‘Jeopardy!’ Star James Holzhauer Reveals Big Secret About Mattea Roach & Drops Shock News

[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the Jeopardy! Masters finale.]

James Holzhauer might have won the Jeopardy! Masters tournament on Wednesday (May 24) night, but Mattea Roach certainly gave him a run for his money.

The self-confessed game show “supervillain” defeated Roach and Matt Amodio in the finals to be crowned the first-ever Masters champion, bagging a $500,000 grand prize to go with it. But the final scores were close, with Holzhauer clinching the victory with 43,795 over Roach’s 41,685.

Now Holzhauer has revealed a big secret about Roach, and also dropped some surprising news about what he is planning to do next.

“I’ve faced the greatest Jeopardy players ever: @bradrutter, @Jeopardamy, that Mormon guy,” Holzhauer wrote on Twitter after Wednesday’s game. “In 50+ games I had never once felt absolutely frazzled, completely unable to ring in, merely spectating as an opponent takes over the game…until @mattearoach did it this week. Twice.”

I’ve faced the greatest Jeopardy players ever: @bradrutter, @Jeopardamy, that Mormon guy.

In 50+ games I had never once felt absolutely frazzled, completely unable to ring in, merely spectating as an opponent takes over the game…until @mattearoach did it this week. Twice.

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) May 25, 2023

Roach almost beat Holzhauer in a semi-final game earlier this week, and heading into yesterday’s Final Jeopardy round, they led the way with 22,800 points over Holzhauer at 9,600 and Amodio at 3,200.

“Mattea’s performance would have been unbelievable in the best of times. Considering everything they went through this month, this was the gutsiest Jeopardy! achievement since Cindy Stowell’s,” Holzhauer continued in his Twitter thread. “An absolute, star-making masterclass in how to play the game.”

Roach’s father sadly passed away during the filming of Masters, putting a temporary pause in production. The Toronto native opened up about their loss on Tuesday’s (May 23) episode, talking about how thankful they were for the support they received from Jeopardy! crew and their fellow opponents.

“I’m lucky the scores were even this close entering Final: had I uncovered Matt’s brutally difficult Daily Double, it would have been 22,800 to zero,” Holzhauer added. “I benefited from more luck in the end. But no one will forget Mattea’s #JeopardyMasters dominance.”

I’m lucky the scores were even this close entering Final: had I uncovered Matt’s brutally difficult Daily Double, it would have been 22,800 to zero.

I benefited from more luck in the end. But no one will forget Mattea’s #JeopardyMasters dominance. pic.twitter.com/peOyvkuoGj

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) May 25, 2023

Despite Roach’s impressive performance, it was Holzhauer who walked away with the huge prize pot, and he’s already revealed where part of his winnings is going.

“It means so much to me to bring this donation home to provide food, clothing and hygiene essentials for housing-insecure teens in the Las Vegas Valley. $100,000 will go a long way, but you can help even more by donating at https://project150.org,” he tweeted Wednesday night.

It means so much to me to bring this donation home to provide food, clothing and hygiene essentials for housing-insecure teens in the Las Vegas Valley.

$100,000 will go a long way, but you can help even more by donating at https://t.co/KwLs9o6drF. https://t.co/wnZoP913eK

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) May 25, 2023

As for what’s next for the game show icon, well, he still has his eyes on playing more Jeopardy!, somehow, someway. And he is set to do something that will surprise many fans.

“What am I thinking after the biggest backdoor cover of my career? Just for me, personally, going forward with the game of Jeopardy, I’ve got a lot to think about,” he wrote. “Maybe I’ll enroll at USC for a year, play College Jeopardy. Never used up my eligibility. Thanks for watching!”

What am I thinking after the biggest backdoor cover of my career?

Just for me, personally, going forward with the game of Jeopardy, I’ve got a lot to think about.

Maybe I’ll enroll at USC for a year, play College Jeopardy. Never used up my eligibility.

Thanks for watching! pic.twitter.com/3dfaNGXoyV

— z – James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) May 25, 2023