Who is Sam Buttrey? Fans can't get enough of the finalist of Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions 2022

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings with player Sam Buttrey
Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings with player Sam Buttrey (Image via @sam_buttrey/Twitter)

Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions (ToC) 2022 is nearing its end, and one of the finalists in the competition is Sam Buttrey.

The 62-year-old player first appeared in Jeopardy! Professors Tournament in December 2021, won it, banked $1,00,000, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Tournament of Champions 2022.

Fan-favorite Sam not only won the ToC quarterfinals but also succeeded in winning the semifinals. Hence, he is one of the tournament's finalists, playing against Andrew He and Amy Schneider. So far, there have been four games in the finals, and unfortunately, Sam could not win a single one.

Despite failing to bag a win, fans are in full support of the professor.


What do fans have to say about Sam’s performance in Jeopardy! ToC finals?

With his wit, Sam Buttrey has made many fans, who don’t care whether he wins or loses in the tournament.

Jeopardy! ’s official social media pages even labeled him as “the most handsome man in the world.” Host Ken Jennings was also seen having fun banters with Sam during episodes. His quirky sense of humor has helped him create a solid fan base.

Take a look at how they reacted to Sam’s performance in the finals of Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions 2022:

Sam recently made the audience laugh by showcasing his “floss” dance moves. Also, in a video interview with the show, he shared a hilarious plan to win the tournament.

He said:

“I’ve already scoped out a plan to fake a number of injuries. Because I figure Matt and Amy… those are nice people; they see an old guy suffering, they’ll stop what they’re doing and go take care of him, and in the meantime, I’ll buzz in!”

Earlier, Sam confessed that he was a huge Jeopardy! fan and wanted to compete against Matt Amodio in the ToC semifinals. His wish not only came true, but he also defeated the 38-day winner (in the November 10 episode) and earned a spot in the ToC finals.


More details on Jeopardy! player Sam Buttrey

Sam Buttrey is an associate professor of operations research at the Naval Postgraduate School in Pacific Grove, California.

As per his LinkedIn profile, his first job was as a computer systems analyst at Cowen & Company from 1983 to 1991. Post that, he has been a professor for over 26 years. Sam has a degree in A.B., Statistics from Princeton University and has also studied at Phillips Exeter Academy and the University of California, Berkeley.

Sam used to be a rugby player and was a member of the Terrace Club at Princeton University. He is not only smart and intelligent but also quite witty. In an interview, Sam spoke about his resemblance to comedian Steve Martin.

He said:

“Steve Martin is not only hilarious, he’s also a serious author and talented musician. I have been told I look like him for years, but I think I saw the resemblance most clearly on the ‘Jeopardy!’ cameras. Sadly, though, I never get compared to the famously good-looking people like George Clooney or Brad Pitt or Halle Berry.”

The Pink Panther star even tweeted about the same last year.

Speaking about the game show, Sam told Monterey County Weekly that he has been watching it since he was a kid, and his wife helped him prepare for the competition.

He is a finalist in Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions 2022 and will be seen playing against Amy Schneider and Andrew He in a new episode airing on Friday, November 18, 2022.

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Edited by Shreya Das