Additional Coverage:
- ‘Jeopardy’ fans witness a rare moment as all three contestants refused to wager anything (marketrealist.com)
A “Jeopardy!” First: All Three Contestants Wager $0 in Final Round, Shocking Ken Jennings
Long-running quiz show “Jeopardy!” continues to surprise even its most dedicated fans, and host Ken Jennings, with moments never before seen on screen. Recently, viewers witnessed a truly unprecedented event during Final Jeopardy when all three contestants opted not to wager a single dollar, marking a historic first for the beloved program.
The surprising turn of events unfolded during a game featuring defending champion TJ Fisher, alongside challengers Roberto Carabeo and Ellie Baker. Fisher quickly established a strong lead, holding $8,100 by the end of the first round, with Carabeo at $1,200 and Baker trailing with $800.
Double Jeopardy saw a spirited comeback from Ellie Baker. She correctly answered two questions and, crucially, found a Daily Double.
Despite initial hesitation, Baker answered correctly, adding $5,600 to her score and significantly narrowing the gap. She even briefly seized the lead, demonstrating impressive trivia prowess.
However, Fisher, proving his champion mettle, quickly regained control after finding his own Daily Double. As the game headed into the decisive Final Jeopardy round, Fisher held a commanding lead with $23,800. Baker was in a solid second place with $10,000, while Carabeo remained in third with $800.
The category for this pivotal round was “Groundbreaking Drama.” Host Ken Jennings presented the clue: “Act I of this 1879 play opens in a room with ‘a small sofa’, ‘a small table’ & ‘a cabinet with china and other small objects.’”
One by one, the contestants revealed their decisions. Roberto Carabeo correctly identified the play as “What is A Doll’s House?”
but to everyone’s astonishment, he had wagered $0. Ellie Baker’s answer, “What is The Glass Menagerie?”
was incorrect, but she too had wagered nothing, preserving her $10,000. Finally, TJ Fisher, despite his substantial lead, revealed his incorrect answer, “What is Uncle Vanya?”
and, mirroring his competitors, had also wagered $0.
The outcome left host Ken Jennings to announce the rare result: “No one wanted to wager a thing, and that means TJ Fisher is a two-day champion with $38,889.” Fisher secured his second win, but it was the collective decision by all three contestants to forego a wager in Final Jeopardy that truly etched this episode into “Jeopardy!” history.