On Friday, May 16, 2025, Mitch Loflin won a taut and competitive episode of Jeopardy!, making him the new champion. Three strong competitors fought hard for the title that night, but Mitch won through his strategic play and consistent accuracy, even though Final Jeopardy was a triple stumper.
Mitch Loflin, a set decoration coordinator from Long Beach, California, beat Brandon Monsman, the defending champion, and Erin Hoard, who was competing against him. Erin was ahead going into the final round, but she lost the game of Final Jeopardy as she made a mistake.
Mitch answered incorrectly too but wagered less, securing his first victory with $8,400. Brandon, the two-day champion, fell to third place.
Jeopardy! is still a popular quiz show because it has hard questions and quick games. The show, hosted by Ken Jennings, keeps viewers interested with daily mental battles and interesting contestant stories.
Jeopardy! episode highlights May 16, Friday, 2025
Jeopardy! round
The game started with the defending champion, Brandon Monsman, trying to find the Daily Double on the first clue but failing. This put him in the red at -$200. Erin Hoard and Mitch Loflin, his opponents, got off to a good start.
At the break, Erin had the most money, with $2,800. Mitch was in second place, with $2,200. Brandon had a hard time at the start and didn’t get much better before the break.
Mitch got better as the round went on, especially in the last few minutes, when he got 6 correct answers after the break. Mitch was a little faster and more accurate than Erin, but Erin still got 7 of the questions right. Brandon was able to get back on track, but he never took the lead. At the end of the round of Jeopardy!, Mitch had $4,200, Erin had $3,000, and Brandon had $2,000.
This round was defined by calculated attempts and cautious gameplay. All three contestants avoided unnecessary risks. The categories were broad and diverse, including Countries Of The World, On A Stamp, and Trash Talk.
Jeopardy round scores:
- Mitch: $4,200
- Erin: $3,000
- Brandon: $2,000
Double Jeopardy round
Brandon quickly found Daily Double 2 and got the answer right, which added $1,500 to his score. At first, Mitch had a huge lead because he was consistently scoring points and making few mistakes. When Erin got Daily Double 3, which gave her an advantage going into the final round, she made a strong comeback.
All three did a good job with the categories: 20th Century Song, Naval History, and Old Testament Names. However, Erin won with her accurate buzzes and on-time answers. She finished the round with 17 right answers and only 3 wrong ones, giving her $16,000 and putting her in first place.
Mitch came in second, with $13,800 and an amazing 18 correct answers and only 1 wrong one. Brandon was at $8,300 and still had hope because he had 13 correct answers, but too many wrong ones to fully recover. This round really showed how smart and in control Erin was, but Mitch’s consistency helped her stay in touch.
Double Jeopardy round scores (Entering Final Jeopardy):
- Erin: $16,000
- Mitch: $13,800
- Brandon: $8,300
Final Jeopardy round
The Final Jeopardy category was National Monuments, and the clue was:
“Also called ‘Great Gray Horn’ & ‘Bear’s Tipi’, this site in the western U.S. was made a national monument in 1906.”
None of the contestants gave the correct answer, “What is Devils Tower?”
Even though Mitch had a triple stumper, his smart bet of $5,400 helped him win with a final score of $8,400. Erin had the lead and bet a lot—$11,601—but her bet dropped to $4,399 when she gave the wrong answer, which was “Chimney Rock.” Brandon got it wrong and said Transameria Building, which is not a real landmark. He lost $8,300 and now only has $2,300.
This last round was a great example of how a bet strategy can turn around big leads. Mitch made money off of his opponent’s risky bet and won the game.
Final Jeopardy round scores (After Wager and Responses):
- Mitch: $8,400
- Erin: $4,399
- Brandon: $2,300
Contestant profiles
Brandon Monsman
Bartender from Cleveland, Ohio, Brandon Monsman came into the May 16 episode of Jeopardy as the two-day returning champion with a total of $23,600. Brandon was known for having a calm attitude and quick reflexes, and he had shown that he could play well in the past. He had a rough start to this game and ended up in the red after missing the first Daily Double.
He got back on track with a correct answer on the second Daily Double in Double Jeopardy, but it wasn’t enough to catch up.
Brandon came in third place at the end of the game because he gave the wrong answer on Final Jeopardy and lost a $6,000 bet. He got 13 of the clues right, but 3 of them were wrong, which slowed him down. Even though Brandon lost, his earlier wins show how smart he is and how calm he is under pressure.
Erin Hoard
In Jeopardy!, Erin Hoard, a logistics receiver from Las Vegas, Nevada, showed a lot of energy and drive. At the start of the game, she was sure of herself and had the most money, $2,800. Erin did really well on the Double Jeopardy round. She got 17 clues right and only 3 wrong. With $16,000, she was in the lead going into Final Jeopardy! for her smart use of Daily Double 3.
