Ken Jennings Won Over $4 Million Playing 'Jeopardy,' But He Makes A Good Point About Why Hosting Is The Better Gig

Back in 2004, Ken Jennings became "Jeopardy!’s" first celebrity contestant, when he won over $2.5 million in 75 games. Add on his winnings from ensuing tournaments, and he’s accumulated over $4 million, and that’s one of the reasons that when iconic game show host Alex Trebek succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2020, it seemed fitting for Jennings to be one of the hosts to fill his shoes. Jennings recently thought about his experiences on both sides of the lectern, and while his player earnings are nothing to sneeze at, he actually made a solid point about why he’s probably better off as a host.

"Jeopardy!" kicked off its 40th season this week with Ken Jennings leading the way. Co-host Mayim Bialik walked off the set prior to the end of Season 39 in solidarity with the show’s striking WGA writers, and Jennings maintains the hosting gig, despite some calling him out for not following her lead. In celebration of the premiere, the Inside "Jeopardy!" podcast shared some of the hosts’ responses from the Q&As they do with the audience, and it included one inquiry that the "Jeopardy!" GOAT apparently gets quite often: Does he prefer hosting or playing more?