Joey DeSena, a development engineer from Raleigh, North Carolina, emerged victorious in Monday’s “Jeopardy!” Facing off against Chris Spencer, a medical writer from Washington, D.C., and returning champion Rachel Marcus, a writer and consultant from New York City with winnings of $20,600, DeSena brought a broad knowledge base, skillfully handling the Daily Doubles and maintaining a comfortable lead throughout the game. Despite an incorrect Final Jeopardy! response, his earlier performance ensured a decisive win.
DeSena established an early advantage, demonstrating his quick recall and strategic wagering on the Daily Doubles. In Double Jeopardy!, he correctly identified “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” as the 1974 No. 1 bestseller and Mérida as the capital of Yucatán, Mexico, further solidifying his position. Entering Final Jeopardy! with $18,200, DeSena held a substantial lead over Marcus with $9,400 and Spencer with $8,000.
The Final Jeopardy! category, 19th CENTURY AMERICA, presented a challenging clue: “It caused rich amusement that the name of this President, whose wife didn’t allow dancing, was similar to that of a dance.” The answer, “Who Was James K. Polk?”, eluded all three contestants, leading to deductions based on their wagers. DeSena’s wager of $703 brought his final total to $17,497, securing his victory. Marcus finished in second place with $1 after an all-in wager, while Spencer also ended with $1, taking third place.
“Jeopardy!” airs weeknights. Check your local listings for showtimes.
