A grad student from El Cerrito, California...

Larissa Kelly

I'm Larissa Kelly, uh, from El Cerrito, California.

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

What is your most memorable moment from your run on Jeopardy!?
Um... probably, um, actually taping the shows and--and actually seeing someplace that you normally only see on a television screen as--as being a real place.

How did you react when you were invited to the tournament?
Uh, I was really happy, um, that it was--it was a really cool experience to be here, and I was really glad to be invited.

What have you learned that will help you in the tournament?
Well, I think that, look--just in terms of how to use the buzzer, um, and, y'know, how to--to try to time the buzzing--hopefully, that'll be--be useful here.

How did you master the dreaded buzzer?
[Laughs] Not really! You just press the button. It's--it's pretty straightforward.

What is the most common question people ask about your time on Jeopardy!?
Uh, usually, "Were you nervous?" Um, and, I usually say, "No", because the--the whole process is just, y'know, such a strange experience that you don't necessarily have time to be nervous while you're doing this.

Place your bets and tune in!

2024 Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament semifinalist: $10,000.
2019 All-Star Games member of winning Team Brad: a share of $1,000,000 split three ways with Brad Rutter and David Madden.
2014 Battle of the Decades invitee: $5,000.
2009 Tournament of Champions first runner-up: $100,000.
Season 24 6-time champion: $222,597 + $1,000.

Larissa was the first female champion to win more than five games. Her 6-win streak was the longest for a female player until broken by 7-game winner Stephanie Jass in Season 29. Larissa was also, when her run ended, the third-highest regular-play earner. Larissa also held the regular-play winnings record for a female champion until 20-game winner Julia Collins netted $428,100 + $1,000 in Season 30.

Wife of KJL game 70 Jeff Hoppes, and sister of Season 24 player Arianna Kelly.

Jeopardy! Message Board user name: lkkelly