Meet Matthew: WKU grad is a two-time ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion, looks to continue winning this fall
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A Western Kentucky University graduate is now a two-time “Jeopardy!” champion.
Matthew Riggle, a community college math instructor from Madison, Alabama, won two games on the Alex Trebek Stage and finished his second victory with $64,400 in total winnings.
Riggle said his journey to “Jeopardy!” began with a lifelong love of learning.
“I’ve always been kind of naturally curious,” Riggle said. “I always enjoyed learning about different things.”
Riggle said he grew up watching “Jeopardy!” and remembers watching Ken Jennings’ run as a contestant.
That curiosity also followed him to Western Kentucky University, where he competed on the Quiz Bowl team. Riggle said his time at WKU helped prepare him for the show.
“Kentucky has always been kind of a second home,” Riggle said. “I definitely can attribute my education at WKU to helping me prepare.”
About a month before taping, Riggle began preparing more intentionally by studying past episodes and familiarizing himself with categories that frequently appear on the show.
He said his preparation was a mix of studying and drawing on knowledge he had built up over the years.
Riggle won his first game, but he didn’t have much time to celebrate before returning to the studio for his second game.
“Jeopardy tapes five episodes a day at the studio,” Riggle said. “I don’t think I had enough time for it to really sink in before I was back out there playing my second game.”
During his second game, Riggle built a significant lead before heading into Final Jeopardy!.
The final category was authors. Riggle wrote down Charlotte Brontë, correctly identifying the author who sometimes signed letters “Charles Thunder.”
He wagered $23,801, bringing his total to $48,001 and making him a two-day champion. Combined with his first win, Riggle finished his two-game run with $64,400.
Riggle said winning was part of a dream to appear on “Jeopardy!,” but he tried to focus on enjoying the experience and not worrying about what he couldn’t control.
“It’s just been a dream to appear on ‘Jeopardy!’” Riggle said. “I was really just trying to focus on just enjoying the experience.”
Now, he hopes his story encourages others to keep learning.
“Just always stay curious about anything,” Riggle said. “Trying to expose yourself to as many areas of the world and areas of knowledge as you can is kind of the key.”
Riggle’s next “Jeopardy!” appearance is scheduled for Sept. 14.
Viewers in the Bowling Green area can watch “Jeopardy!” at 4 p.m. on WNKY CBS 40.
