Hi, I'm Ben. I won seven and a half games on Jeopardy! AMA

What did you guys talk about in that little circle after the games?

He talked about power tools and I asked him about a show he did in the seventies and he called it "strange". He was his genuine self those times.

Did you guys get makeup?

Lord, yes.

Did you feel pretty?

Lord, no.

Got any behind the scene stories for us?

A 14-yo girl asked Trebek why he shaved his mustache. He said "Because I felt like it. Why'd you shave yours?"

Dude, I was rooting for you the whole time. You're awesome. I love you Ben, we should be friends. <3

Ok my question is: Did you notice that Alex Trebek was being extra friendly to you compared to the other contestants as you continued to win? or was that just something I just noticed on TV?

Thanks! I didn't notice anything. He's a pro.

On one of your days, you said 'mitosis', and then stopped, and he prompted your with "two words" or something, and you completed the answer. My wife thought Trebek shouldn't have prompted you on that one...

I agree, but I saw it at the same time he did.

How does one win a half a game?

Tie on July 3

That tie was awesome. What are the odds that you would both choose an arbitrary number.

It wasn't arbitrary. He bet enough to meet my score should I wager all and double. I figured he would do that, so I had to assume he would miss, and I calculated what his score would be after a miss and bet to meet that. In that particular instance the only way I had a chance was if he missed and I got it right, so since I had to get it right anyway I should have bet all. I wagered less with my brain than with my heart on that one.

Your introduction stories got stranger everyday. No question but I do hope you got the bigger bed of your dreams, ya weirdo.

I ran out of stories. My original ones weren't even that good to begin with, hell.

I've always thought this would be the worst part if I got on.

"So, it says here that you once woke up in the morning?" "Yeah, that was just about every day since I was born..."

Do they help you think of stories or suggest you make them up?

We have to make them up but they are good at soliciting more info or details from us.

How often does Alex mess up reading a clue and they have to re-take? I know he speaks well, but nobody's perfect.

Maybe once every other show.

Thanks. My gf and I are a few days behind on our Jeopardys - we just watched your 22k blow out with the $100 DD's that seemed to aggravate Alex. :) Great job, looking forward to the remaining shows.

That was from an old redd foxx joke, that 100$ business.

What was the joke?

Listen to You Gotta Wash Your Ass about 16:49 in

Look for an album called You Gotta Wash Your Ass.

Do you think you can beat Watson?

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Sooo yes?

No chance.

[deleted]

Actually the bottom two rows have the most, but 600/1200 is in third place. I started there so I could get a little bit of a feel for the category.

What made you want to do an AmA? Are you a redditor before this?

Nope. A friend suggested I do this. It's fun. Awesome questions, too!

Thanks for the AMA. I try and watch every night and was watching you whoop ass, I was like "Good Lord how long is this guy going to kill it?" I can't believe you had to do 5 shows in a day. That seems intense. I guess in your case it paid off. Congratulations.

It did happen fast. Probably better that than having to take a day off between each and every game. That would kill the adrenaline.

During your run, what's one question you were astounded that someone else got wrong?

Early on July 8 someone rang in, got deer in headlights, and blurted the correct response after his time ran out. I picked it up. I felt bad, because he was a nice guy and good player.

I hate when those moments happen, you feel bad for them and then it makes whomever answered it afterwards look not so good. I saw an episode a few weeks back, girl got to Double Jeopardy and knew the answer but must have figured it out in the last few seconds because she was only able to write down two of the three words in the answer.

Were the words "On the"? I played her in my first game! She was super nice.

Yes! It was On The Road if I can recall right.

I'd never have gotten that.

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it gets even better. The question itself ended with a little joke - "don't think about it too hard". It seemed like that part threw the guy so much he did exactly that.

I can understand that. I would have been thrown by "Winning Serbian Generals" if that had come up.

Jeopardy is nothing. Have you ever played Double Jeopardy in /r/DailyDouble?

Fridays. Noon(ish). Be there.

I'll give it a shot if work permits!

How many episodes did you tape on your first day? And how did you sleep that night? (I won three my first day, and I slept horribly. But not as horribly as the night after I lost in the Tournament of Champions, let me tell you.)

I taped five. I woke up at 12:30 and it felt like every episode was running through my head at like ten times the speed. I didn't sleep the rest of the night.

dude you hit every single daily double for like a week. unreal

I had to.

Winning 7 1/2 games is pretty good... but did you win in Plinko?

Nah, I got so drunk I fell down the stairs.

