ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Spoiler alert - if you are a "Jeopardy!" fan and you're planning on watching tonight's episode, you might want to turn your radio down for the next two minutes.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
James Holzhauer, a professional gambler from Las Vegas, has become a "Jeopardy!" phenomenon over the past few weeks. He won 32 games in a row and rewrote the show's history books with huge victories like this one in April.
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ALEX TREBEK: You have just set a one-day record - again - 131,000.
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SHAPIRO: Holzhauer racked up those numbers by using an aggressive and unusual strategy, as sports commentator Mike Pesca explained on NPR.
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MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: He stalks the board like a predator in an attempt to build up his bankroll with the hardest questions first. Then he makes huge bets when the "Jeopardy!" board reveals a Daily Double.
CORNISH: Fans were waiting to see if Holzhauer would break the all-time record set by Ken Jennings in 2004. Jennings made over $2.5 million during a 74-game winning streak.
SHAPIRO: But here's what's on tonight's episode. A librarian named Emma Boettcher was ahead as Final Jeopardy came up.
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TREBEK: Over to James now - he had 23,400. And his response was correct. His wager - a modest one for the first time. So Emma, it's up to you. If you came up with a correct response, you're going to be the new "Jeopardy!" champion.
CORNISH: Not only did she also get it right, she cashed in with a big wager, in true James Holzhauer style.
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TREBEK: Oh, gosh - 20,000 - what a payday.
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SHAPIRO: Holzhauer's run may be over, but he didn't seem too upset. He even walked over to give Boettcher a high-five.
CORNISH: He leaves "Jeopardy!" without the record but is leaving with $2.4 million.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE GREG KIHN BAND'S "JEOPARDY [EXTENDED DANCE REMIX]") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.