Capt. Tyler Vandenberg plays for a spot in the final round of the Champions Wildcard "Jeopardy" tournament on Dec. 13, 2023. He went on to win and will have a shot at a $100,000 prize. (Jeopardy)
Marine intelligence officer Capt. Tyler Vandenberg put his intellect on full display Wednesday, cruising past his opponents during a semifinal match of “Jeopardy.”
Vandenberg, who is based in Stuttgart, Germany, earned a spot in the popular game show’s “Champions Wildcard” final stage by winning $68,400 in two commanding victories.
Heading into the final Jeopardy round, Vandenberg held a $7,800 lead when the “movie musical” category appeared.
Host Ken Jennings read the final answer: “Of the musicals to win an Oscar for best picture, one of the two with one-word titles based on and named for literary characters.”
Vandenberg remained stoic while his answer, “What is Oliver!” was read from the screen. Only after his correct answer was shown did his smile appear, while revealing he wagered his entire sum of $18,400, earning him $36,800 on the day.
Vandenberg is no stranger to the game show, having previously appeared as a first lieutenant in July 2021 , when he went on to win $41,400 as a two-day champion.
The winner of the group stage will receive a $100,000 prize and advance to the show’s Tournament of Champions. The first final round of the group stage is slated for Friday and the second final round is Monday.
