PHOTO: Courtesy of Jeopardy
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Question: This person was the winner of the first game of this season’s “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions finals.
The answer: Who is Ben Chan?
This Green Bay native and St. Norbert College professor won nine games last year and is once again showing off his knowledge on the Alex Trebek Stage. He won two games to advance to this point in the finals.
“Watching it is like reliving it,” Chan said. “Different perspective when you’re in the game. Your mind is elsewhere, you’re focused on that. Watching it here, it’s like you’re experiencing it as I normally experience “Jeopardy!” as a viewer and all the feelings come back.”
On Tuesday, the first in the best-of-seven finals series aired.
“This was actually taped the same day that all the semi-finals were taped,” Chan said. “So, I was just like trying to have fun, keep myself awake — remember that trying harder probably isn’t going to help because you’re so tired.”
The matchup pitted Chan against three-game champion Yogesh Raut and six-game champion Troy Meyer.
“Yogesh and Troy know a lot,” Chan said. “It’s fair to say they know more than me, actually. So it’s very surprising to be able to come back from third on that.”
It was a dramatic victory for Chan, who went into Final Jeopardy trailing Meyer by over $10,000. But with one correct answer and a carefully considered wager, the St. Norbert College philosophy professor managed to go from last to first and eke out a win in the first finals match of “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions.
Chan ended Tuesday’s game with $15,601 — just $1 ahead of the second-place finisher Raut, whose incorrect answer and $0 bet left him at $15,600.
“This is the first time after COVID that I’m seeing people I haven’t seen since five years ago, since COVID,” Chan said. “This has really been the most amazing reintroduction to the world that you could have.”
For Chan’s friends, families and supporters inside Zambaldi Beer in Allouez, that made the winning moment even sweeter. Chan is guaranteed a return to the “Jeopardy!” stage Wednesday and Thursday. As a first-to-win three series, the finals could extend beyond that.
“Stay tuned. It’s going to be a great finals,” Chan said.
Chan earned himself a spot in the best-of-seven Tournament of Champions finals with victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals earlier this month.
He earned local celebrity status when he won more than $250,000 during his nearly double-digit win streak last spring. He was featured during SNC’s graduation with some special “Jeopardy!” questions and threw out the first pitch at a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball game. He is set to do the same thing at the April 27 Milwaukee Brewers game.
The state Assembly even honored his “Jeopardy!” success last month with a joint resolution adopted unanimously. Chan has been praised for his dedication to giving back to his community, using his “Jeopardy!” winnings to support local organizations focused on mental health, addiction counseling and public park initiatives.
Chan is one of just three remaining contestants competing in the Tournament of Champions to win the $250,000 grand prize and an invitation to compete in the primetime version of “Jeopardy!” on ABC.
For Wednesday’s game, Chan has a watch party planned at “The Good Place” in Oconto. Chan said he hasn’t planned anything beyond that.
“Jeopardy!” airs at 6 p.m. weeknights on FOX 11.
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