‘Jeopardy!’ star tells Vegas crowd he credits win streak to gambling skills

Jeopardy!” sensation James Holzhauer told a Las Vegas crowd Thursday that his gambling skills have helped his winning streak on the hit TV game show.

Appearing on a panel at the International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking at Caesars Palace with Andy Bloch – the subject of the book “Bringing Down the House,” and its subsequent film version – Holzhauer told the crowd: “My perception of a professional gambler has always been a positive one.

"Jeopardy!" sensation James Holzhauer speaks after being presented with a key to the Las Vegas Strip in front of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign in Las Vegas. (Associated Press)

“It’s an important time for sports gambling because it’s spreading to a lot more states now,” Holzhauer said. “If I can be a positive face for it, that would be really good.”

Holzhauer, 34, a native of Naperville, Ill., who now lives in Las Vegas, rose to fame after a 31-game winning streak, earning more than $2.3 million on “Jeopardy!” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Though luck has played a role, Holzhauer says thinking like a gambler has also helped him.

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“I’m thinking it’s 11,000 chips, not $11,000 you’re betting,” Holzhauer said. “It’s a tournament, and you only see the money you actually win.”

Holzhauer is the second person in the show's history to earn more than $2 million in regular-season (non-tournament) play. The other player is Ken Jennings, who earned $2,520,700 during a historic 74-game winning streak.

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“I bet sports all the time," Holzhauer told his Vegas audience, "and very rarely get in a spot where someone offered me even money on something I’m going to get right five out six times.”

Fox News' Mariah Haas contributed to this report.

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