Mattea Roach wins 5th game on Jeopardy!; winnings hit over US$117K

Nova Scotia’s Mattea Roach has clinched a spot in the Tournament of Champions after winning her fifth game on Jeopardy! Monday night.

The 23-year-old tutor lives in Toronto, but she is originally from Halifax. She pocketed another US$12,600 Monday, bringing her new five-day total to $117,200.

According to the show’s stats tracker, Roach attempted to buzz in 39 times during Monday’s episode. She was successful 23 times for a success rate of 59 per cent.

Of her 23 buzzes, Roach responded correctly 20 times.

Roach first applied to be on the long-running game show in 2020. This January, she was invited to Los Angeles to tape an episode.

While Roach is from Halifax, she also has close ties to Cape Breton. Her mom is from Ingonish, her father is from New Waterford, and many of her relatives still live on the island.

"We're proud. We're really thrilled that people are getting behind her," said her father, Phil Roach, in an interview with CTV Atlantic before Monday night’s win.

"I have to tell you, I don't know how I would make it through each show if I didn't know a little bit about what was going to happen. Of course, we're sworn to secrecy."

Roach's father says her biggest fans might be grandparents, Rolly and Patsy MacKinnon in Ingonish Ferry, N.S. They’ve watched Jeopardy! each night religiously, long before their granddaughter appeared on the show.

"They have a lot of grandchildren and great-grandchildren … so, to see one of them on TV is a super thrill for them," Phil said.

Roach's father says, while she has been brilliant on the game show, there's something else he's just as proud of.

"How well she's doing with all of the attention because it's a bit of a whirlwind," he said. "It kind of can be overwhelming, and it was a little unexpected as she's won a couple of games to see how the media interest has grown. But she's really handling it well."