only one thing to say about tonight’s game:

Woof.

I mean, look at these scores.

Chris Becker (3x)	Katie Oliver	Tim Kutz
34,000	11,800	23,800

After the finalists in the 2014 Tournament of Champions racked up $56,800 before Final in their first match-up, I compiled the highest-scoring competitive games of all time – situations where all three players were mathematically in contention.

The previous record: $58,400.

Tonight: $69,600.

And Tim and Katie did their work without the benefit of a single Daily Double.

Unfortunately, we have one of the worst possible categories to decide tonight’s game.

THE AFI’s 100 YEARS… 100 MOVIES

The analysis is the same as always, just with some bigger numbers than usual.

First-order calculations

Tim’s in a weird position, because he can keep Katie locked out… but won’t come anywhere close to covering a small wager out of Chris.

Chris		Katie		Tim
34,000		11,800		23,800
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
13,600		8,600			200
	10,400				3,400

Second-order calculations

As a result, I’m fine with him going big.

Chris		Katie		Tim
34,000		11,800		23,800
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
13,600		8,600			200
	10,000			20,200*

What actually happened

Chris		Katie		Tim
34,000		11,800		23,800
13,601		11,800		22,799
20,399		0		46,599
min	max			min	max
13,601		11,800			199
	9,999			23,800

Wow. Someone was definitely taking down at least $20,000 – but I wasn’t really anticipating that wager out of Tim. He must really love movies.

And now I have to update the list of highest single-game totals; Tim is in 57th, and I believe second among those who made the list in their first game, behind Myron Meyer. (Someone will fact-check that for me, I’m sure.)

Congrats to all three players, and especially to Chris, who played the game the way it was meant to be played.

The Final Jeopardy! clue

THE AFI’s 100 YEARS… 100 MOVIES

THIS MAN WHO WAS IN “THE GODFATHER” & “APOCALYPSE NOW” IS THE ONLY LIVING ACTOR IN 6 OR MORE FILMS ON THE LIST

[spoiler]Who is Robert Duvall?[/spoiler]

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