Jeopardy! contestant Erin Buker left viewers with second-hand embarrassment after she walked away with the second-lowest score in the show’s 60-year history this week.
The stay-at-home mom from California ended the game with minus $7,200 after appearing on Monday’s episode alongside fellow players Graham Hicks and current reining champion Drew Basile.
Despite her poor score, presenter Ken Jennings, 50, said that he admired her efforts.
‘Erin you’re still in the red after double,’ he said. ‘You were trying to get out and taking risks, and I admire that, but you are going up against someone who had 33 correct responses today and that’s our strongest game of the season from your opponent Drew.’
She was then eliminated before the final round, which saw Drew who ended the episode with a grand four-day total of $75,682.
Jeopardy! player Erin Buker holds the record for the second-lowest score in the show’s history
She appeared on Monday’s episode alongside fellow players Graham Hicks and Drew Basile
Erin reflected on her monumental defeat on Reddit shortly after the game aired, admitting she was her ‘own worst enemy’ as she explained what went wrong.
‘When it came to the buzzer, I was my own worst enemy, frequently buzzing in midway through the clue as if my thumb had a mind of its own,’ she explained in a post.
‘There’s something uniquely frustrating about knowing answers, but not having the wherewithal to ring in at the appropriate time to answer them. That was my deficit and I own it entirely.’
Erin continued: ‘All in all, it was still a great experience.
‘As the alternate for the week before, I got to know all of the contestants who aired last week really well, and they were truly salt of the earth.’
Viewers were brutal about Erin’s poor gameplay on social media, with some questioning how she even made it onto the show.
‘Erin is the reason I am absolutely petrified to apply for Jeopardy!,’ wrote one viewer on X.
Another posted: ‘Erin had the WORST showing I’ve seen in many a moon.’
Host Ken Jennings, 51, said that he admired Erin’s efforts – despite ending the game in the red
Viewers were brutal about Erin’s poor gameplay on social media
A third wrote: ‘If Erin misses one more question she sets the record for lowest ever score on #Jeopardy come on Erin you can do this! Make history!’
‘Feel bad for Erin, she had some good guesses but it’s clear she doesn’t want to go deeper into the red,’ a fourth said. ‘Just go for it!’
To date, the worst player in Jeopardy! history is Patrick Pearce, a product specialist from Fountain Valley, California.
After his appearance on the show in 2021, he ended the game with minus $7,400, breaking the record which was previously held by Stephanie Hull who ended with minus $6,800.
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