An associate dean at the University of Winnipeg Library is $11,400 wealthier after showcasing her trivia skills on one of the world’s most famous game shows — and she’s going back for more.
Emma Hill Kepron, a lifelong Jeopardy! fan, was the winner on Thursday’s broadcast, and will be back on TV defending her title Friday.
Hill Kepron told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg that she filled out an application online to compete on the Los Angeles-based quiz show and was surprised to receive a response.
“On their website, there is a test you have to take, and if you pass that and you’re lucky enough to get the call, they will email you and say, ‘do you want to do an audition?'”
“Then you do an audition over Zoom. If you get past that, they’ll say, ‘can you come to Los Angeles?'”
Hill Kepron took the trip and finished on top in her first game, despite flubbing the ‘Final Jeopardy’ question. All three contestants got it wrong, but Hill Kepron made the most conservative wager of the group and carried the day.
“It was a little bit strategic and a little bit lucky, because I wasn’t super confident about that category,” she said.
“I was a bit conservative with my wagering, and that worked out well for me — I didn’t actually believe I had won until (host Ken Jennings) said it out loud.”
Because Jeopardy! episodes are pre-taped, Hill Kepron has had to stay quiet about her results since originally participating in the game in February. She also has to remain tight-lipped about whether — and how much — she won on any subsequent episodes.