Holy fuck. I watched one of your episodes. You beat a guy by a dollar, correct? I remember thinking that it was one of the best episodes I've ever seen. And he looked really pissed off too.

• How awkward was the tension off-camera between you and that guy? Was he pretty pissed off?
• I heard Trebek is a bit of a dick in real life... Any truth to that?

He was a great player and a gentleman. We tied the game before, and there was a lunch break after that and we each just stood in our own little corners, pacing back and forth. When I won that next game I told him I had to try to beat him and not tie him, because I didn't want to have to face him again. Trebek is very polite and sincere when the cameras are off.

If you were Carmen San Diego and wanted to both teach kids geography and make a name for yourself as the world's greatest thief, what things would you steal and what would you do with them?

At my undergrad there's this huge like eight-foot diameter globe that dates from 1914. I'd steal that and make the kids repaint it with today's countries.

You mentioned the old lady tonight that gave you a ride. You said she didn't look 60. I'm just gonna say what I think we were all thinking. Did you get a piece of that action?

Sure did, if "action" was Triscuits and Kraft Singles. She was awesome.

How are you spending the money?

Beer

How much did you win in total?

I can't remember exactly, but I think it was $177k.

• How does it work after you take the online test? Is there an audition after that or any qualifying practice rounds? How do those usually work?

• Sometimes I find it way too coincidental that categories lie in with contestants strengths/hobbies... do you think the categories and questions are geared towards the given contestants? Or is it random...

• What are some common interruptions to gameplay that we don't see televised?

1. After the test, you get an in-person audition invite. If you don't get one in twelve months, you can take the test again. At the audition, they don't tell you how you did, but they say if you don't get called up in 18 months you can take the test again.

2. Trust me, it's random.

3. I only came across one. After someone hit a Daily Double they made us turn around, and afterward we just went right back to playing. I don't know why.

How long does it take to film one game/episode? And is it true they're filmed back to back?

It took as long as you see on TV, commercials and all. They only edit a little out, if at all. They film five a day back-to-back except for a lunch break after the third game.

Why did you always ask "Where is *#", instead of "What is *#?" on questions were the clue wasn't a geographical description?

I didn't realize I did until I saw myself.

I'm extremely surprised by the lack of Ken Jennings on this post.

Not I. I won about ten percent of what he did, so I'm a peon.

What is your ideal Jeopardy category?

I have two: Suspension bridges and Antarctic explorers.

Dude! I will miss you. Great games. Congrats on the $$ and the new bed.

I don't listen to the intro stories (too many "my awesome marriage proposal" stories), so maybe you talked about this... but why 29? My 29 is 209, so I'm particularly intrigued.

Thanks! I talked about it Friday, but my favorite ball player is John Smoltz. Plus being a math major I know 29 to be a well-behaved number.

OMG I can't believe I missed your AMA. My wife and I loved watching you man. Rarely does she root for anyone and she was all smiles every time we saw you. Congrats! You seem like a great guy. Smart as all get out.

Thanks! The AMA is still going on I guess.

That woman and the show tonight I believe her name was Dawn was she as creepy as she looked?

I tried out with her in Baltimore, and she was fun. I never thought she'd throw down $10,000 on a DD. I was rooting for her to get it, honestly.

How did you got on the show, and what is the hardest part of the game?

My gf made me take the quiz online in Jan '12. The hardest part is the signaling device. I kept ringing in too early.

Please give your answers in the form of a question.

Why? : )

what happens if you ring too early? is there a delay the next time you ring?

You're locked out for either one-fourth or one-fifth of a second. I forgot. But you can try again after the lockout period is over. That's why you see most players banging their buzzers repeatedly. You can hear it on TV too. Clickclickclickclickclick.

do the delays stack up?

Like, if you hit the buzzer early and are locked out for .25 seconds, and if you buzz in again after only .24 seconds, are you locked out for only .01 or the full .25? I don't know.

like if you repeatedly spam the buzzer before Alex finishes reading.

EDIT: Oh, you don't know, haha. My mistake, read it incorrectly.

I could have worded that better on second read.

haha. Gratz on winning your ass off on Jeopardy. I scrolled through the thread so I apologize if someone already asked this. How much money have you taken away so far? Also, got a screen shot of you on Jeopardy for extra proof? I haven't seen the episode because I don't have a tv. :C

Thanks! It's about $177,000.

Also I'm on here http://www.jeopardy.com/showguide/thisweek/

Thats what ive heard, like you could know so many more answers then you got but could only beat people to the "buzz"

"Hey, Ben, how come you didn't know such and such?" I didn't buzz at the right time.

Wait, how does the ringing in work? You can't just immediately ring in when the clue appears?

