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[Warning: The following post contains MAJOR spoilers for the Friday, September 26, episode of Jeopardy<\/em>!]<\/strong><\/p>\n Jeopardy!<\/em><\/a> host Ken Jennings<\/a> was \u201chyped\u201d at the end of Double Jeopardy in a game that was a thriller for the ages, the best of the young season so far.<\/p>\n Vickie Talvola, from Jersey City, New Jersey, played against Yasmine Mitchell, from Sunnyvale, California, and Prasad Patil, from Burlington, Massachusetts, on Friday, September 26. Talvola had a one-day total of $26,407 after beating<\/a> four-day champion Steven Olson the day prior.<\/p>\n The beginning of the first round was a pretty even playing field for all of the contestants. Talvola, a quantitative trader, found the Daily Double with the lead at $3,600. She made it a true Daily Double for \u201cWhich -Verse Are We In?\u201d The clue read, \u201cUnable to serve in the military due to poor eyesight, he glorified American warriors in the Ryanverse.\u201d<\/p>\n She hesitated until Ken Jennings prompted her to answer. \u201cWho is Clancy?\u201d Talvola said. She was correct and doubled up to $7,200. Talvola had $7,800 by the first commercial break, with a lead of $5,000.<\/p>\n Talvola kept the lead by the end of the round with $9,800. Patil, an assistant professor of biostatistics, was in second place with $4,000. Mitchell, a software engineer, wasn\u2019t far behind with $3,200.<\/p>\n In Double Jeopardy, Patil took the lead in the beginning, but Talvola quickly caught up. With her lead of $15,000, compared to Patil\u2019s $12,000, she found the first DD. Talvola wagered $6,000 in \u201cLonely Island.\u201d The clue was \u201cNow lightly populated, Delos in the Cyclades was once a hub of activity and also the supposed birthplace of this god.\u201d Talvola hesitated before answering, \u201cWho is Apollo?\u201d She was correct and moved up to $21,000.<\/p>\n Patil found the last DD towards the end of the round. He was in second place with $14,800 and wagered $10,000. In \u201cCover Me,\u201d the clue read, \u201cBuilt in the 1st C., it had a big retractable awning called a velarium, that shielded its audience of 50,000 from the sun.\u201d \u201cWhat is the Colosseum?\u201d Patil answered, which was correct. He took the lead with $24,800, only $600 above Talvola.<\/p>\n However, only three clues later, Talvola took back the lead. On the last clue, Talvola and Patil fought for first place. When Talvola rang in, Ken Jennings yelled her name. The clue in \u201cI\u2019m on a Boat,\u201d read, \u201cWhat?! A possible warrant for bank robbery coming for a passenger\u2013 Phileas Fogg? That\u2019s life on the Steamer Mognolia in this book for ya.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is Around the World in 80 Days<\/em><\/a>?\u201d she answered. \u201cIs correct!\u201d Jennings yelled. Talvola took the lead with $25,800, which was only $200 above Patil at $25,600. Mitchell had $7,600.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a finish! This thing could not be closer, so it all depends on the category,\u201d Jennings said.<\/p>\n The category for Final Jeopardy was \u201cScientists.\u201d The clue read, \u201cJoseph Lister said there was not \u2018an individual to whom medical science owes more to\u2019 than this man, feted at the Sorbonne in 1892.\u201d<\/p>\n All three contestants answered correctly with \u201cWho is Louis Pasteur?\u201d so it all came down to wagers for Patil and Talvola. Mitchell wagered $5,000, giving her $12,600. Patil wagered $10,000, making his final total $35,600. Talvola only wagered $150, giving her a final total of $25,950. Patil became the new champion and will return for game two on Monday.<\/p>\n Fans reacted to the game and Jennings\u2019 reaction. \u201cKen was HYPED at the end of DJ, what a game,\u201d a Reddit<\/a> user said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a wild episode! I hope to see Vickie back as a fan favorite,\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cBut, why only $150?\u201d a third asked, to which another replied, \u201cI was shocked.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was so disappointed. It felt like she didn\u2019t back herself at the end,\u201d replied another.<\/p>\n