NJ's Jamie Ding Bows Out of 'Jeopardy!' After 31 Wins, $882K In Winnings

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — Jamie Ding's remarkable run on "Jeopardy!" is over — but the Lawrenceville resident leaves the stage as one of the show's all-time greats, with 31 wins, $882,605 in prize money and a footprint that extended well beyond the game show podium.

The streak ended Monday when Greg Shahade, a Philadelphia chess master, defeated the 33-year-old in a dominant performance that trivia fans across the country had long anticipated.

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Ding, who works as Multifamily and Tax Credit Program Administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency while pursuing a law degree at Seton Hall University, accumulated $882,605 during his run, which began in March.

His 31 consecutive victories place him fifth on "Jeopardy!"'s all-time list, behind Ken Jennings (74), Amy Schneider (40), Matt Amodio (38) and James Holzhauer (32).

Shahade, an International Master in chess from Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, controlled the board from the start, finding all three Daily Doubles and never allowing Ding to recover from an early deficit.

Shahade entered Final Jeopardy with $32,600 to Ding's $16,000. The category was world languages — contestants were asked to name South Africa's alphabetically first and last official languages. All three players answered correctly, identifying Afrikaans and Zulu, but the math was already settled. Shahade wagered just $400, while Ding bet $3,010, leaving Shahade the winner by $13,990.

Ding signed off in characteristic fashion, writing "TTFN!" — "ta ta for now" — on his Final Jeopardy response, a gesture that drew an outpouring of affection from fans on social media. Shahade praised his opponent, calling Ding "the sweetest person, really, really nice."

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., congratulated Ding in a statement Tuesday. "Congratulations Jamie on captivating the entire country with a historic 31-win streak on Jeopardy!" Kim said. "All of us back home in New Jersey are so proud, and I can't wait to see you back in action for Tournament of Champions next year."

Ding's celebrity extended beyond the studio in his final days as champion. Just hours before Monday's episode aired, he appeared alongside Gov. Mikie Sherrill at the signing of her housing executive order, where he was introduced as the state's champion — both on the show and in his policy work.

At the ceremony, Ding drew a parallel between the welcoming atmosphere on the "Jeopardy!" set and his aspirations for housing policy. "One thing I've learned from being on 'Jeopardy!' is just such a hospitable environment that the show creates for its contestants and for its audience, and you just feel welcome there," he said. "That's what I really want for everyone — everyone to feel welcome."

He kept his remarks brief but pointed. "When you always consider something somebody else's problem, it will never get solved," Ding said. "It's always time to get to work, but this executive order really signals time to get to work."

Ding had also appeared on Good Morning America during his run and became one of the most-watched "Jeopardy!" contestants in years. A Princeton University graduate with a degree in molecular biology, he captured national attention for his encyclopedic knowledge, aggressive wagering and warm on-screen demeanor.

During his run, he shattered Ken Jennings' long-standing Coryat score record — the measure of correct responses before wagering — a feat Jennings himself called from behind the host's podium. Ding also tied Jennings' record of 45 correct answers in a single game. Off the podium, he won fans over by wearing Princeton's orange and black on the show and co-running an Instagram account with his sister dedicated to rating General Tso's chicken at Chinese restaurants.

Ding is eligible to compete in the Tournament of Champions, which features the show's top regular-season performers.

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