History of Jeopardy! in Timeline
Jeopardy! is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show presents general knowledge clues to contestants in the form of answers, and the contestants must respond with the correct questions. This format reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of quiz shows, requiring contestants to demonstrate their knowledge in a unique way.
July 1941: CBS Television Quiz Airs
In July 1941, the format of giving contestants the answers and requiring the questions had previously been used by the Gil Fates-hosted program CBS Television Quiz.
May 1942: CBS Television Quiz Ends
The Gil Fates-hosted program CBS Television Quiz which aired from July 1941 ended in May 1942.
1963: Merv Griffin Creation Account
In a 1963 Associated Press profile, Merv Griffin offered an account of how he created the quiz show.
March 30, 1964: Original Daytime Version Debut
On March 30, 1964, the original daytime version of Jeopardy! made its debut on NBC.
1964: Milton Bradley Releases First Jeopardy! Board Game
From 1964, Milton Bradley issued annual board games based on the original Fleming version of Jeopardy!.
1964: Art Fleming Hosting Start
In 1964, Art Fleming began his run as the host for all versions of Jeopardy!.
1964: "Test episode" created
In 1964, a "test episode" of Jeopardy! was created.
1964: Original Jeopardy! series premieres
In 1964, the original Jeopardy! series debuted, featuring theme music composed by Merv Griffin and his wife Julann Griffin. The main theme was "Take Ten", composed by Julann Griffin.
1967: "College Scholarship Tournament" clips
In 1967, clips from the "College Scholarship Tournament" appeared in the 1975 series finale episode.
1971: Archived episode holdings at UCLA
In 1971, episodes of Jeopardy! were added to the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
February 21, 1972: Episode No. 2,000
On February 21, 1972, Episode No. 2,000 of Jeopardy!, which was filmed in color, aired.
1973: Archived episode holdings at UCLA
In 1973, episodes of Jeopardy! were added to the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
September 1974: Nighttime Syndicated Edition Debut
In September 1974, a nighttime syndicated edition of Jeopardy! began airing weekly.
1974: Show moved out of noontime slot
In 1974, Lin Bolen, NBC's Vice President of Daytime Programming, moved the original Jeopardy! series out of the noontime slot in an effort to boost ratings among the 18-34 female demographic.
1974: Archived episode holdings at UCLA
In 1974, episodes of Jeopardy! were added to the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
January 3, 1975: Original Daytime Version End
The original daytime version of Jeopardy! ended its run on NBC on January 3, 1975.
June 1975: Syndicated Edition Episode
In June 1975, an episode of the weekly syndicated edition of Jeopardy! aired.
September 1975: Nighttime Syndicated Edition End
The nighttime syndicated edition of Jeopardy! concluded in September 1975.
1975: Don Pardo Announcer End
Don Pardo ended his role as the announcer for Jeopardy! in 1975.
1976: Milton Bradley Continues Releasing Jeopardy! Board Games
Through 1976, Milton Bradley continued to issue annual board games based on the original Fleming version of Jeopardy!.
October 2, 1978: "The All-New Jeopardy!" premieres
On October 2, 1978, the NBC daytime series was revived as "The All-New Jeopardy!", featuring significant rule changes.
October 1978: The All-New Jeopardy! Revival
In October 1978, a revival of Jeopardy!, titled The All-New Jeopardy!, began airing on NBC.
1978: John Harlan Announcer Start
In 1978, John Harlan began his role as the announcer for Jeopardy!.
March 2, 1979: "The All-New Jeopardy!" ends
On March 2, 1979, "The All-New Jeopardy!" ended after airing 108 episodes.
March 1979: The All-New Jeopardy! End
The All-New Jeopardy! ended its run on NBC in March 1979.
1979: Art Fleming Hosting End
In 1979, Art Fleming concluded his run as the host for all versions of Jeopardy!.
1982: Milton Bradley Releases Jeopardy! Board Game
In 1982, Milton Bradley had one release of annual board games based on the original Fleming version of Jeopardy!.
1983: Greg Kihn releases song Jeopardy
In 1983, Greg Kihn released the hit song "Jeopardy".
1983: Pilot Announcer
In 1983, Jay Stewart served as the announcer for the daily syndicated version's first pilot.
September 10, 1984: Daily syndicated version debuts
On September 10, 1984, the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! debuted in response to the success of the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune and the installation of electronic trivia games in pubs and bars.
September 10, 1984: Syndicated Show Premiere
The daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! familiar to modern viewers premiered on September 10, 1984.
1984: Vacation Packages and Merchandise
From 1984 to 2002, non-winning contestants on the Trebek version received vacation packages and merchandise.
