Who Won Jeopardy! Tonight? (Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026) — Final Jeopardy Answer and Scores (Spoilers)
Wednesday's board, before and after Final Jeopardy!:
| Player | Into Final | Wager | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jen Spinoglio | $10,600 | +$201 | $10,801 |
| Matthew Riggle | $5,400 | −$5,201 | $199 |
| Daniel Nicastro | $100 | −$98 | $2 |
Matthew Riggle's run is over at four games. Jen Spinoglio, a financial researcher from San Francisco, is the new champion with $10,801 — won on a name out of her own city's industry. Our Wednesday preview had Riggle $4,398 from six figures. He got nowhere near it.
What was the Final Jeopardy answer on September 16?
The category was Names In Tech News. The clue asked for a surname from artificial-intelligence coverage that traces to a Latin name meaning “lover of God.”
The response: What is Amodei? — Dario Amodei, chief executive of the A.I. company Anthropic. Spinoglio was the only one of the three to write it.
Riggle wrote “Amadeus,” which is the same Latin root and the wrong man. A math instructor lost a streak on an etymology clue, which is the kind of night this show specializes in.
How did Riggle end up in third place going into Final?
The Daily Doubles did it. Fikkle Fame has him betting $7,000 on the Double Jeopardy! Daily Double in Unfinished Lit and answering “Stein,” which was wrong.
That is most of a game gone on one clue. Nicastro had already dropped $1,900 on a first-round Daily Double in Musical Idioms, so two of the night's big swings went against the same two players.
Spinoglio built her $10,600 quietly instead. The Jeopardy! Fan credits her with 20 correct responses against four wrong, better than Riggle's 19 and five.
Was Spinoglio's $201 wager the right number?
To the dollar. Her $10,600 was not a lock, because Riggle could reach $10,800 by doubling $5,400. She needed $201 to clear that, and she bet $201.
| If… | Spinoglio | Riggle | Who wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinoglio right, Riggle wrong (actual) | $10,801 | $199 | Spinoglio |
| Both right | $10,801 | $10,601 | Spinoglio, by $200 |
| Spinoglio wrong, Riggle right | $10,399 | $10,601 | Riggle |
| Both wrong | $10,399 | $199 | Spinoglio |
Our math, from the scores listed in the Sources. Riggle's $5,201 was the mirror image: bet nearly everything, because third place pays the same whether you keep $199 or $5,400.
👉 Three nights, three finishes settled by a single dollar of wagering math — $1 on Monday, $101 on Tuesday, $1 over a double-up on Wednesday.
How much did Matthew Riggle win on Jeopardy!?
| Win | Aired | Score | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 23 | $48,001 | $48,001 |
| 2 | July 24 | $16,399 | $64,400 |
| 3 | Sept. 14 | $8,001 | $72,401 |
| 4 | Sept. 15 | $23,201 | $95,602 |
Four wins, $95,602, and a second-place check on top of it. He finishes $4,398 under $100,000 and one win under the five that usually starts a Tournament of Champions conversation.
His Final Jeopardy! record ends at 2 for 5. The two he missed in September he had covered with a wager; this time he was the one who needed covering. The Jeopardy! Fan's model gave him about 60 percent on Wednesday morning, which we passed along. Models lose 40 percent of the time.
Tuesday's win, with the full bet breakdown, is in our Sept. 15 result, and the $1 finish that started the week is in the Sept. 14 one. Where four wins sits historically is on our longest Jeopardy! winning streaks page.
Who plays on Thursday, Sept. 17?
Spinoglio defends as a one-day champion in Thursday's new episode, in whatever slot your station uses. Her challengers post to Jeopardy.com on the morning of the show.
The rest of premiere week is laid out in our Sept. 14–18 schedule, and the “Is Jeopardy! new tonight?” page adds each night's players as they are announced. Air times by city are in the viewing guide. Wheel of Fortune's week is on the Wheel tonight page, and every game we have covered is filed under results.
FAQ
What was the Final Jeopardy answer today? What is Amodei? The category was Names In Tech News, and only Jen Spinoglio got it.
Who won Jeopardy! tonight? Jen Spinoglio, with $10,801.
Who is the Jeopardy! champion now? Spinoglio, a financial researcher from San Francisco, a one-day champion. Matthew Riggle's streak ended at four wins and $95,602.
Sources
- The Jeopardy! Fan — Today's Final Jeopardy, Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- Fikkle Fame — Final Jeopardy: Names in Tech News (9-16-26)
- Game Show Quickies — J! Quickcap, 9/16/2026
- Who Won Jeopardy! Tonight? (Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026) — Final Jeopardy Answer and Scores (Spoilers)
- Who Won Jeopardy! Tonight? (Monday, Sept. 14, 2026) — Final Jeopardy Answer and Scores (Spoilers)
- Who Won Jeopardy! Tonight? (Friday, Sept. 11, 2026) — Final Jeopardy Answer and Scores (Spoilers)
- Wheel of Fortune Bonus Puzzle Tonight (Friday, Sept. 11, 2026): Answer, Winner and Winnings (Spoilers)