Record-breaking “Jeopardy!” champ wins game by only $18

Waltham, Massachusetts — A Massachusetts man took on a big challenge: trying to beat James Holzhauer, one of the most dominant champions in “Jeopardy!” history. And he gave Holzhauer a run for his money. 

“Knowing I could go toe-to-toe with him is a great feeling! It’s a once in a lifetime shot,” said Adam Levin, CBS Boston reported.

Levin said it was a lifelong dream to compete on the show. It was made even better when he captured the lead just minutes into the game that aired Monday night. It all came down to “Final Jeopardy,” when Levin, a Brandeis University employee, was just $18 shy of dethroning Holzhauer and advancing.

He finished with $53,999, a few bucks short of Holzhauer’s $54,017.

“Sometimes you give it your best shot and you might not come out on the winning end, but as long as you do your best and put it all out there – then you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, so I’m really proud of how I did,” Levin said.

Holzhauer, a professional sports gambler, has shattered records on the show and racked up more than $1 million in winnings in less than a month. The game against Levin was his 18th,  and his total winnings now stand at $1,329,604.