‘Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions’: Complete Guide to All the Contestants (PHOTOS)
The Jeopardy! 2022 Tournament of Champions kicks off October 31, bringing back lots of familiar faces to the beloved game show. This year’s competition, hosted by Ken Jennings, is changing things up a bit with the inclusion of two alternate contestants in addition to the 19 already announced players. Emily Fiasco, who won three games and a total of $87,000, will be one of the alternates, and the second has not yet been announced.
Amy Schneider (40 wins), Matt Amodio (38 wins), and Mattea Roach (23 wins) are the tournament’s seeded players, meaning they are automatically in the semi-finals and don’t have to compete in the quarterfinals. Executive producer Michael Davies explained on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast that these players are “so far ahead of the curve” that they felt it necessary to keep them out of the quarterfinals to level the playing field.
The winners from each of the six quarterfinal games will proceed to the semi-finals to compete against the other winners and seeded players. The nine semi-finalists will compete across three games, and then comes the final round, which will follow the 2019 Greatest of All Time tournament rules, meaning three finalists will play until someone wins three matches. The finals could last as long as a week, depending on how the games unfold.
Below, refresh your memory about the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions contestants ahead of the tournament’s debut.
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Amy Schneider
From: Oakland, California
Job: Engineering Manager
Games Won: 40
Total Winnings: $1,382,800
Schneider had a record-breaking run on the show. Her 40-game victory makes her the second longest-running player in Jeopardy! history behind Jennings (74).
Matt Amodio
From: New Haven, Connecticut
Job: Research Assistant
Games Won: 38
Total Winnings: $1,518,601
Amodio was the third person in the show’s history to win $1 million or more in regular-season play. Up until Schneider broke his record, he was in second place for most games won.
Mattea Roach
From: Toronto, Ontar
Job: LSAT Tutor
Games Won: 23
Total Winnings: $560,983
Roach dreamed of surpassing her favorite Jeopardy! alum, Julia Collins’ 20-game record, for consecutive game wins.
Jaskaran Singh
From: Plano, Texas
Job: Student at University of Texas, Austin
Games Won: College Tournament 2022
Total Winnings: $250,000
Singh made a big wager that sent him into the college semi-finals in February. He wasn’t sure if his answer in the Final Jeopardy round was correct, but he bet all of his $12,200 anyway. It paid off, doubling his night’s winnings in one fell swoop.
Sam Buttrey
From: Monterey, California
Job: Associate Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School
Games Won: Professors Tournament
Total Winnings: $100,000
Buttrey was Jeopardy!‘s first-ever winner of the Professors Tournament.
Ryan Long
From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Job: Rideshare Driver
Games Won: 16
Total Winnings: $299,400
Long had a 16-game winning streak and had a penchant for running categories (correctly answering all of the prompts in one category), raking in nine total.
Jonathan Fisher
From: Coral Gables, Florida
Job: Actor
Games Won: 11
Total Winnings: $246,100
Fisher was the player who put an end to Amodio’s winning streak.
Brian Chang
From: Chicago, Illinois
Job: Attorney
Games Won: 7
Total Winnings: $163,904
Chang brought home the win with a rare, high-stakes tiebreaker — the first of Season 37.
Courtney Shah
From: Portland, Oregon
Job: Community College History Instructor
Games Won: 7
Total Winnings: $118,558
Shah calls herself a “nerd,” and after her seven-game winning streak ended, she changed her Twitter bio to “The Jeopardy! champion for lady nerds everywhere.”
Eric Ahasic
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Job: Meteorologist
Games Won: 6
Total Winnings: $160,601
Ahasic is the player who ended Long’s winning streak.
Zach Newkirk
From: Alexandria, Virginia
Job: Lawyer
Games Won: 6
Total Winnings: $124,871
Newkirk was one of the last players to compete during Alex Trebek‘s last full season, Season 36.
Megan Wachspress
From: Berkeley, California
Job: Climate Attorney
Games Won: 6
Total Winnings: $60,603
Wachspress had a memorably lucky streak on the show, winning through lucky wagers and technicalities several times.
