Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

The Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions is a yearly tournament on the American television game show Jeopardy!. It features 15 players who have won the most games from the past season.  It started in 1964 when Art Fleming was host of the show; it is also played on the show with Alex Trebek as host until 2019, with Buzzy Cohen guest hosting the 2021 Tournament of Champions. Ken Jennings is now the host of the tournament starting with the 2022 Tournament of Champions. Winners of the College Championship (since 1989) and the Teachers Tournament (since 2011) also play in the Tournament of Champions.

Jeopardy!'''s Tournament of Champions takes two weeks. The first five games are the quarterfinals, with three new contestants each day. The winners of the five games move on to the semi-finals. The four players with the highest scores who did not win their quarterfinal game also move on as "wild card" players. If there is a tie at the end of a game, one final answer is given, and the first player to ring in with the correct response wins the game. If all three players have a score of zero, none of the players move on to the semi-finals, and another wild card spot is added. The next three games are the semi-final games. The three winners of the semi-finals move on to the finals, which happens over two games and two days. Unlike the quarterfinals, if all three players have a score of zero, one final answer is given, with the first player to ring in with the correct question wins the game.  This rule change was first implemented in 2013 to avoid a repeat of the November 2012 taping of the Teen Tournament which made it unfair for contestants who played in the semifinal before the zero loss. In each finals game, the players start with zero scores; after the second finals game, each player's score is added to their score from the first game, with the highest score being the winner, or "Grand Champion." The other two players win smaller cash prizes or their two-day total, whichever is higher.

In 2022 (Season 38) the tournament took a new format which expanded the field to 21 contestants. The top three seeded contestants will qualify for the semifinal rounds; the remaining 18 contestants will play six quarterfinal games, with no wild-card spots given. The six winners will advance to the semifinals and join the top three seeds. The winners of the semifinal matches will advance to the finals, which will consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven games, similar to the Greatest of All Time'' tournament (see below). The first finalist to win three games will win the tournament and the $250,000 top prize. The second-place and third-place prizes will be determined first by number of wins, then by number of second-place finishes, and finally by total score across all games played, and will win $100,000 and $50,000, respectively. 

From time to time, special Tournaments of Champions have been played. In 2002, the show held a Million Dollar Masters tournament. This was a two-week tournament where the winner won $1,000,000. It was taped at [./Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_City_Music_Hall Radio City Music Hall] in New York City. In 2005, the show held an Ultimate Tournament of Champions. It was a 15-week tournament with 145 players. The two players who made it to the finals would play against Ken Jennings for $2,000,000.  In 2014, the show held a Battle of the Decades to commemorate the show's 30th anniversary.  It was a 5-week tournament featuring 45 players; the field of contestants was broken up into three decades.  The first three weeks featured players from their respective decades.  Five winners from each decade advanced to the quarterfinals to compete for a $1,000,000 grand prize.

Prizes
 Year(s) Finalists (guaranteed amounts) Semifinalists Quarterfinalists Winner Second place Third place 1964–1974 All players kept their total cash scores none 1985 $100,000 Kept their total cash scores $5,000 $1,000 1986 $5,000 1987–1996 $10,000 $7,500 1998–2001 $15,000 $10,000 $2,500 2003–2004 $250,000 $50,000 $25,000 $10,000 $5,000 2006–2024 $100,000 $50,000 2025–present $75,000 $75,000

List of participants
The following is a list of contestants and where they placed in the tournament. Prize amounts for the non-winning finalists who won more than the minimum guarantees are as indicated in parentheses.

The Season 37 (all were champions in games hosted by Alex Trebek, games hosted by Austin Cohen), and some Season 39 and 40 (both tournaments hosted by Ken Jennings) Tournaments featured players who won their games with a different host than the host in the Tournament of Champions. They are designated. The Season 41 tournament will be the first where all champions played under the same host since the Season 36 tournament.

