‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Ryan Long on His Epic Winning Streak: ‘I’m Waiting for the Punchline’
Philly native Ryan Long is knocking on the door of $300,000 in winnings after his 16th consecutive win on Jeopardy! Now on the coveted Leaderboard of Legends, Long admits he’s still coming to terms with his success at the quiz board.
Ryan Long ranks in ‘Jeopardy’s’ Leaderboard of Legends
Long joined the esteemed roster of “Legends”, now ranking ninth for most consecutive wins. The list includes Jeopardy! record-breakers Mattea Roach, Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, James Holzhauer, and Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings. The rideshare driver is still getting used to the impressive moniker.
“Every time I hear it, it sounds like I’m waiting for the punchline,” Long said of being on the Leaderboard of Legends, according to Jeopardy.com. “A legend? A legend is a nice title.”
Referencing his predecessors, Long expressed his appreciation for being grouped amongst the Jeopardy! champs.
“I’m not like a sentimental guy, but it feels like an honor,” Long remarked. “All those great champs, it’s crazy for me to think that my name is going to be among that [type of] company. But it’s really cool.”
‘Jeopardy!’ champ doesn’t follow a strategy at the quiz board
Long has aced several full categories throughout his Jeopardy! winning streak and impressed viewers with his breadth of knowledge. He admits to a more off-the-cuff approach to the game rather than a preplanned strategy.
“I’d be lying if I said I had any kind of plan,” Long explained. “The situation that I find myself in each game, [I] just play it however it calls for it.”
The Philadelphia resident attributed his trivia expertise to a natural curiosity of various topics he’s acquired over the years.
“You go through life learning different things,” Long shared. “Maybe the things that you are into are not the things that other people are into. And those things they change you, and they make you think in different ways. I think they’re important… It’s just nice to have an outlet for them, finally.”
Ryan Long has a ‘Jeopardy!’ fan following
Long has spoken of his 8-year-old son Nathan during Jeopardy’s Q&A segment and recently shared some potential travel plans.
“He wants to come to California, he wants to go to the theme parks,” Long said of his son, as reported by The Sun. “The best thing is, I have time to do these things with him now. I don’t have to, you know, work and say ‘I can’t do it,’ now we can just go wherever we want.”
Jeopardy! viewers cannot get enough of the down-to-earth quiz whiz and continue to post their support on social media.
“Ryan by far is my favorite!!! Love how knowledgeable and humble Ryan is… so refreshing 😍,” a fan wrote on Jeopardy‘s Instagram account.
“What a joy it is to watch Ryan play the game. He is so knowledgeable and humble. We need more people like him 👏👏👏” another posted.
“He’s awesome. Smart and humble. Favorite contestant ever by a very wide margin,” a viewer commented.
“We love watching you! You are so smart! Your son must be proud of you!” a follower cheered.
Long attempts his 17th consecutive win on Jeopardy! on June 6.