Nope. When Trebek finishes, a crew member downstage (we can't see him) presses a button that both activates the buzzers and causes a couple of strips of white lights on either side of the board to come on (you don't see this on TV). You're supposed to wait for the lights to come on, but nobody does.

Fascinating. I wish they'd do a behind the scenes look at jeopardy sometime and explain things that aren't seen on TV like this.

For instance, I always see players glancing to their left, presumably where the scoreboard is listed but I really want to see what it looks like for myself.

There's a 360-degree set tour on http://www.jeopardy.com The scoreboard is just three five-digit seven-segment displays, and it's above and slightly off to the side from where the cameras that face us. So you're right.

What do your stand interiors look like? I'm assuming just an electronic drawing pad and wired signalling device?

Yep. The funny part is when you're playing the game your name remains on the electronic screen, so it's staring you in the face all day long.

Where would you say you learned most useful trivia from? Education? Your teaching experience? Travelling? Reading/ private study? Watching Jeopardy?

All those.

How was Alex Trebek's handshake?

He did it Canadian style, where it's like you put your fingertips into the part of the other guy's hand where the fingers meet the palm.

As a Canadian, I think I speak for all of us when I ask, "what???"

Sorry. I just remember the guy from Bumper Stumpers shaking hands like that.

Technically you won 8. That's a good number.

That's a good hole of golf for me. Par three.

Ben! I've seen every single one of your episodes and was fascinated by you as a player. Not as much your vast amount of knowledge but moreso your numbers strategy in the game.

I always thought you played the game more mathematically than it may superficially appear. Your wagers appeared very deliberate.

So please, if you have time, can you describe your wagering strategy, with examples from the show? (and I knew trying to get the DD's off the board by you and you alone was vital), sometimes wagering $100 when you had an enormous lead. You mentioned in this thread you spent the majority of your time preparing simply by adding and subtracting big numbers by hand, so I'm sure it had a lot to do with your prolonged success.

I also felt Alex knew exactly what you were doing too, even though he appeared perplexed, is that true?

Edit: Beers on me you if youre in LA again.

I think everyone who wants to be on the show should study at least a little wagering theory. My plan going into FJ! was to bet to lock if I were in first place (that is, bet enough to beat second's score times two plus one dollar). If trailing I'd assume the leader would make that bet and miss, and I'd wager accordingly. I think I stuck to that too much on July 3, when I wagered only $1000 and wound up in a tie. That day, I had to get it right anyway to have a chance, so I should have bet it all. Alex knew.

How long do you guys get to make your final Jeopardy wagers?

There's no clock per se, but I'm told if someone takes an inordinately long time the staff try to prod him or her along. I thought I took forever, and told the official next to me so, but he shook his head and said "Take your time."

1. What did you do with the money?
2. When you lost, what was your parting gift?

1. Beer and 2. a hat and a tote bag

Those bastards couldn't even give you a bottle of Aleve!

All day strong, all day long

As nervous as I was I could have gone for a bottle of Jack

Is there a set amount you have to win to be in the Tournament of Champions? I'm an avid Jeopardy fan and it seems like Trebek says we'll see the champion in the tournament if they win more than $120,000ish.

It's the top 12 or so players, plus winners of the College and Teachers tourns (maybe others). So one year four wins might be enough to get in, another year it might be as high as, say, six. It's the number of wins that counts. Money amount is a tiebreaker.

So, you feel confident you're in? I do. Do you know about the guy before you, Andrew? I'd love to see you guys go head to head.

I actually used to know the guy, and he's a nice fella. I'm not going to bank on being in until someone calls me and tells me I'm in.

We could literally ask you anything, and you'd probably know..

Except who the oldest Bundy kid was. My bad.

What does Alex smell like?

Cologne.

For final jeopardy, do they forgive for typos or miss spelled words (if they are really close to the correct answer) ?

Yep, so long as it sounds the same. My opponent was given "Dr. Suess", and that's fair enough. One day long ago the correct response was "Vilnius", but someone wrote "Vilnuis" and they dinged him because it didn't sound the same. Ouch, but fair, I guess.

Who are the "they" that decide these things? How many official judges are there?

Sorry to use "they" again, but "they" didn't tell us. Makes sense.

What exactly does everyone talk about after each match when all 3 players are with Trebek on stage?

Trebek is at his most sincere here. He usually congratulates the winner but spends more time telling the runners-up that they did well, and in all my games they did do well. Sometimes he talks about the material in the game and compliments us on a good get or near miss. On the last episode I asked him about a 1970s game he did called Double Dare (not the Marc Summers pie-in-face fest), and he thanked me for remembering and called it a "strange show".