 Finalists Semifinalists Quarterfinalists Art Fleming Era (1964–75)Most episodes from the Art Fleming era of Jeopardy! do not survive, so there is no video record of these Tournament of Champions games; paper records indicating the players may be found in the NBC Master Books daily broadcast log, available on microfilm at the Library of Congress Motion Picture and Television Reading Room. A summary of those records may be found here. A listing of Jeopardy! Grand Champions, 1968–74, may be found in  First annual (1964) Winner: Terry ThompsonPhyllis GalloJohn Murphy Helen BeckRosemary TaubertPat McDermottMadeline Von KochSid KramerRuth Lind [No quarterfinals] Second annual (1965) Winner: Babs McClellanCarolyn BensonBob Wilder Lou EhrlichPat DayDoris SullivanJim CahillBob LawEarle Codrington [No quarterfinals] Third annual (1966) Winner: Burns CameronOther finalists not recorded Bob BovardPhyllis GrantTye HeckmanLeona HuerbachSarah MoorePat RohanJohn SchenckFran Winnick [No quarterfinals] Fourth annual (1967)Winner: Anne Fried
Eleanor EndsleyHarry Murtha Frank GraySheila GabrielRosemary MarnellLibby DyerGail BerryHoward August [No quarterfinals] Fifth annual (1968)Hutton "Red" GibsonJohn MillerShep Shepherd Fran FiskBill MartinPenny CostigenMarcia BikalisJudy GexSally Hickman [No quarterfinals] Sixth annual (1969) Winner: Jay WolpertElliot ShteirNick Rorick Elliot BaritzJane Gschwend (biggest winner in NBC Jeopardy! history)Ann Baker Larry SchillerJoan NephewJohn GridleyJudy RubinGrant WillisJack GurnerMendy SnyderBurt ShermanPat DougialloJay HayesJudy ReimerJoan Lawrence Seventh annual (1970) Winner: Gene CheatamMary Lee FoxBarbara FrancoDolores HendersonRuss Poylo Hunter FarnumSteve HaufmanHelen MabryM. McNeil [No quarterfinals] Eighth annual (1971) Winner: Rock JohnsonRiza GrossJan Churchwell Peggy RathertDon MarmsKarolyn BattleJim ShannonMichael AronsonJoel Tuber [No quarterfinals] Ninth annual (1972) Winner: Anne Marie SuttonJay DelehantySusan Smith Paul WilsonLorraine GormanDonna AngleLuanne KellerSheila NovemberJay Delehanty [No quarterfinals] Tenth annual (1973) Winner: Paula OgrenAdeline SchulmanDan Donohue Carol ReeveReid WilliamsonConnie ChristensenPhil PriceLouise WindgradRosemary Travis [No quarterfinals] Eleventh annual (1974) Winner: Denny GoldenDave HilliardPete Staley Kathleen LangAndy MillerArt NewellFaye RingelOther semifinalists not recorded [No quarterfinals] 1984 Version - Alex Trebek era (1984-2021) The final 35 episodes were aired posthumously after Trebek died on November 8, 2020.  The 2021 Tournament of Champions was for Trebek-era champions only.  No interregnum champions participated. Season 2 (November 11–22, 1985) Winner: Jerry Frankel1st runner-up: Bruce Fauman ($9,399)2nd runner-up: Steve Rogitz ($5,100) Ron BlackPaul Boymel (Season 1's biggest winner)Liz CacceseLarry FloydJohn HnatRic Moser Elise BeraruSSGT Paul CroshierMichael DayJohn GenovaPaula TupperNathan WalpowSeason 3 (November 10–21, 1986) Winner: Chuck Forrest (Season 2's biggest winner)1st runner-up: Paul Rouffa2nd runner-up: Marvin Shinkman Beryl ArbitDonald BurgoGary GiardinaLionel GoldbartGary PalmerJay Rosenberg