‘Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament’ 2025: Full Lineup of Contestants Announced
Jeopardy! fans get ready for 27 familiar faces as the second annual Invitational Tournament takes place this month. The lineup was just announced, after fans speculated, and it includes favorites from past seasons and Tournament of Champions runner-ups.
JIT will begin immediately after the Tournament of Champions ends, which will be no later than Monday, February 17, due to the “best of seven” finals series.
The players will compete in nine quarterfinal games, three semifinals, and a multiple-game finals series. The first Jeopardy! alum to win two games wins JIT. The JIT winner takes home $150,000, which is $50,000 more than last year. They will also compete in the upcoming 2025 Jeopardy! Masters.
The full list of this year’s JIT competitors can be seen below.
Matt Amodio, a Season 37-38 38-game champion, 2024 Jeopardy! Masters sixth place finisher, 2023 Jeopardy! Masters third place finisher, and 2022 Tournament of Champions semifinalist from New York, N.Y.
Robin Carroll, a Season 16 five-game champion, 2001 International Championship winner, 2000 Tournament of Champions winner, and participant in the 2002 Million Dollar Masters and 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions events from Atlanta, Ga.
Ben Chan, a Season 39 nine-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions first runner-up from Green Bay, Wis.
Roger Craig, a Season 27 six-game champion, 2011 Tournament of Champions winner, 2014 Battle of the Decades second runner-up and 2019 All-Star Games participant from Arlington, Va.
Luigi de Guzman, a Season 38-39 five-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions semifinalist from Arlington, Va.
Jonathan Fisher, a Season 38 11-game champion and 2022 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist originally from Coral Gables, Fla.
John Focht, a Season 37 four-game champion and 2022 Tournament of Champions semifinalist originally from El Paso, Texas.
Raymond Goslow, the 2022 Jeopardy! National College Championship first runner-up from Marietta, Ga.
Avi Gupta, the 2019 Teen Tournament winner and 2023 High School Reunion semifinalist from Portland, Ore.
Skyler Hornback, a 2013 Kids Week winner who set a Kids Week single-day winnings record of $66,600 originally from Sonora, Ky.
Jackson Jones, a 2023 High School Reunion semifinalist and 2019 Teen Tournament semifinalist from Louisville, Ky.
Jackie Kelly, a Season 38 four-game winner and 2022 Tournament of Champions semifinalist originally from Philadelphia, Pa.
Ray Lalonde, a Season 39 13-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ryan Long, a Season 38 16-game champion and 2022 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Philadelphia, Pa.
Troy Meyer, a Season 39 six-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions second runner-up originally from Cleveland, Ohio.
Doug Molitor, a Season 3 four-game champion, 1993 10th Anniversary Tournament semifinalist and 1987 Tournament of Champions semifinalist originally from Altadena, Calif.
Emily Sands, a Season 37 three-game champion, 2023 Champions Wildcard winner and 2024 Tournament of Champions semifinalist from Chanhassen, Minn.
Claire Sattler, the 2018 Teen Tournament winner and 2023 High School Reunion Tournament semifinalist from New York, N.Y.
Amy Schneider, a Season 38 40-game champion, 2022 Tournament of Champions winner, 2024 Jeopardy! Masters fourth place finisher and 2023 Jeopardy! Masters fifth place finisher from Oakland, Calif.
Rachael Schwartz, a Season 10 four-game champion, 1994 Tournament of Champions winner, 2014 Battle of the Decades quarterfinalist, 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions participant, and 2022 Million Dollar Masters quarterfinalist from Berkeley, Calif.
Margaret Shelton, a Season 38 four-game champion and 2022 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jaskaran Singh, the 2022 Jeopardy! National College Championship winner and 2022 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Plano, Texas.
Shane Whitlock, the 1996 College Championship winner, 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Elite Eighteen finisher and 1996 Tournament of Champions semifinalist originally from Benton, Ark.
Hannah Wilson, a Season 39 eight-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Chicago, Ill.
Seth Wilson, a Season 33 12-game champion, 2019 All-Star Games participant and 2017 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Oak Park, Ill.
Maya Wright, the second runner-up in the 2023 High School Reunion Tournament and the second runner-up in the 2018 Teen Tournament from Atlanta, Ga.
Juveria Zaheer, a 2023 Second Chance competition winner, 2024 Champions Wildcard winner, and 2024 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist from Whitby, Ontario, Canada.
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Conversation28 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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O
I've watched jeopardy since the 60's and it is no longer enjoyable to watch as it has become the same faces all the time. Should only be one tournament per year. People that win thousands or more should not be brought back after the year they competed in the TOC.
34 4
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B
So tired of seeing the same players over and over again . Time to just have new talented players. This is getting old . Don’t you have plenty of new contestants?
31 3
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C
Me too..so done with this
2
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O
ENOUGH with the championship tournaments! Sick if it already.
23 2
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G
People say over and over how much they've had it with tournaments, so what do they do? Another tournament!
23 3
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O
I'm about ready to stop watching Jeopardy. I hate all the tournaments. It's way too much! Tournament of Champions is all they need! I hate seeing the same contestants day after day!
28 8
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G
Same people. Stop with the Tournaments. About done watching this show
17 2
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C
No, no Amy, she is not fun to watch or listen to
22 9
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G
I was a loyal Jeopardy fan until all these tournaments. I no longer watch.
11 2
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O
James Holzhauer ?
9 2
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R
I've only been watching Jeopardy regularly for a couple years now, so I have not seen all the same faces at every tournament, so I love all these different tournaments. My favorite is Sam Buttrey, so I'm disappointed he'll not compete. Us newbies will be watching!
7 1
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J
wtf do the same people get invited every god damn time?
7 1
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C
No more Amy Schneider, PLEASE!!!! I’m rooting for you Ryan. And Troy. And Ben.
6 1
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B
Bigoted much?
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B
That's interesting because I love seeing all the former champions. I love seeing the best of the best compete!
15 11
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B
make it stop - we hate seeing these people over and over and over. What is the point of this? It's not fair to people who are trying to get on the show for their first opportunity.
We hate it - do you understand?
One consolation - Mattea Roche is not participating - sick to death of "them" and "their" pronouns
3 1
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G
Rules haven't always been clear in recent tournaments. It was surprising to see Amy appear on last year's Masters even though I expected others like Troy Meyer.
2
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R
Too many tournaments! Please stop and get back to regular games.
2 1
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G
Will the original GOATS ever face each other again?
1
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B
Yep
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G
Among recent top contestants (i.e., elites, TOC winners & super champs), Amy currently has the most appearances, and was lucky to get a wildcard spot into last year's Masters. Unless she wins JIT this time (same for Matt Amodio, and non-winners in future Masters tournaments), it would be fair to invite her back someday at a later time so that other top contestants with fewer appearances get their 2nd chances.
Also, what happened to Adam Levin, who almost defeated Holzhauer? He deserves to join JIT, or be invited back.
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R
Gee, I wonder why you singled her out
1 1
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G
Amy is so revolting can not watch
12 12
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P
Nope.
1
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R
Sorry the trans person gives you funny feelings you can't explain. Thoughts and prayers
2 8
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B
Right? They would single out the trans woman. I love Amy. I will watch her forever.
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O
Amy for sure!
6 12
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J
ahh hell no.
3 4
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