Dathan Trevino EDINBURG – William Yancey, UTRGV History lecturer, took home $35,000 dollars after winning the Jeopardy! Second Chance tournament in early January.
After losing his first game on the show’s Sept. 17 airing, Yancey was invited back for the second chance tournament, last year.
“I got the call I think around the first or second week of October,” Yancey said. “I had a feeling it was coming. They do a post-game interview, and [Jeopardy host] Ken Jennings told me that day. He said, ‘You know, I think you’re probably a pretty good candidate for second chance.’”
Yancey explained how his love for Jeopardy! stemmed from his unwillingness to work in his grandfather’s garden.
“I used to work with him in the summertime and he’d come in and take a lunch break at 12 o’clock and he’s right back out working at 12:30,” he said. “Well, Jeopardy came on at 12:30. My grandmother liked to watch it, and she liked me to watch it with her to see how much I can answer, and I figured out real quick that got me 30 extra minutes in the air conditioning.”
Yancey reminisced about his time with his grandmother.
“[Of] course, watching it with my grandmother brings back a whole lot of good memories and finally getting to go on the show after 40 years of watching it, it was a dream come true,” Yancey said.
Yancey’s victory also earned him a spot in the Jeopardy! 2025 Champions Wildcard tournament.
As of today, Yancey had battled his way to the finals of that tournament which starts this Thursday, Jan. 23.
The winner and runner-up of the wildcard tournament will both earn a spot in the upcoming 2025 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions which starts on Jan. 27.
