u/GMeister249

Up until about 2002, Final Jeopardy wagers were almost always written with “.00” tacked on, even though you’ve never been able to wager anything but whole dollars. Eddie Timanus and one of his typed-in wagers seen here for reference.

What changed?

I searched first here and elsewhere and couldn’t find an answer.

My two leading theories: either the prevalence and eventual decline of checkwriting in normal life, and/or changed messaging from production, that updated the norm.

[EDIT: to clarify, handwritten wagers took this form too, as I mention in replies below! I had found it interesting that Eddie went through the nonsense instead of going “non-cents”.]