‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Bash Yogesh Raut’s Buzzer Technique & React to TOC Win
Yogesh Raut is the new Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner, but his victory was met with a mixed reaction, with some viewers criticizing his “obnoxious” buzzer technique.
The psychologist from Vancouver, Washington, beat out fan favorite Ben Chan and professional quizzer Troy Meyer on Tuesday, March 19, to secure the TOC crown along with the $250,000 prize pot and a guaranteed spot in the upcoming Jeopardy! Masters.
Following Raut’s victory, fans took to social media to share their thoughts, with some praising his trivia skills and others blasting his erratic buzzer handling.
“Am I the only one who found his frantic buzzer ringing obnoxious?” wrote one viewer on Instagram.
Others agreed, with one person responding, “My mom did too! She said he was a maniac with the buzzer and that he was gonna break it.”
Another added, “The way he held his buzzer was very disruptive to the other contestants. He did that the entire series. He had the least personality of the three contestants. So disappointed that he was the winner.”
“He holds the buzzer and just keeps clicking the whole time, which is so freaking irritating to watch. I can’t imagine sitting next to him but congrats to him,” said another.
“I wonder how winning the ToC will rank amongst his accomplishments. Last I checked, his original run on Jeopardy was barely a footnote to him and he thought Jeopardy was beneath him,” wrote another, referencing Raut’s Facebook rants about the show after his first appearance.
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Another said, “I was rooting for Ben. So disappointed that Yogesh won who I don’t really care for. He doesn’t seem like a very nice person and has no charisma whatsoever. My only consolation is James Holzhauer kicking his ass in Masters.”
“Yogesh gets to brag, but I’m still not a fan. At least in the Masters, Amy [Schneider] and James will kick his behind,” wrote another.
However, others defended Raut’s buzzer technique and complimented his impressive performance.
Ron Nurwisah, who was a contestant on Season 39, wrote, “As someone who’s been behind that podium, buzzer timing is just as hardest as the trivia knowledge. Yogesh figured out the buzzer technique that worked for him. Some people might find it obnoxious. You will not care less than 1% if it works.”
“What’s obnoxious is people who judge contestants not by their trivia skills (which is what Jeopardy’s about), but by, wait for it…. the way they press their buzzer,” added another.
“Well whatever he was doing to the buzzer obviously worked if he’s now 250,000 richer,” said one commenter.
“Yogesh, I hope you’re not taking these negative comments to heart,” wrote another. “These people are just fricking rude. I thought you played a great game and I enjoyed your buzzer buzzing and all that that they’re fussing about. Ignore them. Ignore the haters.”
Even Chan, who lost out to Raut and finished as TOC runner-up, had high praise for his opponent.
“Hooray for Yogesh! So well played — he gave like a billion right responses and 3 incorrect responses during the whole week,” Chan wrote on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum.
“When I missed my daily double — the DD that would have given me the tournament (!?!), I could see that Yogesh WAS SAD THAT I MISSED IT!” he continued. “Yogesh wants people to get it right — I love that — and has been a helpful and generous confidante since we met at the tourney. Will be ordering a Team Yogesh shirt for Masters.”
What did you think of Raut’s victory? Let us know in the comments below.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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C
Did not care for him at all. Sorry Yogesh. I was actually cheering for Troy 😩
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R
Same here! I don’t think he should have been invited back because of his previous comments about Jeopardy! Very unlikable! I also was pulling for Troy!
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P
It's my understanding that the buzzers don't register until the clues are read. He's unlikable either way.
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G
His thing with the buzzer just looked rude.
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G
He was totally obnoxious. He was still shaking they buzzer when the other contestant was answering the question.
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P
He was hammering that buzzer endlessly while other Ayers were talking. There is no excuse for that behavior. It must have been terribly distracting while others are trying to think. That really should have been stopped in the interest of fair play.
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P
He was obnoxious with the buzzer, and was very hard to understand, like he had a mouth full of mashed potatoes.
