'Jeopardy' earns $75,000 in season finale

LOS ANGELES, July 23 (UPI) -- Salt Lake City software engineer Ken Jennings Friday broke the "Jeopardy" record for one day's winnings, adding $75,000 to bring his total to $1,321,660.

The previous record was $52,000.

Jennings' 38th consecutive appearance -- just six shy of the game-show record of 44 -- came in the season finale. The show begins its new season Sept. 6.

Jennings beat dealer service representative Sarah Mulloy of Ferndale, Mich., and former probation officer Kristine O'Connell McCoy of Santa Barbara, Calif., who won $1,200 and $1,800, respectively.

Jennings went into the final round with $51,400 and wagered $23,000 on the final answer: "Two of the four Shakespeare plays in which ghosts appear on stage."

Jennings was the only contestant to come up with a correct question: "What are 'Hamlet' and Richard III?'" The other two plays are "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar."

Since Jennings' streak began June 2, "Jeopardy" ratings have risen 44 percent and are up 130 percent in his hometown, Nielsen data reports.