It’s the best way for a “Jeopardy!” contestant to arrive at Final Jeopardy—with the victory already secured in a runaway, as long as the presumed champion bets wisely on the culminating clue.
And that’s exactly what self-proclaimed “trivia nerd” Tristan Williams ’13 did to secure his fifth win in a row on the iconic TV show he’s watched since childhood.
In the final round of the May 12 match, with significantly more than double the cash of his closest competitor, a strategic Williams wagered a non-risky $3,600 to bring his total to $27,300, clinch the win, and rise to a total $103,499 in earnings for his five-day streak. As a five-game winner, Williams automatically qualifies for the season-ending Tournament of Champions.
Interviewed by KOLN, a TV station based in his hometown of Lincoln, Neb., Williams said that the experience has been a “dream come true.” This dream has been almost two decades in the making for the Economics and Mathematics major at CMC, as it took 16 years of auditioning to land his spot as a contestant.
“It’s such a rush just to see the whole stage, see where it’s actually made,” Williams, who works as a data scientist in New York, told KOLN. “You meet (host) Ken (Jennings), you go up there, you play games. It’s the most stressful thing you’ve ever done in your life, but it’s so fun.”
Tonight, Wednesday, May 13, he looks to continue the fun with a sixth win to keep the streak alive. Tune in to find out!