Jeopardy! Masters: Yogesh Raut extends lead after episode 2 despite Final Jeopardy error
The second episode of Jeopardy! Masters season 3 aired on ABC on May 7, 2025, featuring returning contestants Yogesh Raut, Roger Craig, and Isaac Hirsch. Hosted by Ken Jennings, the episode introduced a format update where scores now carry over to future rounds—something the contestants reportedly didn’t know in advance.
Despite a miss in Final Jeopardy, Yogesh Raut continued his strong performance and maintained the lead in the tournament standings. Raut ended the episode with $15,700 and earned three more points, bringing his total to six. The episode began with him quickly gaining momentum in the Jeopardy! Round by answering several clues correctly and securing a Daily Double.
Craig and Hirsch struggled early on, with Craig even falling into the negatives. By Double Jeopardy, Raut had further established his lead, though Craig attempted a comeback by finding both Daily Doubles.
In Final Jeopardy, only Craig correctly identified the French painter Berthe Morisot. Raut and Hirsch both answered “Who is Cassatt?” but the score margin allowed Raut to finish in first place.
Raut commands lead from the start in Jeopardy! Masters
Yogesh Raut began the Jeopardy! Round with a strong lead, answering 15 clues correctly and picking up the Daily Double early on. The categories featured during this round included “The Life & Times of Napoleon III,” “Law, Legality & Court Stuff,” and “Presenting Myth Greece.”
Raut ended the round with $14,900, while Craig dropped to -$3,600 and Hirsch stood at $0.
Host Ken Jennings reminded viewers that tournament scores would now carry forward, stating that every point from this round counts toward your overall score. This shift added pressure to each decision, particularly for Craig and Hirsch, who were trailing significantly in Jeopardy! Masters.
In Double Jeopardy, Craig found both Daily Doubles, converting one successfully. Despite his attempts to narrow the gap, Raut continued to build his score with 11 more correct responses, ending the round with $25,700. Hirsch climbed to $4,400, and Craig recovered to $2,800.
After this round, his performance landed Yogesh in a very "strong position" heading into Final Jeopardy.
Final Jeopardy response doesn’t derail Raut’s win
The Final Jeopardy category focused on art history, specifically asking contestants to identify Berthe Morisot. Both Yogesh Raut and Isaac Hirsch incorrectly responded with “Who is Cassatt?” while Roger Craig provided the correct answer and added to his total.
Still, Raut had built a lead large enough that even after losing $10,000 due to his wager, he remained in first place with $15,700.
Craig, who answered correctly, finished this episode of Jeopardy! Masters with $5,599. Hirsch ended in third place with $3,199. Raut earned three points for his win, while Craig and Hirsch received two and one point, respectively.
The standings after episode 2 show Raut at six points, Craig at four, and Hirsch at three. Victoria Groce, Matt Amodio, and Adriana Ciccone have one point each, while Neilesh Patel, Juveria Zaheer, and Brad Rutter are yet to score. As the tournament progresses, consistency and strategic wagering appear to be key.
Although Raut lost a large portion of his total due to the Final Jeopardy wager, his consistent performance across both the Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy rounds helped him stay ahead.
With scores now carrying over into later games, his early dominance could be a deciding factor in the overall tournament rankings as Jeopardy! Masters progresses through season 3.
Jeopardy! Masters returns next Wednesday at 9 pm ET on ABC, with more matchups and cumulative scores determining the leaderboard.
