‘Jeopardy!’ champ James Holzhauer wins 30th consecutive game, inching closer to Ken Jennings

James Holzhauer moved closer tonight toward the all-time record for total “Jeopardy!” winnings. The professional sports gambler scored his 30th victory in a row, bringing his earnings to $2,343,971.

That total is just $196,729 from the winnings of “Jeopardy!” legend Ken Jennings, who had $2,520,700 earned during 2004 play. But Jennings still holds the consecutive games win streak mark of 74 games, with Holzhauer still 44 games behind that total.

Holzhauer’s impressive earnings include the $69,033 he won tonight, slightly less than his $80,000 average during the streak. Jennings has been cheering Holzhauer on via Twitter.

The win streak has been accomplished with a unique game strategy. Holzhauer targets high-dollar-value clues first and is very aggressive betting during “Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy.” So far, it’s worked, raising his earnings in far fewer games than Jennings.

Holzhauer told show host Alex Trebek on Wednesday that the most money he ever lost on a Las Vegas wager was $20,000, a bet he wisely made before he was married.

“We don’t discuss until the end of the season where the bankroll is going,” Holzhahuer told Trebek. “It’s better that way