Stephen Webb knows what it’s like to have a watch party at a local bar, but not for a professional sports event – everyone’s there rooting for you.
And you know the outcome, but you can’t say.
It took data scientist Webb almost three years to make it to the popular game show “Jeopardy!” but thus far it’s been worth the wait.
The 38-year-old Longmont resident has won $80,631 after snaring three victories — not an easy feat on “America’s favorite quiz show.”
“Winning a game of 'Jeopardy!' is frankly quite hard,” Webb said in an interview with the Denver Gazette on Saturday. “Every single person who gets to the stage of 'Jeopardy!' has the knowledge to win a game.”
But throw in luck, chance, nerves, momentum and it’s not quite as easy as getting every answer right while sitting on the couch.
The game show has seen a bit of a rebirth after longtime host Alex Trebek died in 2020 of cancer after hosting it for 37 seasons. That year, the shows producers opened the contestant pool to basically everyone by putting a qualifying test online because the pandemic shut down live tryouts along with the studio audiences.
That’s about the time Webb’s wife urged him to take the test, since he was answering so many correctly watching at home. That was May 2020.
Many online video interviews later, Sony producers flew Webb to California to compete in December. So he’s had to keep that secret from family and friends for months.
“I’ll give credit to my family and friends, they haven’t asked” for any plot spoilers, he said.
Asked about the hardest part of competing, Webb didn’t hesitate: “The buzzer. There’s such a timing element to when the host finishes asking the question to when the light goes on to indicate time to answer. When you see players struggle sometimes it’s not because they don’t know the answer – it’s the timing. If you lose that, you have to get it back. And you have to do it on live TV while opponents continue to answer questions.
“The buzzer is the hardest and it’s the hardest to study for, too.”
He’s also had to get used to the brush with fame. He started a Facebook page for his friends and family to follow along, but he’s been getting critiqued like crazy on Twitter. Users have complimented his sweater look, and criticized the sounds he make when thinking of a final 'Jeopardy!' answer or his puzzled look at times.
“So far no one has recognized me ‘in the wild',” he said. “Like some random stranger in the grocery store saying they saw me on television.”
The game's popularity has created “semi-professional” players, with online competitions and databases and fan groups. It’s probably the reason almost half of the top 25 all-time winners have come in the last three years, according to published reports. It went from about 50,000 potential contestants before the pandemic, to a pool of 250,000, he learned while participating.
“It’s like an amateur tennis tournament where one pro player is allowed to enter,” Webb said. “The level of competition has grown.”
With the wins and the money, Webb currently ranks No. 301 on the all-time winners list, according to an unofficial online list. Host Ken Jennings is No. 2 with a 74-game win streak, tournament wins, and more than $4 million in prize money.
Webb works for an expense management and AP needs company called Emburse. Apparently his boss is a 30-year 'Jeopardy!' fan, and has been supportive of missed work and distractions.
He’ll have to continue to be supportive if the streak continues — Webb and his wife plan to travel and fix up the house with the “windfall” of prize money.
“I’m not going to lie, the money is not bad but I’d do it all again for no pay. It was so much fun,” he said. “You get to meet smart people from all over the country who have a shared passion for 'Jeopardy!' Everyone’s got a great sense of humor.”
Webb fans will have to wait until 6 p.m. MST Friday, March 10, on KDVR-TV (FOX) to see if he wins any more games.