Andrew He
From: San Francisco, California
Job: Software Engineer
Games Won: 5
Total Winnings: $157,365
He took home an impressive $52,001 in his first game. He continued to make big wagers through his streak.
Tyler Rhode
From: New York, New York
Job: Healthcare Data Specialist
Games Won: 5
Total Winnings: $105,901
Rhode is a lifelong Jeopardy! fan who can’t believe he’s one of the streak winners. “My grandparents are Jeopardy! diehards,” Rhode said. “The fact that I’m going to be able to share this with them is what I’m thinking about right now.”
Jackie Kelly
From: Cary, North Carolina
Job: Pension Calculation Developer
Games Won: 4
Total Winnings: $115,100
Kelly was noted for her calm demeanor during high-stakes moments during her streak, which came to an end when she and one other player couldn’t place where the Stonewall Riots occurred.
John Focht
From: El Paso, Texas
Job: Software Team Lead
Games Won: 4
Total Winnings: $103,800
When he’s not crushing it on Jeopardy!, Focht works for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Margaret Shelton
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Job: Homemaker
Games Won: 4
Total Winnings: $79,700
Shelton fulfilled a lifelong dream coming onto the show, and she took a big risk in what ended up being the last Final Jeopardy of her streak, betting all of her winnings. Maureen O’Neil (below) ended up winning th
Christine Whelchel
From: Spring Hill, Tennessee
Job: Piano Teacher & Church Organist
Games Won: 4
Total Winnings: $73,602
Whelchel had a memorable moment when she removed her wig after her final win. A cancer survivor, she wanted to normalize what cancer recovery looked like.
Maureen O'Neil
From: Rye Beach, New Hampshire
Job: Executive Assistant
Games Won: 4
Total Winnings: $58,200
O’Neil is the player who ended Shelton’s four-game streak, going on to win four games herself.
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Conversation45 Comments
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C
Great to have Ken Jennings back
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C
I'll be tuning in because these tournaments will be fronted by Ken. He's the most like Alex and brings a calm, pleasant demeanor to the show. Mayim is too loud and has scripted jokes that mostly fail to land between the reading of the clues.
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R
Haters gotta hate!
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G
He is nothing like Alex. His start was horrible. He has gotten better or I am used to his voice which is at times grating. Mike Richards was the best and most like Alex. It's a shame he was canceled by the do gooder fact checkers.
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P
Me Too, he should get full time hosting all the shows.
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G
Has anyone noticed the long pause from Mayim after a response is given? It's as if she's looking to the judges to make sure the correct answer is given. I'm trying to like her style but I'm not a fan.
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G
It's either that or she's double checking the answer already in front of her. Either way it exposes her lack of knowledge and highlights that she's in over her head.
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G
My husband leaves the room if Mayim is hosting. He’s ok with Ken.
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G
She is competing in the Second Chance Tournament. If she wins one of the two Second Chance slots, she will advance to the Tournament of Champions.
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R
She is being paid millions of dollars of year while she “finds her footing.” She’s been doing this for more than a year now and shows absolutely no sign of improvement. Watching her is pure torture, so I don’t watch anymore. Very sad to see the train wreck that Jeopardy has become.
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G
I like her personality and smile.
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B
Mayim is ok, but PLEASE can someone take her shopping for clothing? Don't go to Goodwill or Salvation Army because it looks like she already goes there.
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R
Meow!!! Such a double standard that women get judged by what they are wearing, and men do not. Don’t judge a book by its cover or its clothing.
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O
Sheiks the worst dressed person on TV! Just awful! Homely, frumpy clothes…ugh!
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R
How shallow! Hosting is not about wearing beautiful clothing!
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R
Don’t know what you’re talking about. All the complaints about Mayim Bialik are her incompetence and her constant need for attention are destroying Jeopardy.
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B
I'd say that your estimate of 90% who don't enjoy her may be a bit high. While I don't think there's any way to know the actual percentage,
I just know that my vote is, and has always been, for Ken Jennings.
