‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Think Amy Schneider ‘Threw Game’ in Tournament of Champions

Amy Schneider on Jeopardy!
Jeopardy, Inc

The Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions continues with Game 6 tonight, Monday, November 21, as Amy Schneider and Andrew He are both just one win away from winning the whole competition. But will Sam Buttrey play spoiler once again?

That’s what happened during Friday’s (November 18) episode, when the beloved professor won his first game of the finals, sending the tournament to a sixth game. The finals kicked off last Monday (November 14), with He securing the first win; super-champ Schneider fired back on Tuesday while He won again on Wednesday. Schneider then tied things up on Thursday, meaning one more win was all it would take.

It looked like Schneider was about to become the TOC winner on Friday as she went into Final Jeopardy! with $15,800 compared to Buttrey’s $11,200 and He’s $6,200. Both Schneider and Buttrey answered the clue correctly, so it all came down to the wagers. In a shocking move, the Professors’ Tournament winner bet his entire $11,200, doubling his pot and securing the win over Schneider, who wagered just $1800.

The studio audience erupted with applause and cheers after Ken Jennings announced Buttrey as the episode’s winner. However, some fans on social media wondered if Schneider had purposely thrown the game to get Buttrey a win.

“Amy threw it,” tweeted one viewer, though they later claimed to be joking. However, others agreed, with one fan writing, “I kinda thought the same. I think they wanted Sam to get on the board.”

“I think there was a silent pact to make it last seven games …or it was discovered that Sam was right on the final question about the Bible and he was owed a win,” said another commenter, referring to last Wednesday’s game when Buttrey was deemed incorrect for a Final Jeopardy answer many viewers felt should have been accepted.

Not everyone agreed with the throwing accusations. “No possible way. Amy’s love of this game is too pure,” tweeted one fan. “And Andrew’s been wagering like that every game. Why do some people need to crap on every single thing?”

As for Schneider, she shared her thoughts on the game afterward, tweeting, “I have no real regrets about my Final Jeopardy wager. I think it was the right move, and would make it every time in that scenario.”

She also shared her appreciation for Buttrey, writing, “And, while I was disappointed, I was glad that Sam got a win, I think you could tell that the audience was glad as well. He played well enough to deserve a win, and he’s so charming!”

Jeopardy!, Tournament of Champions, Weeknights, Check your local listings