Harvey BeckerJared EisenstatDanny GreenMark LeinwandEric SchoeckGuy Tonti Season 4 (November 9–20, 1987) Winner: Bob Verini1st runner-up: David Traini ($16,000)2nd runner-up: Eugene Finerman ($11,600) Eric BermanRichard CordrayMichael GalvinDoug MolitorJohn Ryan (Season 3's biggest winner)Roger Storm Keith BellJonathan FellowsFrank HughesJohn PodhoretzZeke Sevilla, Jr.Keith Walker Season 5 (November 7–18, 1988) Winner: Mark Lowenthal1st runner-up: Bruce Naegeli (Season 4's biggest winner, $18,799)2nd runner-up: Sandra Gore ($13,000) Roy HollidayPeggy KennedyRichard Perez-PenaSteven PopperMichael RankinsKate Waits Michael BlockBarbara-Anne EddyLeah GreenwaldStephen LebowitzBruce SeymourRon Trigueiro Season 6 (November 6–17, 1989) Winner: Tom Cubbage (won Season 5's College Championship)1st runner-up: Rich Lerner ($15,500)2nd runner-up: Brian Wangsgard (Season 5's biggest winner) Bruce CoxPeggi MalysMark McDermottEric NewhouseOuida RellstabCigus Vanni Cathy BoggsJeff RichmondJoel SacksChris SheaYael SofaerJim Tompkins-MacLaine Season 7 (November 5–16, 1990) Winner: Bob Blake1st runner-up: Larry McKnight2nd runner-up: Steve Berman Jeff BandmanAndrew BernknopfErik LarsenOfc. Frank Spangenberg (Season 6's biggest winner)Eric TerzuoloJamie Weiss Lisa GuayDan KatzRichard NealeGeorge SouleMichael ThayerElaine Zollner Season 8 (November 4–15, 1991) Winner: Jim Scott1st runner-up: Steve Robin ($12,600)2nd runner-up: Lou Pryor (won Season 7's Seniors Tournament, $9,700) Mark Born (Season 7's biggest winner)Leslie FratesScott GillispieJonathan JacobsLois KurowskiMark Pestronk Sara CoxTom HalpernBruce IkawaJohn LeDonneAndy WestneyLynne Wexler Season 9 (November 9–20, 1992) Winner: Leszek Pawlowicz1st runner-up: Bruce Simmons2nd runner-up: Jerome Vered (Season 8's biggest winner) India CooperKirk DitzlerRichard KaplanApril McManusLeonard SchmidtRobert Slaven Billy BaxterOfc. Frank EpsteinJohn Kelly, RET USAFSteve NewmanDave WillisPhil Yellman Season 10 (November 15–26, 1993) Winner: Tom Nosek1st runner-up: Bev Schwartzberg ($19,100)2nd runner-up: Marilyn Kneeland (won Season 9's Seniors Tournament, $11,500) Dennis DonohuePhoebe JuelJack MahoneyLeslie MillerEd Schiffer (Season 9's biggest winner)Walt Senterfitt Debby ArnoldAl LinLinda SheppardDiane SiegelDavid TiemannFraser Woodford Season 11 (November 14–25, 1994) Winner: Rachael Schwartz1st runner-up: Jeff Stewart (won Season 10's College Championship, $20,800)2nd runner-up: David Hillinck ($7,500) Kurt BraySteve Chernicoff John Cuthbertson (Season 10’s biggest winner)Jean GreweBrian MooreBill Pitassy Amy FineFred FrankMatt MorrisTom NicholsBart ThomasDavid Venderbush Season 12 (November 13–24, 1995) Winner: Ryan Holznagel1st runner-up: David Siegel (Season 11's biggest winner, $24,600)2nd runner-up: Isaac Segal ($16,600) Bruce BorchardtJonathan GroffPaul Thompson (Season 12's biggest winner)Jim VercolenGordon WeanMatt Zielenski Aaron KleinLen KrisakBen LyonJohn McKeonJim MorganLinda Roberts Season 13 (November 18–29, 1996) Winner: Michael Dupée1st runner-up: Bob Scarpone ($11,000)2nd runner-up: Michael Daunt ($8,200) Bill DickensonAmanda GoadMary HirschfeldBill