Mississippi native comes from behind to become two-day Jeopardy! champion. Watch him win Final Jeopardy here.

Published 11:15 am Friday, April 11, 2025

A Tupelo native continues to make Mississippi proud with his impressive performance on the iconic TV game show Jeopardy!

Andrew Hayes, originally from Tupelo and a former University of Mississippi student, secured his second consecutive victory on Thursday, becoming a two-day champion with total winnings of $45,401.

Hayes staged a dramatic comeback in Final Jeopardy, where the category was “World Museums.” The clue: Located on Cromwell Road and home to more than 2.8 million objects, it bears in part the name of a cousin of a British queen. Hayes correctly answered “The Victoria and Albert Museum,” referencing Queen Victoria and her husband (and cousin) Prince Albert. His strategic wager of $7,201 pushed his total to $20,201—just one dollar ahead of Dave Widmayer, a trivia host and chemist from Portland, Oregon, who was leading before the final round. Widmayer answered incorrectly, dropping to second place.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Kat Donahoe, a chemist from Modesto, California, also missed the Final Jeopardy question, wagering almost everything and finishing in third.

Hayes, currently a law student living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will return to the Jeopardy! stage for a third game as he looks to extend his winning streak.