‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Apologizes After Claiming to be First Champion Married to a Previous Winner

Recent Jeopardy! contestant Jason Singer has profusely apologized for mistakenly claiming to be the first champion to be married to a previous Jeopardy! winner.

Singer, who broke the 13-episode one-day champion streak on Tuesday, July 1, told host Ken Jennings he was hoping he and his wife, Susan McMillan, would become the first married Jeopardy! champions. McMillan previously won Jeopardy! in 2021.

After Singer’s victory on Tuesday, various outlets reported him and McMillan as the first married couple to achieve this special milestone. However, it turned out that wasn’t the case, as several other married couples had previously won Jeopardy! episodes.

This included Kristin Sausville, who won the show five times in 2015 and is married to fellow champ Justin Sausville, who won six episodes in 2011. Kristin reacted to the news on Facebook, writing, “There is something really surreal and honestly kind of sinister in watching part of yourself be erased in real time.”

Singer has since apologized, telling Entertainment Weekly, “After I heard from other players via Facebook that there had been a handful of previously married champions, I felt terribly. We always told media and other people it was anecdotal and that Jeopardy! didn’t track that stat.”

“I love Jeopardy! and the people who love and participate in Jeopardy! and would never want to hurt them or diminish their accomplishments in any way,” he added. “On both of those fronts, I obviously came up short here.”

In addition to the Sausvilles, other couples who have won episodes of the iconic game show include Dan Pawson and Andrea Saenz, David Rigsby and Ryan Alley, and Amy Stephenson and Scott Bateman.

“Kristin Sausville and all the other champions and championship couples deserve all the plaudits in the world because winning on Jeopardy! means you’re an interesting, curious, engaged human who’s worked really hard and performed incredibly under a lot of pressure,” Singer continued, noting how he reached out to Kristin personally to apologize.

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“I also reached out to Kristin on Facebook and apologized personally and gave her my cell phone number if she ever wanted to talk,” he shared. “I’m sad for her and for anybody else who felt diminished by our media coverage, but I hope she gets the attention she’s earned, as with every other couple who’s ever been on.”

Singer, who won two episodes before losing on Thursday’s (July 3) game, said he hopes Jeopardy! will one day host a special tournament where all the winning couples can compete.

“I sincerely hope one day there’s a Couples Tournament for all couples who have succeeded on Jeopardy, so [Kristin] and others have a chance to go back on and get even more plaudits, recognition and even more chances to show off their amazing minds,” he wrote.