What did Hunter say to you after he lost the rematch?

I told him I couldn't play to tie because I didn't want to have to face him again, and he said he understood. Often times it's a shame that someone has to win and someone has to lose.

His reaction after your wager was shown really showed how disappointed he was.

I didn't see it.

If I remember correctly he kind of shakes his fist like he wanted to shout 'damn it'. Nothing too crazy but more emotion than I'm used to seeing on Jeopardy.

I mean, if you watched tonight I went down in a blaze of glory. If I had to lose one day, and everyone has to sooner or later, that's how I wanted it to happen. I wouldn't want to lose by a dollar on the last minute myself.

How did you resist the urge to say, "Who izzzh, Connery, Tzhrebbek?

I was behind and I wanted to hustle the game along.

How much sleep do you usually get in a night?

About five hours past couple of weeks. Before that I always tried for seven or eight and I felt more tired then than I do now.

Current Wofford student! Loved watching you and congrats!

LET'S GO!

Do you think any topics/subjects pop up disproportionately higher than others?

No, but I think the key is knowing what material will pop up WITHIN a subject. For example, if '90s Bands comes up, they probably won't ask about Mad Caddies.

Who was the toughest quiz bowl opponent you ever faced?

Kentucky A.

How do you win half a game?

I played to a draw last week

Who do you think should replace Trebek when he retires?

Art Fleming's ghost.

Does Jeopardy cover airfare/hotel? Do they feed you?

No, but even third place gets $1000, so that should cover it.

What percentage of questions do you get right when you play at home?

I think my average was $34,000 a game, DDs not counting. Then again I was on my couch alone, not at a TV station playing against two opponents.

Would you actually keep track of every game? Was this only for prep on the show?

Yep.

Any graffiti on the podium?

Before my second game I wrote my name as "Go Gamecocks!" but they made me erase it.

Which topics/categories did you feel were your weakest (aside from the one with the two unrelated answers)?

See how I did Wednesday on comic book heroes.

I did, but somehow none of the other contestants knew the alter egos. In general, did you think popular culture was a weak area? If so, are you going to brush up on the "trash" trivia before Tournament of Champions?

Yes to both.

how mentally exhausting is it to shoot 5 in a day?

I was so nervous I didn't feel tired at all.

Hey Ben!

How do you win half of a game on Jeopardy? Also does Alex use spray on tan or does he just catch a lot of sun?

I tied one game, and it could be makeup.

Is there a link to an episode you were featured in?

Try http://www.j-archive.com. Not the real thing but an incredible simulation.

It seemed like you thought/think of yourself as the next Ken Jennings. Winning seven and a half games does not make you famous.

Nobody is the next Ken Jennings. If you count that tie game as half a win, I won slightly more than ten percent of KJ's total. That's why I couldn't just say "Hi, I'm Ben, AMA."

My wife wants to know what you did to prepare?

I practiced adding and subtracting large numbers with a pencil. No lie.

Might you give training for such behavior?

I used to teach math. I would practice by slapping my knee. This way, I could hear if I beat the folks on TV to the buzzer.

Did you have to tell a new interesting anecdote every time? I mean, at the beginning of the show when they introduce everyone? That was always my favourite part of the show but I think I would get stressed out if I had to come up with seven unique and interesting life anecdotes.

Every time. I think mine got better because I felt more at ease as I went along.

On which current television show would you have most liked to have seen Redd Foxx appear?

Jeopardy!

Are you ticklish? Where?

My left hip.

I'm a student at Wofford right now. Were there any of your professors who's classes were very helpful in becoming a jeopardy champ? Congrats.

Take one course in every subject, and on Saturdays in the fall go to Gibbs and get loud. I'm going to the GSU game this year, at least!

I've got a job where I can have the TV on all day at work and I get particularly non-productive from 11:00 - 11:30. It was fun watching you're reaction at the beginning of each episode where the announcer says "and our returning champion, Ben, with xxxx THOUSAND DOLLARS" great job!!!!

So if they tape 5 shows in one day, do they make you change between episodes to make it seem like its a different day? I have always figured they just shoot one a day, but cramming them in there makes much more sense, production-wise.

Also, just want wanted to say hi to a guy who I saw on TV all week. HI!

HI BACK! I did have to change between shows. They only take ten-minute breaks, so I had to change fast. They told me to bring three changes of clothes, and I did, so I had to double back after a while. I brought two suits but they looked the same on TV.

proof

http://imgur.com/weCi13P