Who won Jeopardy! tonight? September 19, 2025, Friday

Jeopardy! for Friday, September 19, 2025, ended with a thrilling finale. The game was fiercely contested by Paolo Pasco, Hebah Uddin, and Steven Olson. After a fast-paced clue round, Jeopardy! ended on a suspenseful note. 

Steven Olson defeated Paolo Pasco to win the night. Steven, who was second going into Final Jeopardy, won $19,602 by answering “What is Kazakhstan?” Paolo won $17,401 after leading most of the game. Hebah Uddin, who persevered, won $2,600.

Known for its fast-paced rounds and intriguing trivia, Jeopardy! continues to fascinate audiences. Tonight's episode was another dramatic chapter in the show's history.

A glimpse of what happened on Jeopardy! episode September 19, 2025, Friday

Jeopardy! Round:

The Jeopardy! round on September 19, 2025, featured six categories: U.S. Territories, Quick Chem, From The Video Game Manual, Ancient Eating, Swap A Letter, and Broadway. The contestants were eager to show their knowledge across these diverse topics.

• Paolo Pasco, the defending champion, began the round strong, answering six clues correctly without any incorrect responses.
• Steven Olson had a rough start with two incorrect responses but found the Daily Double, picking up $1,000 to close the gap with Paolo.
• Hebah Uddin answered three clues correctly with no mistakes.

After 15 clues, the scores were:

• Paolo: $4,400
• Hebah: $2,400
• Steven: $1,800

Statistics at the First Break (15 clues):

• Paolo: 6 correct, 0 incorrect
• Hebah: 3 correct, 0 incorrect
• Steven: 5 correct, 2 incorrect

Double Jeopardy Round:

In the Double Jeopardy! round, the players had to answer questions in six categories: The Bronze Age, Villains In Lit, 14-Letter Words, Let's Go To The Park, Album Title Adjectives, and Your Prime Number's Up. Steven found both Daily Doubles, but he left a lot of money on the table and only added $6,000 to his total. This gave Paolo Pasco some space to breathe and let him make a run at the end of the round.

At the conclusion of Double Jeopardy!, the scores were:

• Steven: 26 correct, 6 incorrect
• Paolo: 16 correct, 2 incorrect
• Hebah: 8 correct, 2 incorrect

The scores heading into Final Jeopardy were:

• Steven: $17,400
• Paolo: $9,800
• Hebah: $4,600

Final Jeopardy Round:

In Final Jeopardy, the category was Slogans.

The clue was: "After adopting ‘very nice’ in tourism ads, an official of this country said, its people, ‘jokes to the contrary, are some of the nicest.’”

The correct response was "What is Kazakhstan?"

• Steven Olson answered correctly, adding $2,202 to his total, bringing his score to $19,602.
• Paolo Pasco also answered correctly, adding $7,601, but fell just short with $17,401.
• Hebah Uddin, however, gave an incorrect response and lost $2,000, finishing with $2,600.

Jeopardy! Recap for Friday, September 19, 2025

Jeopardy! Round
Categories: U.S. Territories; Quick Chem; From The Video Game Manual; Ancient Eating; Swap A Letter; Broadway

• Paolo: 6 correct, 0 incorrect (early lead)
• Steven: Struggled with 2 incorrect, found the Daily Double (+$1,000)
• Hebah: 3 correct, 0 incorrect

Scores after 15 clues:

• Paolo: $4,400
• Hebah: $2,400
• Steven: $1,800

Statistics at the First Break (15 clues)

• Paolo: 6 correct, 0 incorrect
• Hebah: 3 correct, 0 incorrect
• Steven: 5 correct, 2 incorrect

Interviews:

• Hebah: Studies children's horror
• Steven: Originally forced into band by family
• Paolo: Purchased games magazines owned by Stephen Sondheim

Jeopardy! Round Final Statistics

• Paolo: 9 correct, 1 incorrect
• Steven: 15 correct, 3 incorrect
• Hebah: 4 correct, 1 incorrect

Scores after Jeopardy! Round:

• Paolo: $5,000
• Steven: $4,600
• Hebah: $2,200

Double Jeopardy! Round

Categories: The Bronze Age; Villains In Lit; 14-Letter Words; Let’s Go To The Park; Album Title Adjectives; Your Prime Number’s Up

• Steven: Found both Daily Doubles (+$6,000, left money on the table)
• Paolo: Went on a run to catch up
• Total number of unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 today)

Double Jeopardy! Final Statistics

• Steven: 26 correct, 6 incorrect
• Paolo: 16 correct, 2 incorrect
• Hebah: 8 correct, 2 incorrect

Scores going into Final Jeopardy!:

• Steven: $17,400
• Paolo: $9,800
• Hebah: $4,600

Final Jeopardy!

• Paolo: Correct, +$7,601, Final Score: $17,401 (What is Kazakhstan?)
• Steven: Correct, +$2,202, Final Score: $19,602 (What is Kazakhstan?)
• Hebah: Incorrect, -$2,000, Final Score: $2,600 (What is Canada?)
• Winner: Steven - 1-day total: $19,602. Steven will return on Monday to defend.

Steven Olson won a fiery Jeopardy! game tonight. Paolo Pasco led for most of the game, but Steven's late plays won him the championship. Steven will defend his title on Jeopardy! on Monday after winning $19,602. Jeopardy!'s 42nd season features fiercer competition as contestants use their knowledge and quick thinking. Tonight's episode showed the game's thrills. Soon, fans can expect more thrilling episodes.