A grad student originally from Boston, Massachusetts...

Erik Nelson

Hi, my name's Erik Nelson, I'm originally from Boston, Massachusetts, and now I'm a graduate student out in Chicago, Illinois.

How many shows did you win on your first run on Jeopardy!?
I won four.

How did you react when you were invited to the tournament?
I was really happy. I mean, when I first went on the show, I--y'know, my biggest goal was to try to win one game, and I did that, so, since then, everything has been just a--a bonus. But certainly making it to the Tournament of Champions is very exciting and I'm really happy it worked out.

How did you master the dreaded buzzer?
Uh, my buzzer technique is make sure that you're using all your energy to push down on the buzzer--you don't waste any energy pushing forward. So you try to get your thumb over the top.

Will playing Jeopardy! in Las Vegas affect your wagering?
I hope not. I'm not much of a gambler, but, uh, with the wildcard format in the tournament, I think that will definitely play a role in my wagering.

What is the most common question people ask about your time on Jeopardy!?
I do get "What Alex"--"What's Alex like?", but I'd say the two most common I get are either "How much money did you win?" or "How do I get on the show?"

Place your bets and tune in!

2009 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist: $5,000.
Season 25 4-time champion: $94,404 + $2,000.