Minnesota substitute teacher competing in finals of 'Jeopardy!' Tournament of Champions
Sam Kavanaugh returns to the show after winning five games and $156,202.
Author:
Sam Kavanaugh, originally from Carlton, Minnesota, on
Jeopardy! in 2019, during which he won five games and $156,202.
Kavanaugh, who graduated from Carleton College in 2013 and now is a substitute teacher based in Minneapolis, returned to the popular gameshow's stage for the annual tournament that started with 15 prior winners competing for $250,000 grand prize.
According to Pine Knot News, the COVID-19 pandemic left Kavanaugh jobless, so he went full "Olympic mode" to train for his return to
Jeopardy!
And so far it's paid off. The quarterfinals for the Tournament of Champions began May 17, with Kavanaugh first competing in an episode that aired May 21. In the game, Kavanaugh was in a close second and it all came down to Final Jeopardy, where he pulled ahead by $341, winning $22,801, to secure his spot in the semifinals, according to the show's website.