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O
Where is Jeopardy James?
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O
I stopped watching jeopardy when ken Jennings wasn’t hosting…..as if mayim doesn’t have a lot of other projects going on…….I want ken back
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R
She is not a preschooler, so “trying to do her best” is a preposterous standard. She is being paid MILLIONS of dollars a year to host an iconic, high-profile, much-loved show. She has shown no improvement in the year she has been hosting. She doesn’t even display an understanding of the responsibilities and challenges of the job. Her incompetence is destroying Jeopardy and it remains a mystery why she was hired.
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O
How did you come up with 90%.
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P
What are her disgusting personal views and deeds?
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R
All these great champions and the only thing you care to mention is your obsession with the host. Enough is enough.
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R
Clearly you have no understanding of what a host is supposed to do and how an incompetent host can destroy a show.
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R
Mayim is doing a very good job. She is "new" to Jeopardy compared to Ken, so she is still finding her footing. It's fun to watch her and I hope she stays.
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G
Me too
Ken is boring
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C
And how many of those 9 categories Ryan ran were about movies?
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O
How many categories have you run as a contestant on Jeopardy!?
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B
I prefer Ken but do not object to Mayim.
Ken dresses professionally. Mayim looks dowdy.
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R
Such a double standard! Why do women get judged on what they wear rather than the actual job that they do hosting. Men NEVER get picked-on for dressing horribly!
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G
Mayim is a good host and she relates well to the players. She is an intelligent woman and is trying to do her best. It’s fun to watch her!
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G
So pass up the chance to hire the sole best person for the job for somebody who is simply "trying" to do her best? This kind of thinking is ruining society. Not even Jeopardy, which has long rewarded the best of the best for *being the best*, can escape this horrid shift away from the meritocracy.
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O
I am so pleased that Jepardy has continued. So many wonderful hosts stepped up. Mayim Bialik is enthusiastic and clear. You can tell she enjoys hosting..she's relaxing and doing very well.
Ken Jennings is charming and personable. Smart too! Let's all chill and enjoy! No one can replace Alex
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R
You go Bernie! Keep piling it on! Let us all know how you really feel.
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R
Keep spreading the hatred!
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R
My God! You sure do hate women!!!
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R
I disagree. Ken is very vanilla.
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C
Wish it were Mayim hosting!
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O
I think there are a lot of intellectual snobs making snide remarks on here who think that you cannot be intelligent AND entertaining and bubbly as well. Are any if you snobs neuro scientists?
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O
I wish Mayim would be involved in the hosting of the tournament. I like her much better than Ken
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O
They probably chose Ken for these events because they will be aired during November sweeps. No point in risking a ratings collapse with Mayim, as her shows tanked the Nielsen numbers between May and early July.
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O
Players are great…wish Mayim was hosting!!!
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G
You can get enough of her on her kitty show. As for the regular show, the one called Jeopardy! which for over half century the opening round is the Jeopardy! Round.
How ludicrous...'single jeopardy' I guess that shows her intelligence...har har har.
Art Fleming knew it is the Jeopardy! round, So did Alex, Ken and the pile of guest hosts.
SO glad. so, so glad Ken got the gig. Yeah, she was the given the night time bore-fest just to satisfy those who hate men hosting shows.
Cannot stand Press Your Luck; Name That Tune with their self-centered hostesses.
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C
I have enjoyed watching Jeopardy for decades. With Ken Jenings as the fulltime host, I doubt I will ever watch it again. He tries too hard to be impressive, he has the persoality of a damp wash cloth and his interactions with the cntestnts is at best poor.
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G
Ken is the most successful contestant in the history of the show, quite literally meaning that he is the most impressive. Even in last night's rerun, he was able to engage the contestants with additional trivia knowledge after Final Jeopardy by asking them the films in which Clark Gable won Oscars. I doubt that Mayim would have been able to do that considering her lack of expertise in anything trivia related.
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