1984: Ring-In Rule
From the premiere of the original Jeopardy! until the end of the 1984–85 syndicated season, contestants were allowed to ring in as soon as the clue was revealed.
1984: Alex Trebek Hosting Start
In 1984, Alex Trebek started as the host of the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy!, with Johnny Gilbert as announcer.
1984: "Weird Al" Yankovic satirizes Jeopardy!
In 1984, American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic released the single "I Lost on Jeopardy", a parody of Greg Kihn's 1983 hit song "Jeopardy", satirizing the 1960s incarnation of the show.
1984: Schneider Returns as Director
In 1984, Dick Schneider, who directed episodes of The All-New Jeopardy!, returned as director.
1984: Premiere of the Trebek Version
In 1984, Jeopardy!: An Inside Look at America's Favorite Quiz Show DVD featured the premiere episode of the Trebek version.
1984: Trebek version premieres with TV monitor game board
In 1984, the Trebek version of Jeopardy! premiered, featuring a game board that used individual television monitors for each clue within categories.
1984: Original Clue Values
In 1984, the daily syndicated Jeopardy! series clue values originally ranged from $100 to $500 in Jeopardy! and $200 to $1,000 in Double Jeopardy!.
1984: Tournament of Champions returns
In 1984, when the series returned, the top prize awarded to the Tournament of Champions winner was originally valued at $100,000.
1984: "Think!" becomes main theme
In 1984, when the syndicated version of Jeopardy! debuted, a rendition of the song "Think!", originally composed by Merv Griffin, was used as the main theme song. "Think!" has been used for the 30-second period in Final Jeopardy! since its creation.
1984: Written exam introduced for contestants
Since 1984, prospective Jeopardy! contestants have been required to take a written exam comprising 50 questions as part of the audition process.
September 1985: Ring-In Rule Change
Since September 1985, contestants are required to wait until the clue is read before ringing in, indicated by lights on the game board.
1985: Set background colors introduced
From 1985, the Jeopardy! sets were designed to have a background color of blue for the Jeopardy! round and red for the Double Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy! rounds.
1985: "Forrest Bounce" Strategy Debut
In 1985, Chuck Forrest first used the "Forrest Bounce" strategy, in which contestants randomly pick clues to confuse opponents.
1985: Joan Kantor sets record lowest Jeopardy! score
In 1985, Joan Kantor set the record for the lowest Jeopardy! score with -$5,100 during Season 1.
1985: Production moved to Hollywood Center Studios
In 1985, the production facilities moved to Hollywood Center Studios' Stage 1.
1985: Tournament of Champions Format
Since the first Tournament of Champions in 1985, the format has been devised by Trebek himself.
1987: Trebek Hosts Classic Concentration
In 1987, Alex Trebek began hosting NBC's Classic Concentration, handing Jeopardy! producer duties to George Vosburgh.
1987: Jeopardy! Adapted into Video Games
In 1987, Jeopardy! was adapted into a number of video games released on various consoles and handhelds spanning multiple hardware generations, starting with a Nintendo Entertainment System game and personal computers (Apple II, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS versions).
1989: Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes
From 1989 to 2004, copies of Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes aired and have been collected by the UCLA Archive.
1989: Art Fleming expressed dissatisfaction with daily syndicated Jeopardy! series
In 1989, original host Art Fleming expressed dissatisfaction with the daily syndicated Jeopardy! series in an essay published in Sports Illustrated, criticizing the Hollywood setting and other aspects.
1990: Super Jeopardy! aired on ABC
In 1990, Super Jeopardy! aired on ABC, featuring top contestants from previous seasons for a top prize of $250,000.
1991: No Positive Score in Seniors Tournament
During the quarterfinals of the 1991 Seniors Tournament, none of the contestants ended with a positive score, leading to an additional wild card contestant advancing.
1991: New grid-like set introduced
In 1991, the Jeopardy! show introduced a brand new set that resembled a grid.
1991: Larger monitors replace original monitors
In 1991, the original television monitors on the Jeopardy! game board were replaced with larger and sleeker monitors.
1992: McCarthy Succeeds Schneider
In 1992, Kevin McCarthy succeeded Dick Schneider as director of Jeopardy!.
1992: White Men Can't Jump Features Jeopardy!
In 1992, the film White Men Can't Jump featured a subplot in which the character Gloria Clemente (Rosie Perez) passes the auditions and competes on the program.
