The Tournament of Champions brings back Jeopardy! contestants who have won at least four games, and gives them another chance to prove who is the best winner from the past season.
If a contestant wins five games, they are automatically given a spot in the tournament. Those who win four games are sort of in limbo until the full season is played. If not enough players won five or more games, then some four-game winners will compete in the competition.
The tournament typically features 15 players who have won the most games from the past season. However, in 2022, the competition featured 21 contestants, with the top three seeded into the semifinals.
As Season 42 winds down, we are looking back on who will definitely be a part of the tournament and who will probably be invited. This is subject to change as there are still one and a half months of the season.
The TOC typically takes two weeks to play. It consists of five quarterfinal games with three new contestants each day. The winners of those five games move on to the semi-finals. The four players with the highest scores who did not win their quarterfinal game also move on as “wild card” players.
There are then three semi-final games. The winners from those games move on to the finals, which take place over three games. The scores from both games are added together to determine the winner. The winner takes home $250,000, while second place gets $100,000, and third place takes home $50,000.
A date has not yet been set for the next Tournament of Champions, but read on to find out who will play in it. The tournament typically takes place at the beginning of the year, in the midst of all of the Jeopardy! tournaments.
Paolo Pasco won the 2026 tournament. Scott Riccardi came in second place while TJ Fisher took third. Here’s who will, including the Celebrity Jeopardy! winner, compete in the next TOC.
Despite the Jeopardy! website having who will compete on the game show, it has a disclaimer at the bottom, saying, “*Presence on this list does NOT guarantee an invitation to compete in the Tournament of Champions. Other eligibility rules apply, and final selection is up to the producers’ sole discretion.”
Only nine people have qualified so far, so when the season ends, the rest of them will be determined.
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Mina Kimes — Celebrity Winner
Sports journalist Mina Kimes proved to be the best celebrity contestant when she won Celebrity Jeopardy!: All-Stars.
She previously competed on Season 3, where she lost in the semi-finals.
For Season 4, Kimes took home $1 million for the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. A celebrity contestant has not yet won the TOC. Could Kimes be the first?
She is also the only female to have qualified so far.
Jamie Ding — 31 Games Won
Jamie Ding, from Lawrenceville, New Jersey, won 31 games and a total of $882,605.
The bureaucrat and law student had an amazing run on the show, He won the hearts of the fans with his sweet disposition.
Let’s just hope he continues to wear orange, his favorite color, throughout the TOC games to bring him luck.
Harrison Whitaker — 14 Games Won
Harrison Whitaker, a researcher, from Terre Haute, Indiana, won 14 games in November 2025. He took home a total of $373,999.
Whitaker was the first contestant to be seeded into the TOC, as the 2026 eligibility came to a close during his run.
Tristan Williams — 10 Games Won
Tristan Williams is one of the more recent super champions this season. He won 10 games and took home a total of $221,902.
The new father was compared to Woody from Toy Story.
Williams is a data scientist originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, but now lives in New York with his wife and daughter. Can he win more money for the new phase of his life?
Chris D’Angelo — 8 Games Won
Chris D’angelo, from Washington, D.C., won eight games with a total of $194,201. The content manager was defeated by six-day champion Peter McFerrin.
D’angelo’s journey to get on the show inspired his sister, Jenn, to make a movie called Quiz Lady.
Adam Remsen — 7 Games So Far
The current Jeopardy! champion, Adam Remsen, has also qualified for the TOC.
After the game that aired June 22, he had won seven games and a total of $149,303. As his reign continues, will he become another superchampion and make it into the top five contestants this year?
Peter McFerrin — 6 Games
Peter McFerrin caught the attention of fans because they thought he had the perfect voice for an announcer of the radio. The energy industry professional lives in Corona, California now, but grew up in Indiana, which is what gave him the twang.
He won six games in June and took home a total of $147,399.
McFerrin grew up with Jeopardy! champions Yogest Raut and James Holzhauer.
James Denison — 4 Games
With only about a month and a half left in the season, there have not been any five games champions.
So, the next spot goes to James Denison, who is a four-game champion. He won $99,400, making him the biggest four-game winner of the season.
Will Riley — 4 Games
Will Riley is the eighth contestant this season to qualify for the TOC. He won four games after defeating Ron LaLonde, Ray LaLaonde‘s twin brother, in his first game.
Riley won $77,403 within those four games. Trey Hart beat him during his fifth game.
Check back to find out who will join Riley and the seven other contestants after the season ends on July 24.
