'Jeopardy!' fans are furious over Ben Chan being 'robbed' as his winning streak ends on misspelling
Christopher KuhagenBen Chan's run on "Jeopardy!" came to an end — a somewhat controversial end, we might add — Tuesday, but it sure was a memorable one.
The Green Bay resident and St. Norbert College assistant philosophy professor's time on the show began in April and stretched into May after his initial run was put on pause after a positive COVID-19 test. When Chan returned May 15, he became must-watch as he racked up win after win on the game show.
And with every victory, Chan's popularity grew online and he became a quasi-celebrity in northeast Wisconsin — and among the show's fans.
That's why when he lost Tuesday after misspelling a word by one letter in Final Jeopardy, social media was disappointed.
But fans weren't upset with Chan. They were mad at host Mayim Bialik and "Jeopardy!" for not allowing his response.
Here's a closer look at Chan's time on "Jeopardy!" and Twitter's reaction to the finish:
Chan will bring home a hefty purse from his nine wins on 'Jeopardy!'
Chan won an impressive $252,600 across his 10 games on "Jeopardy!" During his nine wins, he posted runaway victories every time. In fact, Chan made history. According to a Substack "Jeopardy!" blog, he became the first player to ever win their first six games in runaway fashion, which meant he was so far ahead that, even if his opponents wagered everything and were correct in Final Jeopardy, Chan would still win, even if he bet nothing.
But there was more competition Tuesday when his lead was just $2,600 entering the final question.
What were 'Jeopardy!' totals for Ben Chan and Lynn Di Vito?
Chan entered the final question with $17,400 and, after his response was ruled incorrect by Bialik, he lost his $12,201 wager and finished second with $5,199. New winner Lynn Di Vito, who also got the final question wrong, finished with $11,800 after wagering just $3,000 of her $14,800.
Why does social media feel that Ben Chan was cheated out of a victory?
Final Jeopardy asked contestants to provide the names of two lovers from a Shakespeare play that both come from the Latin word "blessed."
Chan wrote "Who are Beatrice & Benedict?" from the play "Much Ado About Nothing." Beatrice and Benedick was the correct answer, though people on Twitter were furious about what they called inconsistencies in the rules regarding spelling. Di Vito also spelled her answer incorrectly, though it was wrong anyway, but it was still allowed.
What does the 'Jeopardy!' rulebook say about spelling?
"Jeopardy!" has a list of five rules on its website. Some are clear — like saying an answer in the form of a question — but others aren't as cut and dried. Final Jeopardy is the only time when contestants have to spell an answer on a screen at their podium. The rest of the answers are given verbally.
As the official "Jeopardy!" website says, the game show is "not a spelling test."
"Written responses to the Final Jeopardy! clue do not have to be spelled correctly, but they must be phonetically correct and not add or subtract any extraneous sounds or syllables," its site says.
If the word is misspelled, it will be "a judgment call, but the closer you can get it, the better chance for a thumbs-up from the judges."
The time Ben Chan talked about beating Aaron Rodgers in pub trivia will be remembered
One of the most interesting facts that Chan revealed came during his first day on the show, when he told a story about how he once defeated Aaron Rodgers in trivia at a pub in Green Bay.
Talk about a flex!
Chan, however, said Rodgers came back to St. Brendan's Inn next week and enacted some revenge on Chan.
What does Ben Chan plan to do with his winnings?
He said after his first three wins that he already "splurged" by spending some of the money on a new buzzer system for a game-show style contest he puts on for his class during finals week at St. Norbert. He also bought his dogs some extra treats.
But now that he has just over a quarter of a million dollars, maybe he'll splurge a bit more.
What's next for Ben Chan on 'Jeopardy!'?
Since he won at least five games, he'll return later this year for the show's Tournament of Champions.