Yogesh Raut Kills It in the First Round of Jeopardy! Masters Tournament While Juveria Zaheer Shows Prowess
- Raut’s performance left host Ken Jennings nearly speechless as he declared it the "best record" in the show's history.
In a dazzling start to the 2025 Jeopardy! Masters tournament, Vancouver’s Yogesh Raut delivered what host Ken Jennings called the “best round” in the competition’s history, while physician Juveria Zaheer demonstrated impressive knowledge in a nail-biting second game. The two competitors of Indian origin could double desi community’s interest in the game show.
The primetime event, which began Wednesday night on ABC, features nine of Jeopardy!’s most accomplished contestants competing for championship honors. Each episode consists of two games, with players earning three points for a win, one point for second place, and zero for third.
Yogesh Raut, an educational blogger, podcast host, and writer who placed second in last year’s Masters tournament, dominated the first game against Victoria Groce (2024 Masters champion) and Brad Rutter (one of the biggest winners in Jeopardy! history).
Raut’s buzzer speed and knowledge proved unbeatable as he correctly answered all 15 clues he buzzed in for during the first round – a performance that left host Ken Jennings nearly speechless. Jennings declared it the “best record” in the show’s history. By comparison, Groce answered 11 correctly with one miss, while Rutter managed just 3 correct answers with 2 misses.
Raut continued his flawless performance through Double Jeopardy, finishing the game with an incredible 24 correct responses and zero misses. His early Daily Double success helped secure a commanding lead throughout the match.
Raut has established himself as one of Jeopardy!’s elite competitors, having won the 2024 Tournament of Champions before placing second in last year’s Masters tournament. Now based in Vancouver, the educational content creator has become known for his lightning-quick buzzer skills and encyclopedic knowledge across numerous categories.
His return to the Masters tournament has been triumphant so far, with this record-setting performance positioning him as an early favorite to win the 2025 competition.
Zaheer Shows Prowess
The evening’s second game featured contestants Matt Amodio, Juveria Zaheer, and Roger Craig in another closely contested match that came down to Final Jeopardy.
With World Literature as the category, all three contestants correctly identified “Paradise Regained” as John Milton’s 1671 sequel to “Paradise Lost.” Craig, who entered Final Jeopardy in the lead with $15,200, wagered $6,001 to finish with $21,201 and the win. Amodio’s final total of $16,001 earned him second place, while Zaheer’s all-in wager brought her total to $16,000 and a third-place finish despite her correct response.
Juveria Zaheer has established herself as a formidable Jeopardy! competitor with strong knowledge across diverse categories. A physician by profession, Zaheer brings her analytical mind and broad interests to the competition.
Her strategy in the Final Jeopardy round – wagering her entire $8,000 – demonstrated both confidence in her literary knowledge and a willingness to take calculated risks. Though she finished third in the game despite her correct answer, her performance indicated she will be a contestant to watch as the tournament progresses.
The Jeopardy! Masters tournament continues with new episodes airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC, with streaming options available on platforms including Fubo and Hulu.