Be on J! Contestant FAQs

First, you must take and pass the Jeopardy! Anytime Test. If you pass the test and meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you will be placed into a random selection process for an invitation to an audition. Assuming you perform well at the audition, you will be placed into the contestant pool and could be invited to compete up to 18 months from your audition date. Making it to an audition is not a guarantee of being invited to compete on the show. 

To learn more about the process, see our other Be A Contestant FAQs:  

• Anytime Test
• After the Test
• Auditions

Applicants must meet the following requirements to meet basic eligibility:

•  Must be 18+ and a resident of the United States or Canada to apply.

The Jeopardy! Anytime Test is an entry point for anyone who wants to compete on Jeopardy! It is available at any time that is convenient for you. Passing the 50-question test is the first round of qualification. The format of the Anytime Test is the same as that of the former scheduled Jeopardy! Test that was previously offered once a year. See more about the Anytime Test.  See more about the Anytime Test.

To participate in the test, users must: 

Have a current MyJeopardy! account and have completed the extended contestant registration. Be logged in to the testing site at Jeopardy.com before the test starts.

You can submit one Anytime Test (plus one JeoparDAY! test) per 12-month period, and you have a limited number of attempts to submit a test during the test-taking period. If it has been more than 365 days since the last time you submitted an Anytime Test and you have not been contacted about an audition, we encourage you to take the test again.

Not exactly! All categories and clues will be pulled from a large database of material. Users should expect a balanced assortment of Jeopardy! topics in the Anytime Test and the clues will be delivered in random order.

The test consists of 50 categories and 50 clues, and you will have 15 seconds to respond to each clue. The test takes approximately 13 minutes. You cannot restart.

If you start the Anytime Test and close the test window in the middle of the test, it will not be considered a test submission and your answers will not be saved. However, if you’ve already completed the registration form, you will not need to re-register when you return to take the test.  You may try to take and submit the test another time, but you only have a limited number of attempts. You may not be given the same set of questions when you return to take the test.

Jeopardy! never reveals test scores. Only passing scores will be considered for an audition.

You will receive a confirmation that your test has been submitted within 24 hours of taking the test.

If you pass the test and qualify for an audition, the Jeopardy! contestant department may contact you any time within one year of your test. Those who do not pass the test will not be contacted. NOTE: Look for emails regarding auditions coming from the “spe.sony.com” domain, not from “jeopardy.com,” and update your spam filters accordingly.

Audition space is limited. A random selection of applicants who have passed the online test will be employed, and invitations will be sent out until all available spots are filled.

The Jeopardy! contestant department will reach out via email if you are selected for an audition. Within the email, a link will be provided for you to select an audition date and time.

Please add Jeopardy_contestants@spe.sony.com and Jeopardy_contestant_search@spe.sony.com to your Address Book or Contacts to ensure you receive updates in your inbox. How to update your contacts:

How to Update your Contacts:

• Gmail
• Apple Mail
• Outlook

Auditions are currently taking place in two parts, both via video conference. In the first round, qualifiers will take a 50-question “in-person” online test (in the same format as the AnytimeTest). You may be contacted anytime within a year of taking this test (if you pass and are randomly selected) to participate in the second round, the gameplay audition.

In the gameplay audition, contestant coordinators will lead the group through a brief game-playing tutorial. After the tutorial, everyone will take turns playing a mock version of the game in groups of three. At the end of the mock game, each applicant will be asked to tell a little bit about themselves: likes, dislikes, career, family, hobbies, etc. This is meant to emulate the contestant interview portion of the show. The audition will last approximately one hour. (Note that you must submit your signed application at least one day before your audition date.) 

Reliable internet access and a computer webcam or front-facing camera on your phone or tablet are required for the audition. You will receive an email with a Zoom video conference link approximately 30 minutes before the audition, which you should join at the appointed time. We suggest using a laptop for the audition, but you can also use a phone or tablet (note that you will need the Zoom app installed on your phone or tablet if you plan on using either of those).

If you have participated in an audition within the last 18 months, you may send us new contact information at jeopardy_contestants@spe.sony.com, and we will update your information in our files. (Please use this email address for contestant department communication only. For all other inquiries, fill out our contact form.) You should also update your information in your MyJeopardy! profile.

If you pass the test and do well at your audition, you will be placed in a pool of potential contestants for 18 months after your audition date. Being in the pool does not guarantee that you will be invited to appear on the show. If you are selected to compete on the show, our contestant coordinators will contact you with full details. Prospective contestants are usually notified about a month in advance of their tape date.

Currently, there are no specialty tournaments scheduled. Information about upcoming tournaments and tests for those events will be announced on the Jeopardy! broadcast, in our newsletter, and on social media.

To request audience tickets for a live taping of Jeopardy!, fill out this form. The show typically tapes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from July to May. Tickets are always free and we offer two seatings for each tape date. New dates are added as they are entered into the schedule and available times and dates are posted a few weeks in advance. If you don’t see a convenient date, keep checking back.

Jeopardy! tapes at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

COVID-19 has created inherent risks associated with being in public places and/or in proximity to others including contracting COVID-19, serious illness, death, and transmission of COVID-19.  By attending this taping, you are voluntarily assuming any and all health and/or safety risks of the taping, including contracting COVID-19, and you agree to waive any legal claims against Sony Pictures Entertainment and its affiliates arising from your attendance or that of any minor accompanying you to the fullest extent permitted under the law.

Select episodes hosted by Alex Trebek are currently available for streaming on Pluto TV.

If you would like to send a message directly to the show, use this form. Please note that while we closely monitor this mailbox, we cannot reply to every email.

We appreciate your creativity, but we are unable to accept unsolicited submissions.