January 19, 1993: Darryl Scott wins with $1
On January 19, 1993, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Darryl Scott became the first contestant on the Trebek version to win a game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
1993: Jeopardy! named best game show of the 1970s
In 1993, TV Guide named Jeopardy! the best game show of the 1970s as part of a celebration of the magazine's 40th anniversary.
1993: Tenth Anniversary Tournament
In 1993, the Tenth Anniversary Tournament took place.
1994: Jeopardy! called "an American icon"
By 1994, Jeopardy! was being called "an American icon" by the press.
1994: GSN reruns Jeopardy! episodes
In 1994, GSN, an affiliate of Sony Pictures Television, started to rerun Jeopardy! episodes since the channel's launch.
1994: Production moved to Sony Pictures Studios
In 1994, the Jeopardy! production facilities moved to Sony Pictures Studios' Stage 10.
1994: Production moves to Culver City, California
Since 1994, Jeopardy! contestants have been required to travel to the production location in Culver City, California, making their own travel and lodging arrangements at their own expense.
November 11, 1996: Naomi Slodki's set design debuts
On November 11, 1996, Jeopardy! introduced the first of several sets designed by Naomi Slodki, resembling a contemporary library foyer.
1996: Recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! Sketch on SNL Begins
In 1996, Saturday Night Live began featuring a recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch, in which Will Ferrell portrayed Trebek dealing with inept celebrity guests.
1996: First International Tournament
In 1996, the first International Tournament was held, featuring one-week competitions among champions from each of the international versions of Jeopardy! The top prize was $25,000.
April 1, 1997: April Fool's Day Host Swap
On April 1, 1997, Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak, host of Wheel of Fortune, switched places as an April Fool's joke.
April 30, 1997: Benjamin Salisbury wins with $1 on Celebrity Jeopardy!
On April 30, 1997, Benjamin Salisbury became the second contestant, on a Celebrity Jeopardy! episode, to win a game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
1997: Friedman, Finneran, and Schmidt Succeed Vosburgh
In 1997, Harry Friedman, Lisa Finneran (now Lisa Broffman), and Rocky Schmidt succeeded George Vosburgh as producers of Jeopardy!.
1997: Theme music rearranged by Steve Kaplan
In 1997, the main Jeopardy! theme and the Final Jeopardy! "Think!" cue were rearranged by Steve Kaplan.
1997: Second International Tournament
In 1997, the second International Tournament was recorded in Stockholm on the set of the Swedish version of Jeopardy! The top prize was $25,000.
1997: End of blue and red set background era
In 1997, the use of blue and red background colors for different Jeopardy! rounds came to an end.
1998: Jeopardy! Official Website Active
As early as 1998, Jeopardy!'s official website was active, receiving over 400,000 monthly visitors and featuring videos, photographs, and other information related to each week's contestants.
1998: Rock & Roll Jeopardy! and Jep! debut
In 1998, two spin-off versions of Jeopardy! were created: Rock & Roll Jeopardy!, which debuted on VH1 and ran until 2001, and Jep!, a special children's version that aired on GSN during the 1998-1999 season.
1998: "Jeopardy! Brain Bus" introduced
Since 1998, the "Jeopardy! Brain Bus," a Winnebago recreational vehicle, has traveled to conduct regional contestant search events throughout the United States and Canada.
1999: Friedman Becomes Executive Producer
Beginning in 1999, Harry Friedman became executive producer of Jeopardy!, and Gary Johnson became a producer.
1999: Jep! ends
In 1999, Jep!, the special children's version of Jeopardy!, ended its run on GSN.
December 31, 1999: GSN aired The All-New Jeopardy! finale
On December 31, 1999, GSN aired the finale of The All-New Jeopardy! as part of its "Y2Play" marathon.
2000: Rutter's winnings on regular episodes
In 2000, Brad Rutter won $55,102 over five regular episodes of Jeopardy!, including the value of two cars worth $45,000.
2000: Griffin's Retirement
In 2000, Griffin retired as the executive producer of the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy!.
January 2001: Jeopardy! ranked #2 on "50 Greatest Game Shows"
In January 2001, TV Guide ranked Jeopardy! number 2 on its "50 Greatest Game Shows" list, second only to The Price Is Right.
February 9, 2001: Brandi Chastain wins with $1 on Celebrity Jeopardy!
On February 9, 2001, Brandi Chastain became the third contestant, on a Celebrity Jeopardy! episode, to win a game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
September 24, 2001: Jeopardy! Clue Crew Introduced
On September 24, 2001, the Jeopardy! Clue Crew, a team of roving correspondents narrating clues in videos recorded around the world, was introduced.
