Jeopardy! saw a new champion take over, with Grant DeYoung winning the game on Wednesday. However, what was surprising about the new champion was what happened to him before he showed up on the popular television game show. Grant was involved in an accident and it was partially because of Jeopardy!.
Here is what Grant said happened and how Ken Jennings reacted.
New Jeopardy! Champion Gets Into Accident Before Show
On Wednesday, Grant DeYoung won the competition. He beat three-day champion Will Stewart and new contestant Kathy Olson. Grant won $25,601 in his win on the episode. This was good money for the grocery store clerk from Prescott, Arizona.
It might help him get his car fixed. In the show’s Q&A segment, Ken Jennings asked him about getting onto the show. Grant said he got the text confirming the big news on his phone while in his car (he wasn’t driving and was sitting in a parking lot). He said he got into his car after work and got into his car. When he saw the message, he said he was on the verge of tears of happiness.
“I’m on the verge of tears there staring down at it, and I got hit and ran,” Grant said, finishing his story. Ken made sure he heard him right and asked if a car hit him while he got the text about Jeopardy!. Grant said that was right., but he said he barely noticed because he was so excited.
“I had people coming up to me after [saying], ‘Are you aware you just got your car hit?’ and I was like ‘No’ holding my phone and staring at the message,” Grant said. He then said his car needed work, but he was fine and wasn’t hurt.
Grant DeYoung Takes Over As New Jeopardy! Champion
Grant DeYoung kept up the recent tradition of people losing before they can win four games. Heading into Final Jeopardy!, Grant led the game with $13,200. Defending champion Will was in second place with $12,00, and Kathy had $6,600.
J! champ Will Stewart lost Game 4 and now Grant DeYoung is a new @Jeopardy! champion with a 1 DAY total of $25,601. See ya tomorrow. #Jeopardy 📺 pic.twitter.com/rx6yA0KHX7
— Jay (@Jay_3085) May 16, 2024
The category was “19th Century Literary Characters.” The clue was “John Elwes, a millionaire member of parliament who would go to bed before dusk to save on candles, inspired this character.”
All three contestants knew the answer (Scrooge), so it was all up to who bid the best. Grant bet $12,401, which would put him $1 ahead of Will if the defending champion bet everything and got it right. Since he got the question right, Grant won. No one else could catch him, which helped crown the new champion.
What are your thoughts on Grant’s story about getting hit by a car when he learned he was getting on Jeopardy!?