SloanBeverly SpursShane Whitlock Bernie CullenDavid CuneoBrad PlovanDavid SampugnaroLucien SchmitBarbara Walker Season 14 (February 2–13, 1998) Winner: Dan Melia (Season 14's biggest winner)1st runner-up: Kim Worth (Season 13's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Bob Harris Sahir IslamLyn PayneClaudia PerryFred RamenPeter ScottGrace Veach Craig BarkerJosh Den HartogPaul GutowskiPam MifflinArthur PhillipsWes Ulm Season 15 (February 8–19, 1999) Winner: Dave Abbott1st runner-up: J.J. Todor ($20,600)2nd runner-up: Juliet Wiley David Bagley (Season 15's biggest winner)Dan GirardPat HealyLance JohnsonAndrew MalyJohn Skelton James AreyAndrew HutchingsLara RobillardChris WardCarolyn WhiteMelizza Zygmunt Season 16 (May 8–19, 2000) taped at the Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta, Georgia Winner: Robin Carroll1st runner-up: Jeremy Bate2nd runner-up: Steve Fried Mike BlumenfeldCarolyn CracraftTerry CurrinChacko GeorgeMichael RooneyEddie Timanus Jack ArcheyLee LassiterDarlene LieblichHelen PetroffMelissa SexstoneJanet Wong Season 18 (October 22–November 2, 2001) Winner: Brad Rutter1st runner-up: Tad Carithers2nd runner-up: Rick Knutsen Larry CloudLan DjangMark EckardRyan MoorePam MuellerBabu Srinivasan (Season 17's biggest winner) Michael ArnoneMichelle ClumBob FleenorAndrew GarenKevin KeachDoug Lach (Season 16's biggest winner) Season 19 (May 5–16, 2003) Winner: Mark Dawson1st runner-up: Brian Weikle (Season 19's biggest winner, $56,601)2nd runner-up: Eric Floyd (Season 18's biggest winner) Alan BaileyMark BrownJill Bunzendahl ChimkaMax LevarenTrevor NorrisTravis Troyer Kathy CassityKyle HaleJackie HarrisonMark LeeJason McCuneBen Tritle Season 21 (September 20–October 1, 2004) Winner: Russ Schumacher1st runner-up: Tom Walsh (Season 20's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Arthur Gandolfi Seth AlcornTom BakerAnne BoydVinita KailasanathChris MillerSteve Reynolds John BeckSam OttScott "Renzo" RenzoniSean RyanJim StalleyKeith Williams Season 22 (May 8–19, 2006) Winner: Michael Falk1st runner-up: Vik Vaz2nd runner-up: Bill MacDonald David Madden (Season 22's biggest winner)Kevin MarshallBob MeskoJason RichardsAaron ThompsonMaria Wenglinsky Kerry BreitenbachDoug DorstKermin FlemingTom KavanaughNico MartinezDavid Rozenson Season 24 (November 5–16, 2007) Winner: Celeste DiNucci1st runner-up: Doug Hicton2nd runner-up: Cliff Galiher (won Season 23's College Championship) Paul GlaserChristian HainesChris MazurekSusan MitchellJeff SpoeriCraig Westphal Mehrun Etebari (Season 23's biggest winner)Cathy LanctotAndrew RostanNick SwezeySara TerrellSteve Unite Season 25 (March 11–24, 2009) taped at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada Winner: Dan Pawson1st runner-up: Larissa Kelly (Season 24's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Aaron Schroeder Ben BishopMatt KohlstedtCora PeckDave SimpsonDonna VogelMark Wales Carl BrandtDeborah FitzgeraldLisa KlinkTom MorrisErik NelsonJim Stevens Season 26 (May 10–21, 2010) Winner: Vijay Balse1st runner-up: Jason Zollinger (Season 26's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Stefan Goodreau Dave