The Super Bowl is weeks away, but for B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� addicts the big game is here: All-time top money winners Brad Rutter, Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer are facing off for ultimate bragging rights.

B次元官网网址淭he first person to win three matches will be crowned the greatest of all time,B次元官网网址� said executive producer Harry Friedman. The winner gets $1 million, with $250,000 for each runner-up in the contest that airs on consecutive nights beginning 8 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Host Alex Trebek credits the rookie for making B次元官网网址淛eopardy! The Greatest of All TimeB次元官网网址� happen.

The tournament B次元官网网址渨as a natural because of the appearance of James Holzhauer,B次元官网网址� Trebek said. B次元官网网址淧rior to that, there wasnB次元官网网址檛 a contestant who measured up, in the eyes of our viewers, to Ken Jennings or Brad Rutter. And here comes James, and wins more money faster than anybody else had ever done on the show, and really caught AmericaB次元官网网址檚 fancy.B次元官网网址�

Friedman said there had been discussions with ABC about a rare prime-time foray for B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� but the format was proving elusive until professional sports gambler Holzhauer steamrolled his way to glory in 2019 with his smarts, skill and high-roller Daily Double bets.

B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of online chatter about, B次元官网网址業s he the greatest player of all time?B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址楴o, Ken Jennings, because he had that streak,B次元官网网址� or somebody would say, B次元官网网址業 think itB次元官网网址檚 Brad Rutter, look at how many times heB次元官网网址檚 won.B次元官网网址� So it really sort of fell into place,B次元官网网址� the producer said.

Trebek, who is being treated for pancreatic cancer as heB次元官网网址檚 continued hosting regular B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� games, wasnB次元官网网址檛 asked directly if he was up to handling the championship series as well.

B次元官网网址淲e discussed the idea of this competition with him because we wanted to make sure that he supported it as a concept, first and foremost. And he said, B次元官网网址極h yeah, letB次元官网网址檚 do.B次元官网网址� Enthusiastically,B次元官网网址� Friedman said.

(B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 part of my job,B次元官网网址� Trebek said. He was B次元官网网址渟truggling a bitB次元官网网址� during the taping, he said, adding, B次元官网网址淲ell, it comes with the territory.B次元官网网址�)

. NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Beloved host Alex Trebek and his wife Jean speak out to on his cancer diagnosis and their lives now.

B次元官网网址� Good Morning America (@GMA)

The high-profile contest took place in December. To keep the outcome a mystery, an ABC release has it running through Jan. 16 B次元官网网址渋f necessary.B次元官网网址�

For Jennings, knowing who he would face was both stressful B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淯sually, itB次元官网网址檚 anybodyB次元官网网址檚 guess who makes the finalsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and helpful.

B次元官网网址淚 could look at tape of them, and theyB次元官网网址檙e both extremely scary players, one of whom (Rutter) IB次元官网网址檝e played before. He usually finds a way to win. So I knew these just going to be the fastest, smartest people IB次元官网网址檝e ever seen holding a B次元官网网址楯eopardy!B次元官网网址� buzzer,B次元官网网址� Jennings said.

Holzhauer also did his homework.

B次元官网网址淚 studied some more esoteric facts with the expectation that the writers would ramp up the question difficulty, but the big thing I did to prepare was extra reps of buzzer practice, knowing that Brad and Ken are the two best in the history of the show on the signalling device,B次元官网网址� he said in an email.

It feels B次元官网网址渃razy to be compared to the two best players that ever came before me, but I know I can hang with them,B次元官网网址� Holzhauer said. B次元官网网址淥ne nice factor is that the three of us can have fun trash talking without anyone B次元官网网址榩unching down.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Why I'm your pick for : Just look at these one-percenters in their ties and business suits. is a man of the people

B次元官网网址� James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer)

Rutter considers the players to be evenly matched in their skills.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really all about buzzer timing and knowledge, and all of us are pretty good at that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧ersonality-wise, I think Ken is probably the jokiest of the three, like he throws little quips in, and IB次元官网网址檓 a little too focused. B次元官网网址� James is also ready with the quips, but heB次元官网网址檚 got the analytical thing down, too.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淏ut we all put a bunch of strategy into it,B次元官网网址� Rutter said. Any chance heB次元官网网址檇 share his? B次元官网网址淭une in to find out.B次元官网网址�

Rutter enters the contest as the top winner on any TV game show with $4.69 million in B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� play. Jennings holds the winning-streak record, 74 games, and has collected $3.37 million. Holzhauer set and broke more than a dozen records for the largest single-day winnings, won the 2019 Tournament of Champions and earned $2.7 million in winnings.

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Rutter is the veteran player, making his first B次元官网网址淛eopardy!B次元官网网址� appearance nearly 20 years ago, in October 2000, when champs were B次元官网网址渞etiredB次元官网网址� from regular-season play after five victories. JenningsB次元官网网址� first game was in June 2004, a year after the rules were changed to allow players to rack up unlimited wins.

Subsequent tournament play has seen Rutter consistently triumph. But Jennings can claim a qualified exhibition victory: During a 2011 face-off with IBMB次元官网网址檚 Watson, the computer won but Jennings topped Rutter to come in second.

If you think the commercials are bad, here's what we left on the cutting room floor

B次元官网网址� James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer)

The Associated Press

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