Jeopardy! contestant dons his Marine uniform to win big after putting his life on the line for heroi

An ACTIVE U.S. Marine officer has clinched victory on Jeopardy! Thursday night, and he boasts a winning backstory that fans may not be privy to.

Tyler Vandenberg, currently stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, faced off against opponents Ciara Donegan and Alisa Hove.

The Champions Wildcard match, hosted by Ken Jennings, unfolded on the 19th anniversary of the day his epic 74-game run concluded.

Tyler instantly captivated fans as he appeared in his full Marine uniform adorned with chest badges.

The stakes heightened as the game progressed into Double Jeopardy!, with Tyler starting at $6,200, Ciara at $6,800, and Alisa at $3,800.

Finding both Daily Doubles, the youthful gentleman placed $3,000 wagers on each, missing one and getting the other.

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When his correct answer was revealed, Tyler doubled up to secure victory with $31,600, breaking into a triumphant grin.

FANS REACT: 'LOOKING SHARP TYLER!'

Social media buzzed with excitement as fans celebrated Tyler's win, with one declaring on X (formerly Twitter): "A Hero won! Yeah!"

Another congratulated him, noting: "I'm so excited that Tyler won, looking sharp in that uniform too!"

A third, offering a strategic observation, commented on Reddit: "That was an… interesting FJ wager from Tyler," as he would have lost if incorrect.

A fourth wrote: "That was a great game, I really wanted Ciara to win since she played so well, but Tyler also deserved it, the third Daily Double and Final Jeopardy were right up his alley!"

VOLUNTEERING TO FIGHT WILDFIRES

Tyler, a graduate of American University hailing from the Washington D.C. area, is an 1802 tank officer and First Lieutenant.

He was previously stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, according to the Naval Institute.

His initial run on Jeopardy! occurred in 2020 under guest host George Stephanopoulos, where he won two games and $41,000.

In an interview segment, Vandenberg disclosed his role as a volunteer firefighter during the devastating wildfires in California that year.

The wildfires destroyed over four million acres of land killed 31 people, and cost over $12 billion in damages.

He told the guest host: “Back in the summer of [2020], the fires were getting pretty bad. Fire season has been worse every year.

"I had all this training. I was down in the Marine Corps Reserves and I wasn’t doing too much with my time meaningful at that point, besides drilling.”

"So I volunteered with the state of California to go up to the north state and be a firefighter. I got accepted, I got into the program, I got a barracks I got a team."

Despite being called for military training 48 hours into his firefighting commitment, Tyler's dedication to duty shone through.

“I went all the way up there, I started my training, and 48 hours later, I get a call from the military. They say, ‘We need you to go to training. Come down off the mountain.’”

Stephanopoulos responded by declaring: “Duty calls!”

Tyler also donned his Marine uniform during his initial run [seen above]. However, it was less decorated than it was now- and he can add the accolade of being a Champions Wildcard semifinalist.

JEOPARDY! SCHEDULE EXPLAINED

Champions Wildcard features past players from Season 37 or Season 38 getting a second shot at glory.

As Season 40 faced retools due to Hollywood strikes, Jeopardy! has relied on placeholder programming, dividing fans who want new contestants (and new questions) back.

Jeopardy! enthusiasts have expressed mixed feelings about the prolonged tournament on Instagram.

One fan wrote, "Can’t be the only one that thinks it’s ridiculous we are getting all these tournaments just to be followed by a Tournament of Champions."

Another commented: "Can we get back to regular Jeopardy now?" and a third questioned: "When do the regular games return?"

The tournament fatigue was evident, with one fan exclaiming, "The tournament is still going?!?"

The ongoing tournament began in late September, with fans expressing surprise at its duration.

While some questioned the continuous tournaments, others looked forward to the 2023 Tournament of Champions Season starting on December 19.

Despite the tournament's extended run, anticipation surrounds future events like the Second Chance Tournament (for last year's most snubbed nonwinners), Champions Wildcard for last year's best brief winners, and then, the actual Tournament of Champions.

Then there will be the Jeopardy Invitational Tournament, which will populate the next hotly anticipated Jeopardy! Masters.

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