BeloteJustin Bernbach (Season 25's biggest winner)Terry LinwoodLiz MurphyAndy SrinivasanNick Yozamp Joey BeachumRyan ChaffeeRegina RobbinsPatrick TuckerChristine ValadaStephen Weingarten Season 28 (November 2–15, 2011) Winner: Roger Craig1st runner-up: Tom Nissley (Season 27's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Buddy Wright Erin McLeanJoon PahkJay RheeMark RunsvoldJustin SausvilleKara Spak John KrizelTom KunzenPaul KurskyBrian MeachamChristopher ShortCharles Temple Season 29 (February 13–26, 2013) presented by Prudential Winner: Colby Burnett (won Season 29's Teachers Tournament)1st runner-up: Keith Whitener2nd runner-up: Kristin Morgan Stephanie JassJason Keller (Season 28's biggest winner)Dave LeachDan McShanePaul NelsonJason Shore David GardDavid MenchacaJoel PoolAshok PoozhikunnelPatrick QuinnMonica Thieu Season 31 (November 10–21, 2014) Winner: Ben Ingram (Season 29's biggest winner)1st runner-up: Arthur Chu2nd runner-up: Julia Collins (Season 30's biggest winner) Sandie BakerJoshua BrakhageJared HallMark JapingaTerry O'SheaRebecca Rider Jim CouryDrew HorwoodSarah McNittAndrew MooreJohn PearsonRani Peffer Season 32 (November 9–20, 2015) Winner: Alex Jacob1st runner-up: Matt Jackson (Season 32's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Kerry Greene Brennan BusheeDan FeitelCatherine HardeeAndrew HaringerJohn SchultzVaughn Winchell Michael BilowJennifer GilesScott LordKristin SausvilleGreg Seroka (Season 31's biggest winner)Elliot Yates Season 34 (November 6–17, 2017) presented by Consumer Cellular Winner: Austin "Buzzy" Cohen1st runner-up: Alan Lin2nd runner-up: Austin Rogers (Season 34's biggest winner)  Tim AtenLilly ChinAndrew PauLisa SchlittJason SterlacciPranjal Vachaspati Hunter ApplerDavid ClemmonsSam DeutschJon EisenmanJustin VosslerSeth Wilson (Season 33's biggest winner) Season 36 (November 4–15, 2019) presented by Consumer Cellular Winner: James Holzhauer (Season 35's biggest winner)1st runner-up: Emma Boettcher2nd runner-up: Francois Barcomb (won Season 35's Teachers Tournament) Gilbert CollinsDhruv GaurSteven GradeKyle JonesRachel LindgrenLindsey Shultz Eric R. BackesAlan DunnRyan FensterAnneke GarciaJosh HillRob Worman Season 37 (May 17–28, 2021) presented by Consumer CellularHosted by Austin "Buzzy" Cohen, for Trebek-era champions only. Winner: Sam Kavanaugh1st runner-up: Jennifer Quail2nd runner-up: Veronica Vichit-Vadakan Ryan BilgerKaren FarrellRyan HemmelNibir SarmaKevin WalshJason Zuffranieri (Season 36's biggest winner) Ben HenriMacKenzie JonesSteve MouldsSarah Jett RayburnPaul TrifilettiAndy Wood  1984 Version - Interregnum era (January 11, 2021-June 30, 2023) All Tournament of Champions featuring champions of the Interregnum era were hosted by Ken Jennings. Season 39 (October 31-November 21, 2022)Champions in this tournament are designated with the host at the time they were champions -- Alex Trebek (T), the Interregnum, with the host's name referenced (I), Mayim Bialik (B), or Ken Jennings (J). Winner: Amy Schneider (J) (bye)1st runner-up: Andrew He (J)2nd runner-up: Sam Buttrey (B) (won Season 38's Professors Tournament) Eric Ahasic (B)Matt Amodio (I/B) (bye)Amodio's wins came in games hosted by Robin Roberts, LeVar Burton, David Faber, Joe Buck, Mike Richards, and Mayim Bialik. (Season 38's biggest winner)John Focht (J)Maureen O'Neil (J)Tyler Rhode (B)Mattea Roach (J/B) (bye) Brian Chang (J) (Season 37's biggest winner)Jonathan Fisher (B)Jackie Kelly (J/B)Ryan Long (B)Zach Newkirk (T/J)Newkirk was champion at the end of Season 36 hosted by Alex Trebek taped in March 2020, and unable to return because of travel restrictions until December 2020 tapings, by then was in the Interregnum, which Ken Jennings hosted.Courtney Shah (I)Sanjay Gupta hosted her wins.Margaret Shelton (J)Jaskaran Singh (B)Jessica Stephens (B)Stephens qualified in tournament hosted by Jennings, but played in a Bialik hosted game.Megan Wachspress (B)Rowan Ward (I/J)Ward qualified in tournament hosted by Jennings, but played in a Joe Buck hosted game.Christine Whelchel (J) Season 40 (February 23-March 19, 2024)(B) denotes champions in Bialik-hosted episodes. (J/B) denotes player won games with both hosts. Winner: Yogesh Raut1st runner-up: Ben Chan (J/B)2nd runner-up: Troy Meyer Ike Barinholtz (B)Luigi de GuzmanBrian HenegarEmily Sands (I)Anderson Cooper and Bill Whitaker hosted her games.David SibleyJared Watson (B) Kevin Belle (J/B)Deb BilodeauJustin Bolsen (T/B)Nick Cascone (I)Katie Couric and Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted his appearances.Jake DeArrudaBen Goldstein (B)Melissa KlapperSuresh Krishnan (B)Ray LalondeMatthew MarcusSean McShaneCris Pannullo (Season 39's biggest winner)Josh Saak (I)Saak's wins came in games hosted by George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts.Emmett StantonYungsheng Wang (B)Stephen WebbHannah Wilson (B)Juveria Zaheer (B) 1984 Version - Ken Jennings era (since July 3, 2023)''
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|colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | Season 41 (January 27, 2025-February 13, 2025) Date is last possible date with the three games to win format in use in all Jennings-hosted versions.
|- style="text-align: left"
| Winner: Neilesh Vinjamuri1st runner-up: Adriana Harmeyer (bye) (Season 40's biggest winner)2nd runner-up: Isaac Hirsch (bye)
| Drew Basile (bye)Mark FitzpatrickDrew Goins (alt.)Alternate added after Lisa Ann Walter, Celebrity Tournament winner, was unable to participate; selection based on runner-up of Champions Wildcard.Amy HummelRyan MantonWill Wallace
| Alison BettsGrant DeYoungDavid ErbAllison GrossGreg JolinAmar KakrideKevin LaskowskiLucas PartridgeWeckiai RannilaMehal ShahWill StewartRishabh Wuppalapati
|-
|colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | Season 41 (January 19, 2026-February 4, 2026)|- style="text-align: left"
| Winner: Paolo Pasco (bye)1st runner-up: TJ Fisher2nd runner-up:''' Scott Riccardi (bye) (Season 41's biggest winner) Cameron BerryAshley ChanTom DevlinLaura Faddah (bye)Allegra KuneySteven Olson W. Kamau BellMike DawsonAlex DeFrankBen GangerAndrew HayesAaron LevineBrendan LiawMatt MassieLiam StarnesLisa Ann WalterBryce WarginJosh Weikert

References

Other websites
 Official Jeopardy! website

Category:Jeopardy!