The “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions is one of the most anticipated events of the season for viewers, putting some of the top contestants who have recently played on the Alex Trebek Stage in direct competition with each other.
The competition is fierce. Several of the contestants competing this time around won at least five games during their initial “Jeopardy!” run — which makes what Paolo Pasco pulled off Wednesday night all the more impressive.
Paolo Pasco dominates ‘Jeopardy!’ 2026 Tournament of Champions
The Tournament of Champions finals has the potential to go to seven games. It’s over whenever a player gets three wins.
Pasco only needed three games.
The puzzle writer from San Diego, California, didn’t give his fellow competitors much of a chance to secure even one win in the finals.
He obliterated his competition three nights in a row.
On Monday night, Pasco entered the final round of the game with $25,000. Scott Riccardi, a 16-game champ who holds the No. 10 spot for most consecutive games won in “Jeopardy!” history (along with “Jeopardy!” contestant Ryan Long) — not to mention the No. 8 spot for highest winnings in regular season play — was in a distant second place with $8,200, per “Jeopardy!” archives.
On Tuesday night, Pasco had $31,200 going into the final round. He couldn’t be caught as Riccardi, who was again in second place, had $9,800.
And on Wednesday night, thanks to some massive Daily Double wagers, Pasco again could not be caught as he had a staggering $33,200 ahead of Final Jeopardy, per “Jeopardy!” archives. Riccardi, in second place, had $7,400; and TJ Fisher, a five-game champ from San Francisco, had $5,800.
With those three dominant wins, Pasco became the 2026 “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions winner.
The victory earns him a spot in the next “Jeopardy!” Masters tournament.
Now, the “Jeopardy!” Invitational Tournament, featuring top competitors from past seasons including Matt Amodio, Andrew He and Roger Craig, begins on Feb. 5, with the winner of the tournament earning a spot in the upcoming Masters tournament.
Who will compete in the next ‘Jeopardy!’ Tournament of Champions?
So far, two more recent “Jeopardy!” players are eligible for the 2027 Tournament of Champions.
According to the “Jeopardy!” website, those players are:
- Harrison Whitaker, a researcher from Terre Haute, Indiana, who won 14 games and $373,999.
- Will Riley, an engineer from Houston, Texas, who won four games and $77,403.