James Holzhauer Biography: James Holzhauer born August 6, 1984 is an American professional sports gambler and game show contestant, best known for his record-breaking run on Jeopardy! He rose to fame during a 32-game winning streak from April to June 2019, during which he shattered several single-game winnings records.
James Holzhauer Biography
James Holzhauer has been married to Melissa Sassin since September 8, 2012, and the couple has one child. During his legendary run on Jeopardy!, Holzhauer set the record for the highest single-game winnings, earning $131,127 in one episode. Remarkably, he also holds the next dozen or so highest single-game scores in the show’s history.
James Holzhauer Biography 2025 Details
| Born | August 6, 1984
Naperville, Illinois, US
|
|---|---|
| Alma mater | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (BS) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | 32-game Jeopardy! winning streak |
| Spouse |
Melissa Sassin
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 1 |
| Category | Lifestyle |
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About James Holzhauer
James Holzhauer is an American game show contestant and professional sports gambler. He is the fourth-highest-earning American game show contestant of all time.
James Holzhauer Achievements
Holzhauer later won the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions in November 2019, further cementing his legacy in the quiz show world. Over the course of 33 appearances, Holzhauer earned $2,464,216 in regular gameplay, making him the second-highest winner in Jeopardy! non-tournament history—trailing only Ken Jennings. While he was also second in consecutive games won at the time, he has since been surpassed by Matt Amodio (38 wins) and Amy Schneider (40 wins).
James Holzhauer Personal Life
Holzhauer was on track to break Ken Jennings’ all-time regular-play Jeopardy! earnings record and was within striking distance when his winning streak came to an end during his 33rd game. At that point, he was just $58,484 shy of surpassing Jennings’ total. His final game aired on June 3, 2019, when he was defeated by librarian Emma Boettcher. Coincidentally, the next day marked the 35th anniversary of the release of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s I Lost on Jeopardy! music video.
James Holzhauer Wiki
- Born: July 1984 (age 41 years), Naperville, Illinois, United States
- Spouse: Melissa Holzhauer (m. 2012)
- Parents: Nachiko Ide Holzhauer, Juergen Holzhauer
- Siblings: Ian Holzhauer
- Children: 1
- Education: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2005), Naperville North High School (2001)
Early Life
James Holzhauer was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois. His father was a German immigrant, and his maternal grandmother, who spoke limited English, was of Japanese descent. As a child, Holzhauer promised his grandmother he would one day appear on Jeopardy! By the age of four, Holzhauer showed exceptional mathematical ability, leading his teacher to create advanced coursework just for him. He was placed in a fifth-grade math class at age seven and skipped the second grade altogether at his mother’s request. Though he consistently earned A’s in math, Holzhauer’s overall academic performance was average due to frequent absences and a lack of interest in homework—he preferred to spend time on what he considered more productive activities, like playing online poker and memorizing sports trivia.
James Holzhauer Facts
Where does James Holzhauer live? And how much money does James Holzhauer earn?
| Birth Date | 1-7-1984 |
| Heritage/origin | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion – believes in God? | Christian |
| Residence | He lives together in a house in Naperville, Illinois, United States. |
James Holzhauer Net Worth 2025
James Holzhauer is an American game show contestant and professional sports gambler who has a net worth of $3 million. He is the third highest earning American game show contestant and is best known for his 32-game winning streak as champion on the quiz show Jeopardy!.
| Estimated Net Worth | 3 million Dollar |
| Yearly Salary | N/A |
| Colleagues | Frank Spangenberg, Ken Jennings & Emma Boettcher |
James Holzhauer: Wife, Dating, Family & Friends
James Holzhauer married Melissa Sassin, a tutor from Seattle, Washington in September 2012. Melissa was also a game show contestant, appearing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2014 and winning $28,800. They welcomed their daughter in 2014.
| Relationship status | Married (Since 2012) |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Current Wife of James Holzhauer | Melissa Holzhauer |
| Ex-girlfriends or ex-wives | |
| Has any kids? | Yes, father of: Natasha |
Family
He might have befriended Frank Spangenberg, Ken Jennings & Emma Boettcher, but what about family? Names of father, mother, kids, brothers & sisters:
- Juergen Holzhauer (Father)
- Nachiko Ide Holzhauer (Mother)
- Ian Holzhauer (Brother)
- Natasha Holzhauer (Daughter)
Friends
- Ken Jennings
Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Tattoos, Skin, Hair & Eye Color
This know-it-all celebrity originating from Naperville, Illinois, United States has a slim body & heartshaped face type.
| Hair color | Dark brown |
| Hairstyle | spikey |
| Beard or Mustache | Beardless |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Height | 176 cm |
| Weight | 70 kilo |
| Feet size | N/A |
| Does James Holzhauer smoke? | No, never |
| Does James Holzhauer have a tattoo? | No |
FAQs
What is James Holzhauer doing now?
James has been a professional sports gambler since 2005 and currently stars on the ABC game show The Chase. james Holzhauer was a contributor for The Athletic covering sports betting. James has been a professional sports gambler since 2005 and currently stars on the ABC game show The Chase.
Why is James Holzhauer not in Jeopardy Invitational 2025?
Holzhauer simply opted not to participate in Jeopardy! Masters 2025. But it seems entirely possible that he could be invited and return to the tournament in a future year if he so chooses.
Why isn’t James in Masters?
Given how Jeopardy! Masters cast members are sent a special invite to join the show, the two shared that James decided he’d skip out this time around. “As always, our top three Masters are guaranteed an invitation to the next Masters,” Sarah explained (via TV Insider), while referencing the 2024 Jeopardy!
Will James Holzhauer be back on Jeopardy in 2025?
“James Holzhauer, despite being invited and previously successful in Jeopardy! Masters, chose not to participate in the 2025 tournament. Jeopardy! Masters executive producers Sarah Whitcomb-Foss and Michael Davies stated that they extended an invitation to Holzhauer, but he decided not to compete for the 2025 season.