Biography
Vered graduated from Harvard College and the USC School of Cinema-Television. He took the Jeopardy test four times (in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990) before being called to the show as an alternate in March 1991. He was not used in any of that day's tapings, but he did return the next year, and became a five-day champion, with winnings totaling $96,801, second to Frank Spangenberg's $102,597. During that run, he shattered the one-day record for dollar winnings, earning $34,000 in one episode.
After his five-day run, Vered returned for the 1992 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, finishing in third place and winning $7,500.
In the 2005 Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament of Champions, Vered won five games to advance to a three-game final match against fellow Jeopardy! legends Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Vered finished in third place, earning $250,000. Of the three finalists, he was the only one not to get a bye in the tournament, as Rutter got a bye into the 2nd round and Jennings got a bye into the finals. Behind Rutter and Jennings, respectively, he is the third highest-earning contestant in Jeopardy! history, having won a total of $494,102 in his original five wins, the 1992 Tournament of Champions, and the Ultimate Tournament of Champions.
Although Vered is best known for his Jeopardy! prowess, he has also dominated in other quiz-show formats, including Win Ben Stein's Money, during which he recorded the first-ever sweep, and became the first to take home the full $5,000 of Ben Stein's money. Vered's game show winnings thus total $501,602.
In 2009, Vered became the first American to crack the top 10 at a World Quizzing Championship with an 8th place finish.
Read more about this topic: Jerome Vered
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