'Holzhauer Haters' Accuse James Holzhauer of Cheating, Don't Believe The Record-Breaking 'Jeopardy!' Contestant

‘Jeopardy!’ Leader James Holzhauer Has Shattered Records
James Holzhauer on 'Jeopardy!' Twitter

James Holzhauer has broken multiple Jeopardy! records, but there is a group of people who are accusing the champion of cheating. Coined "Holzhauer Haters," there are some that don't believe Holzhauer is an authentic Jeopardy! champion.

Thank you. I believe he has only missed one final jeopardy. Sorry the odds for that are impossible.

— Ava Sterling (@savvyNewYorker) April 18, 2019

While some blame Holzhauer of cheating, others hypothesized that faulty game equipment could be the answer to the 34-year-old's consistent Daily Doubles and overall control of the gameboard.

No thanks. Marvel time is long past. He now ruins it for other contestants & LOTS of viewers. James has outstayed his welcome. Notice how he disproportionately buzzes 1st? A few other contestants look @ their buzzers as if to say "WTF?!" Be a gentleman #JamesHolzhauer: LOSE. 😠

— News Of Rice Lake (@NewsOfRiceLake) April 18, 2019

Despite the cheating accusations, many Jeopardy! fans are coming to the defense of the Las Vegas sports bettor, saying viewers should simply "appreciate" seeing history being made.

The "Holzhauer haters" are a facile mob that just can't appreciate the awkward, brutal beauty of a trivia master AND expert gamer. Relax and just be impressed. #Jeopardy #JamesHolzhauer

— Gregory Hagin (@pretzelgreg) April 10, 2019

Since shattering Roger Craig's single-game winnings record of $77,000 on April 9 with over $89,000, Holzhauer has broken his own record three more times. He now holds the top spot of single-game winnings at over $131,000.

Along with Craig's record, the 34-year-old also smashed Dan Madden's winning record of $430,400 in 19 games Monday, after accumulating over $460,000 in only eight games.

Ken Jennings still holds the record for highest overall winnings at over $2.5 million, but Holzhauer looks to be on the road to breaking the 2004 record as well. The 2004 Jeopardy! victor commented on the 34-year-old's "insane" game strategy Wednesday via Twitter.

"This is absolutely insane. I've always wanted to see someone try Jeopardy! wagering this way who had the skills to back it up," the trivia master wrote.

At the end of the April 9 show—which was taped in February—host Alex Trebek suggested that Holzhauer could be on his way to matching the achievements of Jennings. "Is it too soon to start thinking about Ken Jennings comparisons?" Trebek asked.

Find out what records Holzhauer break next when Jeopardy! airs weekdays on ABC at 7 p.m. ET.

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Hannah Preston works remotely from the Los Angeles area. She studied Journalism & New Media at California Baptist University and interned ... Read more

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