Ryan Long doesn't have the background most people expect for a jeopardy champion. When his father passed away before his senior year in high school, he had to move to Philly to live with his mother, and due to those difficulties he barely graduated from high school.
He eventually attended community college for a year but dropped out for work. Ryan carved out a career as a Paratransit driver for SEPTA. He was unable to return to school but fed his intellectual interests with avid reading, becoming a big Homer and Jack Kerouac fan.
In January 2021, it all changed. Ryan got hit by Covid-19 and was hospitalized for several weeks. At one point doctors doubted that he would survive. When he returned to work, he found that he no longer had the stamina to perform his job. Ryan lost his career and became an Uber driver to make ends meet and provide for his 7-year-old son. For the next year he was living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Just before he came down with Covid, Ryan had sent in an application for Jeopardy and passed the qualifying test. 16 months later, Jeopardy came calling. He had to get help just to afford the plane ticket from Philly to LA. He brought his only two dress shirts with him, and in the rush he forgot to bring his glasses (leading to the famous squint his fans noticed immediately). Watching other contestants practicing with flashcards or reading books on buzzer strategy, Ryan worried that he might be out of his depth.
He had no need to worry. On his first day, Ryan faced back-to-back returning champ Daniel Nguyen, a high school math teacher. Long pulled out the win with a correct answer in Final Jeopardy:
251 correct answers later, Ryan is on an incredible streak. He's taken out software developers, museum educators, corporate executives, doctors, authors, law students, post-docs, professors, and trial lawyers.
www.phillyvoice.com
On Friday Ryan's 11th consecutive win was televised, bringing him up to $209,300 in total earnings. He's now just two wins away from tying the longest-ever jeopardy winning streak for a black contestant.
With the 4th-longest streak of the season, Ryan has already qualified for the Tournament of Champions and its $250,000 grand prize.
He eventually attended community college for a year but dropped out for work. Ryan carved out a career as a Paratransit driver for SEPTA. He was unable to return to school but fed his intellectual interests with avid reading, becoming a big Homer and Jack Kerouac fan.
In January 2021, it all changed. Ryan got hit by Covid-19 and was hospitalized for several weeks. At one point doctors doubted that he would survive. When he returned to work, he found that he no longer had the stamina to perform his job. Ryan lost his career and became an Uber driver to make ends meet and provide for his 7-year-old son. For the next year he was living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Just before he came down with Covid, Ryan had sent in an application for Jeopardy and passed the qualifying test. 16 months later, Jeopardy came calling. He had to get help just to afford the plane ticket from Philly to LA. He brought his only two dress shirts with him, and in the rush he forgot to bring his glasses (leading to the famous squint his fans noticed immediately). Watching other contestants practicing with flashcards or reading books on buzzer strategy, Ryan worried that he might be out of his depth.
He had no need to worry. On his first day, Ryan faced back-to-back returning champ Daniel Nguyen, a high school math teacher. Long pulled out the win with a correct answer in Final Jeopardy:
251 correct answers later, Ryan is on an incredible streak. He's taken out software developers, museum educators, corporate executives, doctors, authors, law students, post-docs, professors, and trial lawyers.
Ryan Long's run as 'Jeopardy!' champion reaches 11 games
With his most dramatic win on Friday night, the Mount Airy resident, who works as a rideshare driver, has won more than $209,000
www.phillyvoice.com
On Friday Ryan's 11th consecutive win was televised, bringing him up to $209,300 in total earnings. He's now just two wins away from tying the longest-ever jeopardy winning streak for a black contestant.
With the 4th-longest streak of the season, Ryan has already qualified for the Tournament of Champions and its $250,000 grand prize.
