Jamie Ding's historic Jeopardy! run has officially come to an end. The 33-year-old New Jersey native saw his impressive 31-game winning streak conclude on Monday after being bested by Greg Shahade in a decisive runaway victory.
The Princeton graduate, who secured $882,605 in total prize money during his tenure on the iconic game show, now holds the fifth-place spot among Jeopardy!'s all-time top earners. His performance also places him fifth for the most consecutive games won, trailing behind legends such as James Holzhauer, Matt Amodio, Amy Schneider, and the show's current host, Ken Jennings.
The turning point in Monday's game occurred during the final clue of the Double Jeopardy round. Under the category "The Shape of Things," Ding was presented with the clue: "Home to private residences and hotels, the manmade archipelago seen here in Dubai is built in the shape of one of these." Ding provided the incorrect answer of "palm leaf" instead of "palm tree," resulting in a $400 deduction.
Entering the Final Jeopardy round with $16,000 against Shahade's $32,600, Ding opted for a lighthearted exit, writing "TTFN"—shorthand for "ta ta for now"—on his screen. This marked his first loss since March 13.
"I think my last game is unusual, because I was a super champ, but I also lost in a runaway, which I feel like is the first time that ever happened," Ding shared with PEOPLE following his defeat. "It almost makes me feel better about the thing because there wasn't really one clue or whatever that everything hinged on."
Reflecting on his time on the show, Ding expressed gratitude for the experience. "I kept hearing how it was bringing people together, and I love that very much. I've heard people say, 'It's nice to have something positive on TV!'" he noted. While he admitted to feeling a mix of disappointment and satisfaction, he ultimately embraced the conclusion of his journey, stating, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened kind of thing."