In the midst of the Second Chance competition on the iconic game show ‘Jeopardy!’, one contestant’s return to the stage led to an unexpected victory of the heart.
Round two of the Second Chance competition is now underway during the 40th season of ‘Jeopardy!’. The show has extended a warm welcome back to 27 previous contestants, with the weekly winners advancing to the inaugural Champions Wild Card Tournament later in the fall.
This week’s episode, which aired on Monday, featured the return of Matt Walks, a digital journalist originally hailing from Billings, Montana. Matt had first appeared on ‘Jeopardy!’ on March 18, 2021, finishing in second place with a total of $1,599 in winnings, all while tackling a category centered around clues from the renowned musician Sting.
The episode was hosted by Katie Couric, who had served as a guest host for a brief period. Her presence on the Alex Trebek stage played an unforeseen role in Matt Walks’ love life, as he explained to the current host, Ken Jennings.
“I had the privilege of having Katie as a guest host,” Walks began, “and there was a woman in Oregon who tuned in specifically to watch the show because of Katie. Even though I didn’t emerge as the victor, I received an unexpected consolation prize when she reached out to me via Twitter. Now, we’ve been dating for two years.”
In a heartwarming moment, Matt Walks pointed out his significant other in the audience, who reciprocated his affectionate gesture with a sweet blow of a kiss.
Ken Jennings extended his congratulations to the happy couple and shared some thoughts on the unique circumstances that brought them together.
“It takes a considerable amount of confidence to be watching ‘Jeopardy!’ and think, ‘I’m going to send a direct message to that contestant,'” Jennings remarked.
“She took the initiative,” Walks responded with a smile.
Despite ending Monday’s show once again in second place, this time with $15,999 in winnings, Matt Walks’ ‘Jeopardy!’ journey has been more than just a quest for victory. Notably, he had previously won $173,000 on a 2018 episode of ‘Beat Shazam,’ alongside his father, Russell Walks, who had also achieved one-day ‘Jeopardy!’ champion status on April 5, 2000.
While a ‘Jeopardy!’ win eluded him once more, Matt Walks can confidently declare that he is, indeed, winning at the game of love.
