Three times before, Ken Jennings purposely stopped in a tie for the one-day record of $52,000. Last night, he wagered $23,600 on the final question — name two of the four Shakespeare plays in which ghosts appear onstage — to win $75,000 and run his total prize money to $1,321,660. The 30-year-old software engineer from Salt Lake City has won 38 straight games, a stretch in which ratings for "Jeopardy" have soared 50%. Now the show goes into summer reruns. He'll be back in September.

* Front page: Today's L.A. Business Journal fronts a story on Jennings, noting that the ratings boost has even helped "World News Tonight," which airs just before "Jeopardy" in many cities. Also, taping of the next season resumes in Culver City August 9.

Previously on L.A. Observed: Ken on 'Jeopardy'