Main Line's Melissa Klapper Suffers 'Jeopardy!' TOC Loss Monday

MERION STATION, PA — A local woman had her victory on the "Jeopardy!" Tournament of Champions stolen away in the game's final moments Monday.

Melissa Klapper, a Rowan professor and author from Merion Station, competed in game seven of the Tournament of Champions Monday night on ABC.

She was up against 13-time "Jeopardy!" champion Ray LaLonde, whose stint netted him $386,400 in winnings, and Hollywood actor and writer Ike Bairnholtz, who won Celebrity Jeopardy in February 2023.

Klapper ended her original "Jeopardy!" run with four-day total of $60,100 in March 2023.

On Monday's tournament game, Klapper headed into Final Jeopardy in the lead with $21,400 to LaLonde's $13,800 and Bairnholtz's $14,800.

However, an incorrect response to the final question in the category of "Ancient Roman Poets" led to her loss.

LaLonde and Bairnholtz answered correctly to the clue: "Far from Rome, this first century poet wrote, 'The leader’s anger done, grant me the right to die in my native country.'"

The correct answer was Ovid.

Klapper responded with Juvenal.

With a wager of $8,201, her final score was lowered to $13,199, putting her in third place behind LaLonde ($21,800) and Bairnholtz ($28,601).

Klapper's showing was a strong one, however.

She responded correctly to 14 questions and nailed two Daily Double questions, one of which she bet all her money for a "true Daily Double."