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Amy Schneider Win’s 2022 'Jeopardy!' Tournament of Champions

Trans advocate takes home the big prize: $250K

Jason A. Michael

She did it! Amy Schneider won the 2022 "Jeopardy!" Tournament of Champions Monday. Schneider cinched her third win in the best of seven series beating fellow finalists Andrew Ye (with two wins) and Sam Buttrey (with one). The prize: $250,000 and some sensational bragging rights.

Schneider, who is trans, has become something of a queer superstar since racking up 40 consecutive wins on the show last season – placing her second only to current host Ken Jennings' 74 – and earning over $1.3 million. Since then, she's quit her day job and signed a deal to write her memoirs, when she's not visiting the White House and throwing out first pitches at major league baseball games and the like.

Audiences have been bedazzled by her brilliance — it's safe to say Schneider’s lengthy appearance has helped raise positive trans visibility. (After 40 wins, it’s hard not to be impressed.) She sealed the deal on her championship win by correctly naming the play President Abraham Lincoln was seeing on the night he was shot to death. Already in the lead, a hefty Final Jeopardy wager won a visibly confident Schneider the title.

“I feel amazing,” Schneider said afterward in a statement released by the show. “Earlier in the finals, I had this sudden moment of seeing myself and being like ‘I’m on stage in the Tournament of Champions finals,’ and that was crazy. And I won! It’s a great feeling.”

On a more personal note, Schneider took to her Twitter account to thank her wife.

“I owe so much to so many people today,” she said. “But above all, I can’t find enough ways to say how lucky I am that the most amazing woman in the world has chosen to spend her life with me. I love you, Genevieve, and I could never, ever have done this without you.”

I owe so much to so many people today. But above all, I can’t find enough ways to say how lucky I am that the most amazing woman in the world has chosen to spend her life with me. I love you, Genevieve, and I could never, ever have done this without you ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/gKwOfYz9C5

— Amy Schneider (@Jeopardamy) November 22, 2022

Other Tournament of Champions contestants also took to Twitter to congratulate Schneider, including semifinalist Mattea Roach.

“One of the most meaningful moments of taping #JeopardyTOC for me was getting to tell @Jeopardamy directly something I’d said to press a bunch during my run on the show – that I truly believe watching her run made it possible for me to succeed on the show myself,” Roach, a lesbian, tweeted.

One of the most meaningful moments of taping #JeopardyTOC for me was getting to tell @Jeopardamy directly something I’d said to press a bunch during my run on the show - that I truly believe watching her run made it possible for me to succeed on the show myself

— Mattea Roach (@mattearoach) November 22, 2022

Schneider’s fellow finalist, Buttrey, who earned his spot by winning the "Jeopardy!" Second Chance Tournament, also offered her his well wishes.

“Congratulations to @Jeopardamy for a great tournament,” he tweeted. “And to @gg_andrewhe Andrew “Double Trouble” He! It was a blast to meet and play with this amazing group of champions.”

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