November 26, 2001: Clue Values Increased
On November 26, 2001, the clue values in Jeopardy! were increased to $200–$1,000 in Jeopardy! and $400–$2,000 in Double Jeopardy!.
2001: Rutter won Tournament of Champions
In 2001, Brad Rutter won the $100,000 first-place prize in the Tournament of Champions.
2001: Rock & Roll Jeopardy! ends
In 2001, Rock & Roll Jeopardy! ended its run on VH1.
2001: Theme music rearranged by Steve Kaplan
In 2001, the main Jeopardy! theme and the Final Jeopardy! "Think!" cue, which was previously rearranged in 1997, were rearranged by Steve Kaplan again.
2001: Third International Tournament
In 2001, the third International Tournament was held, featuring one-week competitions among champions from each of the international versions of Jeopardy! The top prize was $50,000.
May 16, 2002: Cash Consolation Prizes
Since May 16, 2002, non-winners receive consolation prizes in cash: $2,000 for second-place and $1,000 for third-place contestants.
2002: Winnings in Cash
During Art Fleming's hosting run, all three contestants received their winnings in cash; this was changed at the start of Trebek's hosting run.
2002: Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch continues on SNL
From 1996 to 2002, Saturday Night Live featured a recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch, in which Trebek, portrayed by Will Ferrell, has to deal with the exasperating ineptitude of the show's celebrity guests and the constant taunts of antagonists Sean Connery (played by Darrell Hammond) and Burt Reynolds (Norm Macdonald).
2002: Rutter won Million Dollar Masters Tournament
In 2002, Brad Rutter won the $1 million first-place prize in the Million Dollar Masters Tournament.
2002: New set introduced
In 2002, another new Jeopardy! set was introduced.
2002: Record for Most Days
The record for most days with a new returning champion is 13, set in 2002 and tied in 2025.
September 8, 2003: Five-Day Limit Eliminated
On September 8, 2003, the five-day limit for consecutive wins was eliminated.
December 2003: Death of Steve Kaplan
In December 2003, Steve Kaplan, the music director of Jeopardy! who rearranged the theme music in 1997 and 2001, passed away.
2003: Tournament of Champions prize increased
In 2003, the top prize awarded to the Tournament of Champions winner was increased to $250,000.
2003: Five-Time Champion Rule
Prior to 2003, five-time champions retired.
2003: Seeding of Tournament Champions
Since the removal of the five-game limit in 2003, seeding for the Tournament of Champions is based on total winnings in regular games.
November 30, 2004: Ken Jennings' winning streak ended
On November 30, 2004, Ken Jennings' record-breaking 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy! ended when he was defeated by Nancy Zerg.
2004: Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes
From 1989 to 2004, copies of Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes aired and have been collected by the UCLA Archive.
2004: Kevin Mitnick wins 'Hacker Jeopardy'
In 2004, Kevin Mitnick won a variant of Jeopardy! called 'Hacker Jeopardy' at the DEF CON hacker conference in Las Vegas.
2004: Lidskog Leaves Clue Crew
In 2004, Sofia Lidskog left the Jeopardy! Clue Crew.
2004: Presenting Sponsor Cash Prizes
Since 2004, a presenting sponsor has provided cash prizes to the losing contestants.
November 8, 2005: Sony Pictures Releases Jeopardy!: An Inside Look at America's Favorite Quiz Show DVD
On November 8, 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released a DVD titled Jeopardy!: An Inside Look at America's Favorite Quiz Show, featuring five curated episodes and three featurettes.
2005: Cannon and Miyahara join Clue Crew
In 2005, Jon Cannon and Kelly Miyahara took over Sofia Lidskog's position in the Jeopardy! Clue Crew.
2005: Jennings won second place in Ultimate Tournament of Champions
In 2005, Ken Jennings won the second-place prize of $500,000 in the Ultimate Tournament of Champions.
2005: Ultimate Tournament of Champions
In 2005, the 15-week Ultimate Tournament of Champions culminated in a three-game final between two winners and Ken Jennings for $2,000,000.
2006: Dittmann and Schneider Become Producers
In 2006, Deb Dittmann and Brett Schneider became Jeopardy! producers, while Finneran, Schmidt, and Johnson were promoted to supervising producers.
2006: Transition to high-definition broadcasts
In 2006, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune transitioned to high-definition broadcasts, with slight modifications made to the Jeopardy! set. Virtual tours of the set also became available on the official website. The HD improvements for both shows represented a $4 million investment.
2006: Outstanding Direction and Writing categories removed
In 2006, the Daytime Emmy Awards categories of Outstanding Direction for a Game/Audience Participation Show and Outstanding Special Class Writing were removed.
2006: Seamless projection video wall replaces monitors
In 2006, the television monitors on the Jeopardy! game board were discarded in favor of a nearly seamless projection video wall.
2006: Ranked #2 on GSN's list of 50 Greatest Game Shows
In the summer of 2006, Jeopardy! was ranked number 2 on GSN's list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time, second only to Match Game.
March 16, 2007: Three-Way Tie
On March 16, 2007, Scott Weiss, Jamey Kirby, and Anders Martinson had a three-way tie for first place with $16,000 each.
2007: CBS Absorbs King World Productions
In 2007, CBS Media Ventures absorbed original distributor King World Productions.
October 2008: Cheryl Farrell Leaves Clue Crew
In October 2008, Cheryl Farrell stopped recording clues for the Jeopardy! Clue Crew.
2008: Jeopardy! music package rearranged by Chris Bell Music & Sound Design
In 2008, the Jeopardy! music package was rearranged by Chris Bell Music & Sound Design.
July 2009: Jon Cannon Leaves Clue Crew
In July 2009, Jon Cannon stopped recording clues for the Jeopardy! Clue Crew.
November 2009: Jeopardy! Premier Club Launched
In November 2009, Jeopardy! launched a viewer loyalty program called the "Jeopardy! Premier Club", which allowed home viewers to identify Final Jeopardy! categories from episodes for a chance to earn points and play a weekly Jeopardy! game.
2009: "Think!" named "Best Game Show Theme Song"
In 2009, "Think!" was named "Best Game Show Theme Song" during GSN's Game Show Awards special.
2009: Andy Richter wins Celebrity Jeopardy!
In 2009, Andy Richter achieved the highest single-day winnings in a Celebrity Jeopardy! tournament during the "Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational", finishing with $68,000 for his charity, the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2009: New set debuts at CES technology trade show
In 2009, Jeopardy! updated its set once again. The new set debuted with special episodes taped at the 42nd annual International CES technology trade show, hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada.
2009: High-definition flat-panel monitors installed
In 2009, the Jeopardy! game board was updated with 36 high-definition flat-panel monitors manufactured by Sony Electronics.
2010: Roger Craig's record
In 2010, Roger Craig held the single-day winnings record of $77,000.
2010: New set becomes primary set
In 2010, the new set that debuted at CES became the primary set for Jeopardy!.
February 2011: IBM Challenge aired
In February 2011, the IBM Challenge aired, featuring IBM's Watson computer competing against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in a two-game match. Watson won the match.
June 17, 2011: Trebek shared Lifetime Achievement Award
On June 17, 2011, Alex Trebek shared the Lifetime Achievement Award with Pat Sajak at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony.
July 2011: Jeopardy! Premier Club Discontinued
In July 2011, the Jeopardy! Premier Club, a viewer loyalty program launched in November 2009, was discontinued.
September 20, 2011: Jeopardy! Hall of Fame added to Sony Pictures Studios tour
On September 20, 2011, a hall of fame honoring Jeopardy! was added to the Sony Pictures Studios tour.
2011: Jennings won second place in the IBM Challenge
In 2011, Ken Jennings won the second-place prize of $300,000 in the IBM Challenge.
2012: Jeopardy! website praised
In its 2012 "Readers Choice Awards", About.com praised the official Jeopardy! website for featuring "everything [visitors] need to know about the show, as well as some fun interactive elements", and for having a humorous error page.
2013: No Positive Score in Teen Tournament
During the semifinals of the 2013 Teen Tournament, none of the contestants ended with a positive score, leading to an additional wild card contestant advancing.
2013: Triple Zero Loss in Teen Tournament
Following the 2013 Teen Tournament, show officials discovered a flaw after the triple zero loss happened in the second semifinal that allowed the third semifinal of the 2013 Teen Tournament to be played differently from the first.
2013: Another new set introduced
In 2013, Jeopardy! introduced another new set.
2013: Ranked on TV Guide's List
In 2013, Jeopardy! was ranked No. 45 on TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest shows in American television history.
2013: Ranked #1 on TV Guide's list of 60 Greatest Game Shows
In 2013, Jeopardy! was ranked number 1 on TV Guide's list of the 60 Greatest Game Shows.
January 29, 2014: Arthur Chu Wager for Tie
On the January 29, 2014, episode, Arthur Chu wagered to tie challenger Carolyn Collins rather than winning.
November 24, 2014: Tie-Breaker Clue Introduced
Since November 24, 2014, ties for first place are broken with a tie-breaker clue.
2014: Black Jeopardy! sketch begins on SNL
Beginning in 2014, Saturday Night Live parodied Jeopardy! by way of another recurring sketch, Black Jeopardy!, in which the host and two of the three contestants are stereotypical black Americans, with the third contestant providing a contrast to the others, and the categories and clues likewise reflect black American culture.
2014: Appearance on The Chase
In 2014, James Holzhauer appeared on The Chase.
2014: Jennings won second place in Battle of the Decades
In 2014, Ken Jennings won the second-place prize of $123,600 in the Battle of the Decades.
2014: Sports Jeopardy! premieres
In 2014, Sports Jeopardy!, a sports-themed version hosted by Dan Patrick, premiered on the Crackle digital service.
2014: 30th-anniversary Battle of the Decades tournament
In 2014, the 30th-anniversary Battle of the Decades tournament took place.
2015: Stephanie Hull Finishes With -$6,800
In 2015, Stephanie Hull finished with a score of -$6,800. Hull's episode was also notable for featuring a rare Final Jeopardy with one contestant.
2015: Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch ends on SNL
Until 2015, Saturday Night Live featured a recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch on special occasions, in which Trebek, portrayed by Will Ferrell, has to deal with the exasperating ineptitude of the show's celebrity guests.
2016: Sports Jeopardy! moves to NBCSN
In 2016, Sports Jeopardy! moved from the Crackle digital service to the cable sports network NBCSN.
October 17, 2017: Manny Abell wins with $1
On October 17, 2017, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Manny Abell became the fourth contestant on the Trebek version to win a game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
March 1, 2018: First Regular Game Tie-Breaker
Until March 1, 2018, no regular game had ended in a tie-breaker.
2018: McCarthy's Retirement
In 2018, Kevin McCarthy retired as director of Jeopardy!.
March 2019: Alex Trebek's health issues impact taping schedule
In March 2019, the taping schedule of Jeopardy! was slowed down due to Alex Trebek's health issues. The number of episodes taped per day was reduced, with some weeks having only three episodes taped in a single day and others having two episodes taped in a single day.
April 9, 2019: Holzhauer surpasses Craig's record
On April 9, 2019, James Holzhauer surpassed Roger Craig's single-day winnings record by earning $110,914.
April 15, 2019: Holzhauer moved into second place for regular play winnings
On April 15, 2019, Holzhauer moved into second place for regular play Jeopardy! winnings, behind Jennings.
April 17, 2019: Holzhauer sets single-day record
On April 17, 2019, James Holzhauer set a new single-day winnings record of $131,127 on Jeopardy!
April 23, 2019: Holzhauer became third Jeopardy! millionaire
On April 23, 2019, James Holzhauer joined Rutter and Jennings as the third Jeopardy!-made millionaire.
June 3, 2019: Holzhauer defeated
On June 3, 2019, James Holzhauer was defeated on Jeopardy!, finishing in second place. His winnings totaled $2,464,216.
June 2019: Holzhauer's Winning Streak
During his winning streak between April and June 2019, James Holzhauer regularly used the strategy of playing all of the higher-valued clues first.
August 1, 2019: Friedman's Retirement Announcement
On August 1, 2019, SPT announced that Harry Friedman would retire as executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune at the end of the 2019–20 season.
2019: Miyahara Leaves Clue Crew
In 2019, Kelly Miyahara left the Jeopardy! Clue Crew.
2019: Jennings won All-Star Games
In 2019, Ken Jennings won a $100,000 prize as part of a three-player team in the All-Star Games.
2019: Episodes taped without audience
In 2019, the last episodes of the 2019-2020 season were taped without an audience due to COVID-19.
March 2020: Taping halted due to COVID-19 pandemic
In March 2020, Jeopardy! taping was halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, episodes were taped without an audience.
May 2020: Sony announces new episodes to air until June 12
In May 2020, Sony announced that new Jeopardy! episodes would air until June 12, 2020, including the Teachers Tournament.
June 12, 2020: New episodes air until June 12
In June 12, 2020, the new episodes of Jeopardy! aired, including the Teachers Tournament.
July 2020: Classic episodes rerun
In July 2020, Jeopardy! began rerunning a package of 20 classic episodes, including the first two from the syndicated run.
August 2020: Production resumes with new safety measures
In August 2020, Jeopardy! production resumed with new safety measures in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including expanded lecterns for social distancing, limited on-stage personnel, personal protective equipment, regular testing, and social distancing measures. Ken Jennings joined production in an on-air role in 2020.
October 29, 2020: Trebek tapes final episode
On October 29, 2020, Alex Trebek taped his last Jeopardy! episode, intended for a Christmas Day broadcast.