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P
racist much?
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O
People will find anything to complain and whine about. Dude played his way and he won. There is not a specific way you are supposed to use the buzzer. The so- called Jeopardy "fans" are ruining the game.
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P
time to shut the internet down for a week for all the trolls to check into therapy
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B
Thumbs down 👎 for Yogesh..
Zero personality, looked like a bad loser and the way he handled the buzzer!! I was cheering for Troy, but also would have been happy for Ben.
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P
He won fair and sq. Deal with it.
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G
Can't stand the guy
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O
I would imagine his frantic buzzer dance was extremely disconcerting to the others. I know it was to me as I held my hand over that side of the stage while watching! He should have been told to tone it down. The others somehow managed to buzz in without even moving. Also wanted laid back Ben!
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R
His buzzer smashing didn't bug me nearly as much as his rushing and talking over Ken to declare the next category after he answered a question. That to me was annoying and uncalled for. The buzzer thing is a strategy that works for him, so no issues there, but talking over Ken was rude. Ben is a class act.
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R
I played against Yogesh in the regular season. He's actually a great guy. As for the buzzer, it is HARD to mash that button, and players are specifically told to start smashing it as fast as they can as soon as they know the answer. Haters just gonna hate, I guess. The ToC was great, and I'm thrilled for Yogesh.
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C
If Yogesh is on, I turn the channel. He's unbearable with the clicker
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C
Yogesh is annoying as hell!
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G
Is not a likeable man and not a team player.
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C
Ygesh drove me crazy with the he shook the buzzer. I felt the same way of how much he disturbed the other contestants. And he is not very friendly acting. 👎👎
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O
Not a likable person. Sad he was the winner. Buzzer action was annoying.
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O
Now that he won he wants everyone else to treat him as if he is important. Maybe he'd like to spend a day telling us about the racist Indian caste system.
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G
I wanted Troy to win is all I have to say
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C
I think since his first performance, he has improved drastically in terms of humour . humility, and empathy. The fact that he listened to all those who criticized him and learned from it made me a fan. Congrats to him!
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R
I wanted Troy to win!!
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G
Tempest in a teapot.
He's an undeniably top-tier contestant who happened upon a buzzer technique that actually caused his buzz-in stats to improve throughout the tournament.
I'd mash the buzzer into my eyeball if it gave me a lock-in edge!
Yogesh clearly suffers from doesn't-show-so-good-itis, but his interviews and the comments from all who've actually met him totally undermine all his subjectively negative critics.
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G
So disappointed he won!! His personality is terrible. I was rooting for Troy.
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O
I think people have too much time on their hands. Other contestants have smashed the buzzer in a most annoying fashion. Since the others were standing to his left, I doubt they were even cognizant. Get a life folks!! Unless you can do better, quit talking.
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R
I just wish they would bring on some new people.
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O
Get a life! Really? HE WON!! Honestly you people! You don’t know him. Judge not. I was a special needs teacher for many years and actually feel that he is ‘on the spectrum.’ And for that I give him kudos for being there
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P
Just curious but why was Troy sitting in a chair? Does he have an illness of some kind?
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O
I didn't like Yogesh going into the finals bc of his previous behavior when he lost. His buzzer behavior was annoying but I don't judge him for that. Also, if his competitors like him I have to believe he's an ok guy when he gets off the podium. All that said, I still don't like watching him.
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C
Your buzzer gets locked out if you press it at the wrong time. If his style worked it worked. I would have liked to see one more game to give Ben another chance.
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G
Ignore the negative people
Congrats on your TOC Win
People don't judge until you've tried it.
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B
While I agree that Yogesh can rub people the wrong way, I continue to be surprised that people like Ben. I find him more obnoxious and arrogant than Yogesh by far. I was rooting for Troy but his performance, especially for a professional trivia competitor, was poor in crunch time (Final Jeopardy).
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