‘Survivor’ Star Explains Strange ‘Final Jeopardy!’ Wager

Drew Basile on Jeopardy! | YouTube

When Friday’s Jeopardy! episode ended, former Survivor player Drew Basile won his third straight game and looks to extend his win streak to four next week. He had to win this third game with a tiebreaker, but the first win he had on Wednesday was a runaway blowout. It was so out of reach that Drew made a strange wager in that Final Jeopardy! round.

Here is what Drew wagered and why he did so.

Drew Basile Wagered $118 In Final Jeopardy!

When Drew Basile announced he was joining Jeopardy!, he said it was a chance to prove he was the “know-it-all” that Survivor fans always claimed he was. He has done well so far. He is now a three-day champion and has won a total of $53,282.

Drew Basile on Jeopardy! | YouTube
Drew Basile on Jeopardy! | YouTube

The third game was a tiebreaker, as Drew and Josh Heit both had $20,000. Drew won that question. The second game saw Drew win smaller, with only $9,800. The first day was his biggest win. Drew beat Adriana Harmeyer, who was on a 15-game winning streak, which was the longest of the season so far.

Heading into Final Jeopardy!, Drew had $23,600, and Adriana only had $10,600. She couldn’t catch him, so he could wager anything he wanted. Drew didn’t even take a real guess and joked that the answer was, “What is Jeopardy!?” He wagered $118.

Why Did Drew Basile Choose That Amount On Jeopardy!?

Drew Basile had a very good reason to wager $118 in that moment. He was winning, and there was no way anyone could catch him. This gave him the ability to do anything he wanted in that round.

The first thing that Drew did was purposefully answer the question wrong. The clue was, “In 1978 a new cologne for men came out called this, what’s being played in the company’s iconic logo.” The answer was “What is Polo,” but Drew wrote, “What is Jeopardy?”

He did it to honor his girlfriend. “Her name is Mary Grace Meredith. Her birthday is January 18, and $118 was my final Jeopardy! bid,” Drew said. “I always figured that if I ever, by some miracle, locked up a game on Jeopardy!, if the money didn’t matter, that my final bid would be a shout-out to one of my biggest supporters. We’ve been together for four years.”

Now, Drew is on a three-game winning streak and is moving closer to a possible invitation to the Tournament of Champions. As for his other reality TV show, he isn’t counting out a return to Survivor.

“I’m so content with my experience, but I would love the chance to play again, especially for a season like 50,” Drew said “I’m not holding out for anything. I’m always open to returning if that is something the fans want.”

What are your thoughts on Drew Basile and his Jeopardy! journey so far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Shawn Lealos
Follow me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *