Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament of Champions

The Ultimate Tournament of Champions was a special fifteen-week single-elimination tournament on the syndicated game show "Jeopardy!" that began airing on February 9, 2005 and concluded on May 25, 2005. The tournament involved 145 contestants, all of whom were winners of special tournaments or past five-time champions.

The first four rounds of the tournament narrowed the field to two finalists, Brad Rutter and Jerome Vered, who then played a three-game final match against Ken Jennings, the most successful contestant in "Jeopardy!" regular season history. In that final, Rutter defeated Vered and Jennings for a grand prize of US $2,000,000 (across the 75 shows, the 135 contestants won a total of $5,604,413).

Tournament results

The tournament's twenty highest finishers are shown below in order of prize money won.

Round 3 (Quarterfinal) results

Round 3, which began on May 9 and ended on May 16, featured the "Elite 18" (Round 2 winners) competing for entry into the semifinals.

Tournament format

145 contestants participated in the Ultimate Tournament of Champions on the syndicated game show "Jeopardy!" They consisted of five-time champions and tournament winners from the show's first 21 seasons.

Contestants that were not tournament winners were invited in order of money won on the program until a full field was filled. Players who competed before the show doubled its prize amounts had their winnings adjusted as appropriate.

"Note: Totals given are from regular play, five games unless noted. Tournament winnings are included if player initially appeared in a tournament. Undefeated champions from Seasons 14-19 won cars. From Seasons 14-17, undefeated champions had their choice of one or two Chevrolet cars. Seasons 18-19 undefeated champions won Jaguars.

College Champions won Dodge cars from 1989 until 1994, Volvo cars from 1995 until 2003.

Jeopardy! went to a straight cash format in 2003 and eliminated automobile prizes for Season 20.

Contestant with bye to Final Round

As the most successful contestant in "Jeopardy!" regular season history, Ken Jennings received a bye to the three-game championship.

Notes

ee also

* Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

External links

* [http://www.jeopardy.com/ Official "Jeopardy!" website]
* [http://www.j-archive.com/ J! Archive - complete recaps of all UToC games]