Quirky New York City bartender's 12-game 'Jeopardy!' win streak ends

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The quirky and odd bartender from New York City who entertained viewers as he racked up cash on "Jeopardy!" watched his 12-game winning streak come to an end Thursday night.

Austin Rogers narrowly lost to Scarlett Sims, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, who ended up with $51 more than Rogers - $33,201 to his $33,150.

A "Jeopardy!" spokeswoman said Rogers' $411,000 put him in fifth place in "Jeopardy!" all-time regular season winnings.

While "Jeopardy!" contestants are reliably serious, Rogers reveled in goofy antics and wisecracks.

He'll be back on the show next month, competing in the two-week "Jeopardy!" tournament of champions that begins Nov. 6.

The 38-year-old employed a risky betting strategy and exerted his confidence in interesting ways. Social media users embraced him and even started using the hashtag #AustinOnJeopardy.

He does have his own Twitter account, and he sent his ouster a congratulatory message after the episode aired.

He previously posted video of an impromptu Jeopardy! viewing at a Manhattan bar late Monday night (and it appears he's trimmed his beard):

Here's some other reaction from Twitter:

"When I won my first match for $36,000, or 33, I can't quite remember, I figured every game after this is just gravy," Rogers said. "Bet big because I already felt I had finished what I had set out to do."

YouTube user Alexander Edward Pytko offered his take on the winner:

"Austin Rogers is AMAZING! He's funny, entertaining and smart. He's also a big risk taker/gambler when it comes to the daily doubles. He's the kind of contestant you'd want to root for! He made $123,100 in just 4 days! It usually takes a contestant 5 days just to get to or close to $100,000. This dude's ahead of his game. They said we'd see a champion unlike any other. Austin must be it."

WHO IS HE?

Rogers is originally from Pound Ridge in Westchester County, New York. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College, which is located in St. Paul, Minnesota. He said he would have ended up with a music major as well, but slept through his final piano test.

Here are some quick and interesting facts about Rogers:

- He is currently a bartender at a bar in Manhattan

- While he was an events manager, he met the Dalai Lama

- For two years, his car was was a London taxi

- He grew up on a nature preserve

- He plays fantasy premiership and fantasy baseball

- He fell asleep during a hard rock concert

- He once got caught in a small avalanche

Jeopardy! posted an extended compilation of Rogers' multi-day highlights here:

You can watch Jeopardy! each weeknight at 7 p.m. ET on WABC-TV.