Jeopardy! Contestant Manifests Competitors' Downfall

Alison Betts correctly predicted her opponents' wrong answers to win a spot in the Jeopardy! semifinals.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Jeopardy! contestant Alison Betts outsmarted her competitors during the show's February 11th episode by correctly predicting that her opponents would get the final question wrong. Betts only wagered a small amount of her $3,200 total, while her opponents Isaac Hirsch and Josh Hill bet all of their $7,600 earnings, resulting in incorrect answers and Betts advancing to the semifinals.

Why it matters

Betts' strategic move highlights the mental gamesmanship and unpredictability that can unfold on Jeopardy!, where contestants must not only demonstrate broad knowledge but also employ clever tactics to outmaneuver their opponents.

The details

For the final Jeopardy question, host Ken Jennings asked the contestants to identify a '1960s novel character whose 'reward' is to have his brave act go unrecognized.' Betts correctly predicted that Hirsch and Hill would get the answer wrong, which they did by guessing 'Randall' and 'Caulfield' respectively. The correct answer was Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird. Betts only wagered $414 of her $3,200 total, while Hirsch and Hill bet all of their $7,600 earnings, leading to Betts' advancement to the semifinals.

  • The episode aired on February 11, 2026.
  • Betts will compete in the Jeopardy! semifinals on February 13, 2026.

The players

Alison Betts

A Jeopardy! contestant who correctly predicted her opponents' wrong answers to the final question, allowing her to advance to the semifinals.

Isaac Hirsch

A Jeopardy! contestant who bet all of his $7,600 earnings on the final question and got the answer wrong.

Josh Hill

A Jeopardy! contestant who bet all of his $7,600 earnings on the final question and got the answer wrong.

Ken Jennings

The host of Jeopardy! who presided over the episode where Betts' strategic move unfolded.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Her response was, 'I hope they both bet everything.' I don't know if you mean you want them to bet everything and get it right or get it wrong,”

— Ken Jennings, Jeopardy! host (eonline.com)

“The getting wrong part is kind of key to my plan.”

— Alison Betts (eonline.com)

“Josh and Isaac were AMAZING and bet perfectly, for what it's worth!”

— Alison Betts (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Betts' strategic move on Jeopardy! showcases the mental agility and gamesmanship required to succeed on the show, where contestants must not only demonstrate broad knowledge but also employ clever tactics to outmaneuver their opponents.