November 8, 2020: Trebek's death
On November 8, 2020, Alex Trebek died, leading to the cancellation of Ken Jennings' rehearsal to be interim host.
November 9, 2020: First episode after Trebek's death airs
On November 9, 2020, the first Jeopardy! episode aired after Alex Trebek's death, featuring a tribute by executive producer Mike Richards and a dedication screen at the end of the credits.
November 2020: Alex Trebek Death
In November 2020, Alex Trebek passed away after hosting Jeopardy! for over 36 years.
November 30, 2020: Jennings Takes Over Hosting
On November 30, 2020, Ken Jennings took over hosting duties of Jeopardy! when production resumed.
December 21, 2020: Reruns of episodes with Trebek on location shown
Beginning December 21, 2020, Jeopardy! aired reruns of episodes in which Alex Trebek recorded clues on location.
December 25, 2020: Pre-taped episodes air until December 25
Following Alex Trebek's death, Jeopardy! announced that the pre-taped episodes were to air posthumously until December 25, 2020.
2020: Greatest of All Time tournament
In 2020, Jeopardy! returned to ABC primetime for the Greatest of All Time tournament, where Jennings, Rutter, and Holzhauer competed for a $1,000,000 prize, with Jennings winning.
2020: Jennings won Greatest of All Time tournament
In 2020, Ken Jennings won the $1,000,000 first-place prize in the Greatest of All Time tournament.
2020: Richards replaces Friedman
In 2020, Mike Richards replaced Friedman as executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
2020: Set modifications for COVID-19
In 2020, the Jeopardy! set underwent several modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a wider studio without a studio audience and new, spaced-apart lecterns for contestants and the host. The last episodes of the 2019-2020 season were also taped without an audience.
2020: Tie-Breaker Used in 2020 Greatest of All Time
In a tournament format where a player must win multiple games to win the tournament, such as the 2020 Greatest of All Time, the tie-breaker will be used regardless of the score being zero or positive.
January 1, 2021: Reruns of episodes with Trebek on location shown
Until January 1, 2021, Jeopardy! aired reruns of episodes in which Alex Trebek recorded clues on location.
January 8, 2021: Alex Trebek's Last Episode
January 8, 2021, marked the airing of Alex Trebek's final episode of Jeopardy!.
January 11, 2021: First episode with interim host airs
On January 11, 2021, the first episode of Jeopardy! with an interim host aired.
February 19, 2021: Jennings' Final Hosting Episode
On February 19, 2021, Ken Jennings's six-week stint as host of Jeopardy! concluded.
July 28, 2021: Patrick Pierce finishes with -$7,400
On July 28, 2021, during an episode hosted by LeVar Burton, Patrick Pierce finished with a total of -$7,400.
August 11, 2021: Richards and Bialik Announced as Hosts
On August 11, 2021, Mike Richards was announced as the new host of the daily Jeopardy! show, and Mayim Bialik was announced as the host for primetime specials and spin-offs.
August 2021: Stage 10 Dedicated to Trebek
In August 2021, Stage 10 at Sony Pictures Studios was dedicated in Alex Trebek's honor and renamed "The Alex Trebek Stage".
August 31, 2021: Richards Fired as Executive Producer
On August 31, 2021, SPT fired Mike Richards from his executive producer position at Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
September 2021: Mike Richards briefly assumes permanent host position
In September 2021, Mike Richards became the initial permanent host, but relinquished the role within a week.
September 2021: Richards' Episodes Aired
In September 2021, the five episodes of Jeopardy! that Mike Richards hosted aired.
2021: Amy Schneider's Winning Streak Begins
In 2021, Amy Schneider began a winning streak on Jeopardy!, earning a total of $1,382,800 in 40 episodes and becoming the record-holder among women for regular series winnings.
2021: Matt Amodio surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won
In 2021, Matt Amodio surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won.
2021: Fully synthesized theme music introduced
In 2021, a fully synthesized version of the Jeopardy! main theme, based on the 2008 arrangement, was composed by Bleeding Fingers Music and began being used.
2021: Tie-Breaking Rule Change
Since 2021, if there is a tie for the contestant with the lowest score, the contestant with the last correct question among the tied players selects first.
March 30, 2022: Release of the 1964 "test episode"
On March 30, 2022, the 1964 Jeopardy! "test episode" was fully released to the public on the Jeopardy! YouTube account to celebrate the show's 58th anniversary.
April 14, 2022: Davies Becomes Permanent Executive Producer
On April 14, 2022, Michael Davies became the permanent executive producer of Jeopardy!.
