JEOPARDY! contestant Ray LaLonde is now not only a multiday winner but one to watch after his 7th win on Friday's episode.
The Ontario, Canada set designer has built the second-highest money pile of the season behind 21-day champ Cris Pannullo.
The 7-day champ faced Rebecca Triano, a chemistry lecturer from Lambertville, New Jersey and Ardi Mendoza, an emergency medicine resident from New York City.
Ray, who recently wrapped on Hulu's Handmaid's Tale, handily made off with $26,500 and a staggering total of $192,700.
Unlike former poker player Cris, who shockingly folded three weeks ago with $748K total (the fifth highest amount ever won on Jeopardy!), Ray's wins have not come via huge Daily Double bets.
The mild-mannered gentleman has not regularly had a "runaway" going into Final Jeopardy meaning it was already game over.
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Instead, he's mostly won the classic way, by having the highest score in the end.
And while he also not as serious-seeming as Cris, his winning streak is becoming no joke.
Tonight, Final Jeopardy under "American Poems" read: "In an 1847 poem this character sees her town of Grand-Pré burned, but finally reunites with her beau for a kiss before his death."
Ardi bet $10K but was incorrect - he had $13.3K and Ray a slight lead at $20K.
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The champ - who only got one "Daily Double" all game and it was an early one - was the only contestant correct with "Evangeline," adding $6.3K.
Ray looked astounded and so proud as his 7-day total was shown and viewers loved to see it.
'QUIETLY DOMINATING!'
One applauded on Reddit: "Good game! Ray continues to quietly dominate.
"It's interesting how different champs can have very different styles--Cris Pannullo, for example, has an intense energy, while Ray feels much more laid-back--but either way, they win consistently and convincingly."
Another wrote: "I think part of what's made Ray's games so exciting is that they haven't all been runaways. He has had some really good competition!"
And a third: "Ray is so lovely and I’m so happy to have another wonderful Canadian champion."
A fourth agreed: "What great games all week. Exciting and with the great outcome of Ray continuing!"
"LONG MAY HE RAYN" wrote a fifth.
RAY SWAYS FANS HIS WAY
Ray has revealed he has a twin brother and his sibling is "in the process of auditioning for Jeopardy! right now."
He also shared he's a father-of-one, says "please" when asking for clues, and many viewers love his "sexy narrator voice."
He's also correct on 90 percent of clues and batting 10/0 on Daily Doubles per Jeopardy! - so he may not be seeking them out, but he's correct when he gets them.
Some tough customers have taken to various online forums to complain that as the contestant responds to clues and keeps winning, he's also constantly swaying back and forth.
On the show's podcast Inside Jeopardy on Monday, longtime producer Sarah Foss acknowledged the show is aware of his swaying too: "Ray, He kind of likes to move back and forth during his gameplay."
"Which is difficult for our camera operators."
"So he may or may not have gotten the nickname 'Ray the Sway.'"
"But Ray, however it is you like to win Jeopardy!, you do you!"
According to TBS News Watch, the reasoning behind Ray's swaying is more than justified, it's due to a medical ailment.
The outlet wrote: "He suffered some spinal cord damage over a period of years, and had to work hard to prevent muscle spasms in his legs while he was on camera."
One viewer wrote on Twitter as the wins keep coming: "I will defend Jeopardy Ray like he is my grandpa. Y’all leave that cute little man alone. Sway and slay all day, Ray!!"
'KARAOKE NIGHT?'
Ray recently told Jeopardy! he's a fan of another recent contestant - and Canadian - Mattea Roach.
“I’ve got a ways to catch up to her,” Ray said about Mattea, win-wise, between two episodes. “But it’d be lovely to meet her sometime and share stories.”
"Maybe Weird Al [Yankovic] could go to Toronto sometime and we could all sing [his parody song] 'I Lost on Jeopardy!."
Mattea doesn't seem opposed as earlier this week they gave their stamp of approval on Twitter.
"Canadian back at the champ’s podium today, I know that’s right!!" they wrote, adding they're watching all his episodes.
"Perfect timing too bc I just got home for the holidays so I actually have access to cable TV to watch Ray defend his title."
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Mattea was not only the first Gen-Z super-champ (winning at least 10 games) but the first Canadian to win big when they competed in Season 38.
Ray will return on Monday as his winning streak and all its welcome quirks are becoming something of a Christmas miracle.
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