Who won Jeopardy! tonight? May 30, 2025, Friday

A new champion of Jeopardy! was announced on Friday, May 30, 2025. Geoff Barnes, a financial analyst from Washington, D.C. and a returning champion, won tonight's high-stakes game. Geoff kept his title and added to his winning streak with skill and calm precision throughout all three rounds.

Geoff faced off against two tough opponents on tonight's episode of Jeopardy! Heather Ide from Illinois and Chad Heltzel from Colorado were the opponents. Geoff won Final Jeopardy by giving the right answer to a cleverly worded clue about fictional characters. The other two contestants also brought different backgrounds and intellectual strengths to the game.

The quiz show Jeopardy! has been on the air since the 1960s and is still one of the most popular and thought-provoking shows on TV. The show is known for its unique answer-and-question format and exciting Final Jeopardy round. Its wide range of categories and sharp trivia continue to challenge contestants and keep viewers interested.

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Jeopardy! episode highlights: May 30, Friday, 2025

Jeopardy round

The Jeopardy round kicked off with balanced gameplay across all three contestants. Geoff Barnes quickly took the lead with accurate responses in categories related to U.S. history and economics. Heather Ide showed strength in literature and wordplay, while Chad Heltzel kept pace with cultural and education-themed clues.

Geoff displayed a consistent buzz-in speed and strategic Daily Double use as the round progressed, netting early gains. Heather maintained composure with solid middle-tier scores, and Chad gradually warmed up as clues became more nuanced.

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Double Jeopardy round

The intensity rose in the Double Jeopardy round as categories shifted toward more challenging topics like World Capitals, Classic Literature, and Historical Figures. Geoff continued to extend his lead with sharp reasoning and precise wagers, particularly during his second Daily Double, where he risked and gained $3,000.

Heather made a strong push in this round, finding rhythm in Children’s Literature and 20th Century U.S. Events. Chad, though trailing, delivered key answers in Shakespearean Characters and Science in Everyday Life, helping him stay in contention.

Heather, with negatives -$3,200, she couldn’t participate in Final Jeopardy.

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Final Jeopardy round

Tonight’s Final Jeopardy category was “Novel Characters.” The clue read:

Clue: Likely a nod to the actor who first played him in 1962, this character was subsequently given Scottish ancestry by way of his father.

Correct Response: Who is James Bond?

Geoff answered correctly.

Geoff Barnes:

• Winning Score: $14,401
• Round 2 Score: $12,600
• Round 1 Score: $3,400

Heather Ide:

• Final Score: -$3,200
• Round 2 Score: -$3,200
• Round 1 Score: $2,400

Chad Heltzel:

• Final Score: $12,700
• Round 2 Score: $7,200
• Round 1 Score: $0

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Contestant Profiles

Geoff Barnes

Based in Washington, D.C., Geoff Barnes is a senior director at Capital One. He came back to Jeopardy as the current champion. With a degree in economics from Yale University, Geoff is skilled at analysing complex issues and possesses a deep understanding of financial matters.

In his early years, he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he studied how policies affect complicated financial systems. He worked at Capital One from 2016 and rose through the ranks, becoming a senior director by 2024.

Geoff is also very involved in hiring people and mentoring them, which helps shape the next generation of finance professionals. In tonight's episode, he won because he was calm, made smart bets, and had quick reflexes. Geoff has won two games and made a total of $41,001. This shows that he is a smart strategist and could be a multi-day Jeopardy champion.

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Heather Ide

Heather Ide, a paraprofessional in special education from Monmouth, Illinois, made a big impression on her first episode of Jeopardy. Heather is both caring and smart. She has a degree in English from Valparaiso University and is now a graduate student in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

As part of her job, she helps students with disabilities and encourages them to do well in school through her work with City Year Milwaukee and the Warren Achievement Center. Heather was a tough competitor because she was calm, gave clear answers, and did well in the literature and history categories.

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Chad Heltzel

Chad Heltzel, an English teacher from Denver, Colorado, made tonight's Jeopardy game richer and varied through his writing and academic background. Chad is an English teacher at DSST Cole High School. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Texas State University.

He has served as a department chair at the Noble Network of Charter Schools and as a college-level instructor in literature and writing in the past. Chad's background in different fields, such as studying biology and psychology as an undergraduate, extended his wide range of knowledge.

He had a hard time in the beginning, but he got better in Double Jeopardy!, especially when it came to the literary categories.

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How Jeopardy! distinguishes from regular game shows

The format and level of difficulty of Jeopardy! are different from most game shows. Jeopardy! is not like shows that are just based on luck or entertainment; it requires knowledge, strategy, and quick recall. The contestants don't have a choice of answers; instead, they have to write their answers in the form of a question.

There are three parts to the game: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy. Each part gets harder than the last. It's important to bet and manage your risks, especially when playing Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy.

The unique reverse-answer format of the show keeps people interested as they try to figure out clues with the contestants. It appeals to a wide range of people and rewards learning in a lot of different areas.

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Game statistics from tonight’s Jeopardy! episode

Geoff Barnes:

• Winning Score: $14,401
• Round 2 Score: $12,600
• Round 1 Score: $3,400

Heather Ide:

• Final Score: -$3,200
• Round 2 Score: -$3,200
• Round 1 Score: $2,400

Chad Heltzel:

• Final Score: $12,700
• Round 2 Score: $7,200
• Round 1 Score: $0

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Tonight's Jeopardy! episode stood out because of a close game and a Final Jeopardy clue that mixed history from literature and movies. Geoff kept his title by playing with confidence and taking calculated risks.

The final clue on Jeopardy! rewarded players who knew about culture and who could connect the dots between fictional and real-life history. Heather gave Geoff a lot of trouble, and Chad had some great moments, especially in categories with a lot of words.

Gavin Barnes is now a two-day champion. With $41,001 in winnings so far, he's starting to look like he could go on a long streak. His performance tonight showed more than just knowledge; it also showed that he could take calculated risks and keep his cool under pressure. If he keeps doing this, he could become one of the most dangerous contestants this season.

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At the end of May 2025, Jeopardy! had an interesting match with three smart and passionate players. Geoff Barnes' two straight wins show that he is in charge of the game's pace and mental challenges. Heather Ide's strong first book suggests that she might write more, and Chad Heltzel proved to be an interesting underdog with literary depth.

The final Jeopardy! clue asked for more than just knowledge; it also needed media-specific contextual understanding. Geoff's correct answer and smart bet sealed his victory and proved once again why Jeopardy! is still the smartest and most interesting game show on TV.

All eyes will be on Geoff Barnes on Monday when he comes back to defend his title after another exciting episode.