May 2022: Mattea Roach's Winning Streak
In May 2022, Mattea Roach, the most successful Canadian contestant, earned $560,983 over 23 games, ranking fifth for consecutive games won and sixth for regular play Jeopardy! winnings.
July 2022: Bialik and Jennings to Co-Host
In July 2022, it was announced that Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings would return as co-hosts of the syndicated version of Jeopardy!
July 2022: Vintage episodes to air on Pluto TV
In July 2022, it was reported that vintage episodes of Jeopardy! would air on a dedicated channel on Pluto TV starting in August.
September 12, 2022: Live studio audience returns
On September 12, 2022, the live studio audience fully returned for season 39 of Jeopardy!, keeping the modified COVID-era set.
September 2022: Clue Crew Eliminated
Beginning with the 39th season in September 2022, the Jeopardy! Clue Crew was eliminated.
September 2022: Celebrity Jeopardy! Premieres
In September 2022, the new celebrity edition of Jeopardy! premiered.
2022: Jeopardy! Writing Staff
As of 2022, Jeopardy! employs seven full-time writers and seven researchers to create and assemble the categories and clues.
2022: Amy Schneider surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won
In 2022, Amy Schneider surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won.
2022: Jacobsen Succeeded by Norman
In 2022, Clay Jacobsen was succeeded by Russell Norman as director of Jeopardy! near the end of Season 38.
2022: Foss Takes Over Producer Duties
In 2022, Sarah Whitcomb Foss took over all producer duties for Jeopardy! following the Clue Crew's disbanding.
2022: Wheel of Fortune puzzle board upgraded
In 2022, the Wheel of Fortune puzzle board was upgraded, influencing the Jeopardy! game board refurbishment in 2024.
2022: Tie-Breaker Used in 2022 Tournament of Champions
In a tournament format where a player must win multiple games to win the tournament, such as the 2022 Tournament of Champions, the tie-breaker will be used regardless of the score being zero or positive.
January 2023: Jennings to host Jeopardy! Masters
In January 2023, ABC announced that Ken Jennings would host a Jeopardy! Masters spinoff.
January 2023: Most recent renewal extends Jeopardy! through 2027-28 season
In January 2023, the most recent renewal of Jeopardy! extended it through the 2027–28 season.
May 2023: Bialik Supports Writers Strike, Jennings Steps In
In May 2023, Mayim Bialik opted not to host the final Jeopardy! episodes of the season in support of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, with Ken Jennings filling in. It was also announced that Jennings would host the second season of the new celebrity edition.
August 2023: Consolation Prize Increase
Starting in Season 40, as of August 2023, consolation prizes were raised to $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place due to inflation.
December 2023: Ken Jennings Becomes Sole Syndicated Host
In December 2023, Ken Jennings became the sole syndicated host of Jeopardy!.
December 2023: Jennings Named Sole Host
In December 2023, after the strike was resolved, Sony announced that Ken Jennings would remain the sole host of the syndicated series permanently.
July 22, 2024: Alex Trebek Stamp Unveiled
On July 22, 2024, Jean Trebek and Ken Jennings officially unveiled an Alex Trebek stamp based on the show, officially licensed by the program.
July 31, 2024: Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek channel ended
On July 31, 2024, the Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek channel on Pluto TV ended after a two-year run.
2024: Erin Buker sets record low in Jennings era
In 2024, Erin Buker set the lowest score in the Jennings era with -$7,200.
2024: Pop Culture Jeopardy! premieres
In 2024, Pop Culture Jeopardy! premiered as an exclusive show on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted by Colin Jost, it featured three teams of three participating in a single-elimination tournament where the winning team earned a $300,000 grand prize.
2024: Game board refurbished with electronic screen
In 2024, the Jeopardy! game board was refurbished, replacing the individual monitors board with a singular electronic screen, similar to the upgraded Wheel of Fortune puzzle board introduced in 2022.
January 13, 2025: Jeopardy! Suspends Production
On January 13, 2025, it was announced that Jeopardy! would suspend production due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
January 2025: Jeopardy! Suspends Production
In January 2025, Jeopardy! would suspend production due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
2025: Record for Most Days Tied
The record for most days with a new returning champion is 13, set in 2002 and tied in 2025.
January 5, 2026: Jeopardy! Records Updated
As of January 5, 2026, Jeopardy! keeps track of four records: most consecutive games won, highest regular-season winnings, highest single-game winnings, and highest all-time winnings (including tournaments).
2027: Renewal extends Jeopardy! through 2027-28 season
Jeopardy! will continue to air until the end of 2027-28 season as the show was renewed in January 2023
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