Who won Jeopardy! tonight? September 11, 2025, Thursday

Jeopardy! has been on American TV since 1964. For decades, people have loved its unique format in which contestants answer clues with questions. On tonight’s episode of Jeopardy! (September 11, 2025), the winner was Paolo Pasco. He successfully defended his champion title, finishing with $34,196. This victory brings his 2-day total to  $54,197.

The final phase of the game was extremely significant for the players as they all made big moves during their turns. But by the end of the episode, Paolo Pasco had a comfortable lead thanks to his excellent effort in the Double Jeopardy round and his careful Final Jeopardy bet.

A glimpse of Jeopardy! episode on September 11, 2025, Thursday

Jeopardy Round

The Jeopardy round tonight featured a variety of categories, including "Around North America," "Songwriters," and "Gee, 'Ography!" Andy Miller, the math professor from Nashville, Tennessee, dominated the early part of the game. He quickly found the Daily Double and used it to propel himself into the lead with $7,800 at the first break.

At the break, Andy had an impressive 7 correct responses, while Paolo Pasco had 6, and Jill Frechette, a research data analyst from Massachusetts, was still searching for her rhythm with no correct answers. Despite Jill’s struggles, Andy and Paolo were neck and neck heading into the second half of the round.

Scores after Jeopardy Round:

• Andy: $8,600
• Paolo: $6,600
• Jill: $1,200

Double Jeopardy Round

In the Double Jeopardy round, Paolo Pasco turned up the heat. He found both Daily Doubles early in the round and responded correctly to 19 out of 20 clues. This strong performance helped him surge ahead of Andy and Jill. Despite Andy’s best efforts, Paolo's dominance in categories such as "200 Years Ago" and "Oscar-Winning Title References" left little room for competition. Paolo’s accuracy and ability to navigate difficult categories gave him a runaway lead.

Scores after Double Jeopardy Round:

• Paolo: $34,400
• Andy: $12,200
• Jill: -$400

Final Jeopardy Round

In the Final Jeopardy round, the category was Today Spelling Counts.

The clue of tonight's episode was:

The winning word at the first Scripps National Spelling Bee was this, a plant & genus with sword-shaped leaves now on the trophy

The right clue was: What is gladiolus?

Scores after Final Jeopardy Round:

• Paolo: $34,196
• Andy: $4,400
• Jill: -$400 (eliminated by rule, did not participate in Final Jeopardy)

Game Statistics from Tonight’s Jeopardy Episode

Jeopardy! Round:

Categories: Around North America, Songwriters, This Old Thing?, Play Your Cards Right, Don’t Forget To Remember, Gee, “Ography”!

Andy found the Daily Double and used it to take the lead.

Scores at first break (after 15 clues):

• Andy: $7,800
• Paolo: $3,200
• Jill: $0

Correct/Incorrect (15 clues):

• Andy: 7 correct, 0 incorrect
• Paolo: 6 correct, 0 incorrect
• Jill: 0 correct, 0 incorrect

Scores after Jeopardy Round:

• Andy: $8,600
• Paolo: $6,600
• Jill: $1,200

Double Jeopardy! Round:

Categories: 200 Years Ago, Oscar-Winning Title References, I Love That For Yuri, Engineering, Writers At Rest, Overlaps

Paolo dominated the round, finding both Daily Doubles in the first 4 clues.

Correct/Incorrect (Double Jeopardy):

• Paolo: 32 correct, 0 incorrect
• Andy: 14 correct, 0 incorrect
• Jill: 3 correct, 2 incorrect

Scores after Double Jeopardy:

• Paolo: $34,400
• Andy: $12,200
• Jill: -$400

Final Jeopardy! Round:

Category: Today Spelling Counts
Correct response: What is gladiolus?
Both remaining players were incorrect.

Scores after Final Jeopardy:

• Jill: -$400 (did not participate due to negative score)
• Andy: $12,200 – $7,800 = $4,400 (incorrect response)
• Paolo: $34,400 – $204 = $34,196 (incorrect response)

Tonight's Results:

• Winner: Paolo Pasco – $34,196 (2-day total: $54,197)
• Runner-Up: Andy Miller – $4,400
• Eliminated Contestant: Jill Frechette – $0 (did not participate in Final Jeopardy)

Tonight’s Jeopardy! episode on September 11, 2025, showcased Paolo Pasco’s impressive trivia skills as he successfully defended his title. With his well-executed strategy and strong knowledge base, Paolo emerged victorious. Andy Miller and Jill Frechette fought hard but were ultimately unable to keep pace with the reigning champion. The game concluded with Paolo’s 2-day total reaching $54,197, setting the stage for his next appearance. Jeopardy! continues to captivate audiences with its blend of knowledge, strategy, and the thrill of competition.