'Jeopardy!' Fans React to Troy Meyer's Jaw-Dropping Win in 'TOC' Finals (2024)

This… Is… Jeopardy!

For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our Jeopardy! Newsletter:

Troy Meyer scored a major win in the second game of the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions finals on March 13, marking a massive improvement from his third-place loss in the March 12 matchup. With a potentially record-breaking final score and a Daily Double wager that had the live audience screaming with excitement, fans online are praising his “stunning” playing.

Troy was up against fellow finalists Ben Chan, who won the March 12 game, and Yogesh Raut. Yogesh was seeking redemption after his shocking Final Jeopardy wager landed him in second place in the first game of the finals. In Game 2, he bet it all in his Final Jeopardy wager instead of zero. But even doubling his score from 20,400 to 40,800 wasn’t enough to beat Troy.

“On a normal day, Yogesh, that would win aJeopardy game,” host Ken Jennings joked. “But Troy Meyer has $46,800. That is our highest total going into Final Jeopardy of the season, edging Juveria Zaheer‘s $45,600 in Second Chance [Tournament].”

How did he get to that high score? A thrilling Daily Double bet paired with speedy and accurate answers.

The scores were moderate at the first break, with Yogesh at 3,400, Troy at 4,200, and at Ben 4,200. There wasn’t massive improvement by the beginning of Double Jeopardy. The scores were Yogesh at 4,800, Troy at 5,800, and Ben at 5,600. The second round is where Yogesh and Troy became powerhouses.

Yogesh pulled ahead into the lead, with a Daily Double win helping him get to 18,400. Troy then completely eclipsed both Yogesh and Ben when he bet a true Daily Double on his score of 21,800. Shocked excitement was heard throughout the crowd, while there was clear nerves across Troy’s face. The cheers roared throughout the audience when he answered the prompt correctly, doubling his score to 43,600. The category was “Official State Stuff,” the clue: “Arizona’s state fossil is this tree product; Arizona is also home to a forest full of it.” The correct answer was, “What is petrified wood?”

You’d think Troy would be unbeatable from there, but Yogesh’s risky but improved Daily Double wager helped him close the gap. Troy protected his winnings by betting nothing, and that turned out to be a fine choice in the end. He had the right answer in Final Jeopardy, but nothing Yogesh or Ben could bet would equate to his score. Betting nothing could still secure his victory. In the end, he finished with 46,800. Yogesh was in second with 40,800, and Ben was in third with 10,400.

'Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament': Full Line-Up of Contestants Announced

Fans on theJeopardyReddit page praised Troy’s epic game, counting his record-setting win as a win for all viewers.

“Looking through j-archive real quick, I thinkthe$48,200 total Coryat in this game is higher than any of the games in the previous ToC. (Finals Game 4 in 2022 is the highest I am seeing at $43,600),” one fan wrote. “We’re not a team, but… good job team!”

“Stunning display from Troy,” said another. “That’s two days in a row he’s posted a Coryat above 20,000 — in this field of competition, that’s quite something. And it was 25,000 today, twice as high as Yogesh’s. To lock down the win with that bold but logical DD3 wager is the cherry on top. Exceptionally well played.”

Fans are loving this Tournament of Champions finals. As one commented, “WOW! An absolutely gutsy DD3 by Troy that worked in his favor! I need some popcorn for this ToC finals because this is so intense!”

That Daily Double bet was clearly a hit for the viewers at home. Another fan wrote, “LOVE the bet by Troy on DD3. It’s a Row 2 clue and you know the DDs are the same (relative) difficulty of their dollar value. You have the lead and you’re been handed a gift; slam that door! I wouldn’t be surprised if Troy polishes this off by Game 5.”

One fan wonders if Ben is playing things smooth and steady in the hopes it will win him the race. “I love how Ben is so relaxed, while Troy and Yogesh are so serious and dialed in, and almost treating this finals like life and death. What an interesting contrast,” they said. “I wonder if this will help Ben further down the stretch, and maybe Yogesh + Troy will tire out. Ben is a 9 game winner, so probably has good stamina. Troy started tiring out later in his run according to the stats. I guess we shall see.”