Being on Jeopardy! is nerve-wracking, especially when you win a game and the spotlight is on you. For current champion Matthew Riggle, there was one thing that calmed his nerves before playing his games.
Riggle, a community college math instructor from Madison, Alabama, won the July 23 game with $48,001. He faced off against returning champion Dean Zach, from Pearland, Texas, and Jacqueline Zeigler, from New York, New York.
He returns to the Jeopardy! stage on Friday for the final game of the season. Tune in to find out if he continues his winning streak.
Talking to 256 Today, Riggle shared that he and his fiancée had visited the Jeopardy! set last year while they vacationed in Southern California. “I think that helped keep my nerves a lot lower than they would have been otherwise,” he told the outlet.
Riggle also shared that the mock game as part of the audition before finding out if you’re chosen is another pressure point. “They know everybody in that audition is capable,” he told the outlet. “They’re looking for how do you respond under pressure? Can you keep the game moving? Are you an interesting person that would be good on TV?”
Before Riggle got on, the producers checked to see if the dates they wanted him on would work. A week later, he was formally invited to go tape. Then, a month after that, he taped his episodes. During that time, Riggle studied everything.
“My focus was less about learning new things and more just kind of refreshing what I already knew, paying more attention to current news, current movies, just different things. Trying to predict what they might ask, but the category could be just about anything,” he said.
Riggle didn’t hesitate to tell 256 Today that being on Jeopardy! was the coolest thing he’s ever done, but then he backtracked and said, “Well, I’m getting married in August.”
“It’s already a win to make it on,” he shared.
Being a fan of Jeopardy! for years and watching now host Ken Jennings historical run in 2004 was what inspired him to audition. “I’ve just always had a lifelong love of learning,” Riggle told WAAY 31 ABC. “I remember watching Ken Jennings when he was on in 2004 and just being inspired by him.”
Jeopardy!, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
