James Holzhauer has reclaimed the spotlight on “Jeopardy!” after defeating Emma Boettcher, the Chicago librarian who ended his remarkable 32-game winning streak earlier in the year.

The 35-year-old sports bettor from Las Vegas took home the $250,000 first prize after a fiercely contested Tournament of Champions final. Boettcher, 27, finished second with $100,000, while New Paltz, N.Y., high school physics teacher Francois Barcomb placed third and won $50,000.

The final was a dramatic rematch between two players whose previous encounter had already become one of the most memorable moments of the show’s recent history.

Holzhauer had dominated “Jeopardy!” for 32 consecutive games beginning in April, captivating viewers with his aggressive strategy and willingness to make enormous wagers. He repeatedly broke the program’s single-game money record and appeared on course to challenge Ken Jennings’ record $2.52 million haul from his 74-game winning streak in 2004.

That run ended in June when Boettcher defeated him.

This time, however, Holzhauer came out on top.

The tournament final was decided over two games. Holzhauer won the first by $23,000, while Boettcher fought back to win the second by $11,000. Their combined results gave Holzhauer the overall victory.

During the tournament, Holzhauer scored heavily on a Daily Double involving the first multipurpose charge card. After a commercial break, Boettcher found the next Daily Double, which asked about the film that earned Kathryn Bigelow the distinction of becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for directing.

The answers were “Diners Club” and “The Hurt Locker.”

Holzhauer said he did not consider the tournament a chance for redemption, despite the excitement surrounding his rematch with the player who had ended his historic run.

Instead, he described Boettcher and Barcomb as the two toughest competitors in the field and expected the final to be a “slugfest.”

Boettcher had earned her place in the final after defeating strong competition in the earlier rounds. She had prepared extensively for her original appearances on “Jeopardy!” and kept a notebook recording her scores while playing along with episodes at home.

For the Tournament of Champions, she focused particularly on subjects she considered weaker areas, including pop and folk music.

Her preparation appeared to pay off. Although some fans had questioned her selection for the tournament because her earlier winnings were just under $100,000, her performances in the opening rounds quickly silenced those doubts.

Boettcher also faced online criticism from viewers who believed she had benefited from the possibility of a ratings-boosting rematch with Holzhauer. She said she largely ignored the commentary and concentrated on studying.

Holzhauer himself defended her, saying criticism of Boettcher had little to do with her ability as a contestant and suggesting that sexism played a role. He also noted that some fans appeared resentful because she had been the one to knock him off the show.

With the Tournament of Champions victory, Holzhauer increased his total “Jeopardy!” winnings to approximately $2.7 million.

He still trailed Brad Rutter, whose all-time winnings totaled $4.7 million including tournaments, and Ken Jennings, who had accumulated $3.4 million.

But Holzhauer made it clear that his “Jeopardy!” career may not be over.

“I will definitely be back on the ‘Jeopardy!’ stage, if they’ll have me,” he said. “It might be sooner than you think.”