James Holzhauer wins by a whisker, continuing his 'Jeopardy!' streak

Contestant took 18th consecutive show by just $18

LOS ANGELES – Record-breaking "Jeopardy!" contestant James Holzhauer almost saw his 18-day streak come to end Monday, winning by just $18.

Normally, Holzhauer blows away the competition with his rapid-fire answers and daring bets, but on Monday he nearly met his match in Adam Levin, a sports information director from Massachusetts.

Holzhauer stumbled early in the show, but was able to take the lead by Final Jeopardy.

Both Levin and Holzhauer answered the final clue correctly, but Holzhauer, a professional sports gambler from Las Vegas, was able to wager just enough to win. Jasmine Leonas, a social media specialist who grew up in the Miami area, came in third.

Holzhauer has been able to win more money faster than any other contestant in the daily game show's 35-year history. Holzhauer also now holds the title for most money won in a single episode ($131,127). He total haul is $1,329,604.

Starting in 2004, "Jeopardy!" contestant Ken Jennings became a media sensation after winning $2,520,700 over 74 consecutive appearances. But if Holzhauer continues at his breakneck pace, he could break Jennings' record in half the time. Before 2003, contestants could only compete for five consecutive episodes.