Unfortunately, her big stake of $11,601 and a wrong guess on the last clue brought her score down to $4,399. Erin played with a high-risk, high-reward strategy that almost got her the win. Her story about meeting her husband while dressed up as a funny character made the episode entertaining and made her a noteworthy contestant.
Mitch Loflin
Mitch Loflin, from Long Beach, California, is the new Jeopardy! champion with a score of $8,400 accumulated in one day. He played well and consistently throughout the game, especially in Double Jeopardy, where he got 18 clues right and only missed one. Mitch didn’t take any big risks and played a safe but good game.
Even though he got Final Jeopardy wrong, his small bet of $5,400 helped him win when both of his opponents overbet. His cool and collected play made all the difference.
An interesting fact that stood out was that Mitch stated his New Year’s resolution was to watch every Anne Hathaway movie. He deservedly won because he knew a lot, knew when the buzzer was going off, and bet smartly. Mitch will be back on Monday to defend his title.
Jeopardy! is different from other game shows
Mitch Loflin, from Long Beach, California, is the new Jeopardy champion with a score of $8,400 accumulated in one day. He played well and consistently throughout the game, especially in Double Jeopardy, where he got 18 clues right and only missed one. Mitch didn’t take any big risks and played a safe but sound game.
Even though he got Final Jeopardy wrong, his small bet of $5,400 helped him win when both of his opponents overbet. His calm and collected play made all the difference.
An interesting fact that stood out was that Mitch said his New Year’s resolution was to watch every Anne Hathaway movie. He deservedly won because he knew a lot, knew when the buzzer was going off, and bet smartly. Mitch will be back on Monday to defend his title.
Jeopardy! game recap for Friday, May 16, 2025
Jeopardy Round
Categories: Countries Of The World; The Something Of The Something; 3 Words, 3 Syllables; On A Stamp; Contained Therein; Trash Talk
Daily Double: Found by Brandon on Clue 1 – answered incorrectly and fell to -$200.
First Break Scores (after 15 clues):
- Erin: $2,800 (6 correct, 1 incorrect)
- Mitch: $2,200 (3 correct, 0 incorrect)
- Brandon: -$200 (2 correct, 2 incorrect)
Contestant Interviews
- Erin: Met her husband while in a ridiculous costume.
- Mitch: Resolved to watch every Anne Hathaway film.
- Brandon: Won a pinewood derby despite lacking woodworking skills.
Jeopardy! round wrap-up
Jeopardy! round scores:
- Mitch: $4,200 (9 correct, 1 incorrect)
- Erin: $3,000 (7 correct, 2 incorrect)
- Brandon: $2,000 (7 correct, 3 incorrect)
Double Jeopardy! Round
Categories: 20th Century Song, 21st Century Ad; Book Title Tattle; Plants & Trees; Naval History; Old Testament Names; Trash Talk
Daily Doubles:
- Brandon found DD2 – earned $1,500.
- Erin gained ground by landing DD3 and several correct responses.
Round Highlights:
- Mitch built a strong lead mid-round.
- Erin surged ahead by the end of the round.
Scores after Double Jeopardy!
- Erin: $16,000 (17 correct, 3 incorrect)
- Mitch: $13,800 (18 correct, 1 incorrect)
- Brandon: $8,300 (13 correct, 3 incorrect)
- Unplayed clues today: 0 (season total: 30)
Final Jeopardy! round
- All three contestants missed the Final Jeopardy! clue (Triple Stumper).
- Mitch managed his wager carefully and emerged as the new champion.
Final results
- Brandon: $8,300 – $6,000 = $2,300
- (Response: What is the Transameria Building?)
- Mitch (Winner): $13,800 – $5,400 = $8,400
- (Response: What is Mt. Wilson?)
- Erin: $16,000 – $11,601 = $4,399
- (Response: What is Chimney Rock?)
Mitch returns Monday as the new Jeopardy! champion with a 1-day total of $8,400.
On May 16, 2025, Jeopardy! was a show of strategy, tension, and quick thinking. With a score of $8,400, Mitch Loflin beat Erin Hoard to win the day and unseat Brandon Monsman as the two-day champion. Erin had the best score going into Final Jeopardy, but her big bet cost her the title. With his steady play and smart moves, Mitch won.
Once again, this episode reminded viewers that Jeopardy! isn’t just about knowing facts; it’s also about risk, timing, and making the right decisions when they matter the most. Fans can’t wait to see how Mitch does in the next battle of the brains when he returns on Monday to defend his title.
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Edited by Rajasini
