All the right questions on ‘Jeopardy’
ABQ math teacher on a hot streak on the national game show
An Albuquerque math teacher has earned more than $200,000 over a nine-episode streak on a popular game show.
Jason Zuffranieri, a teacher at Albuquerque Academy, has won nine games in a row on Jeopardy!, a televised game show where contestants respond in the form of questions to answers in different categories.
“It’s a dream come true,” Zuffranieri said. “You only get one shot at being on the show.”
After taking an online qualifying test every year since 2014, he finally passed in 2017 and was called to California for an in-person interview.
“It still doesn’t really feel real,” Zuffranieri said.
He plans to use his winnings, which total $233,243, and landed him in the top 10 all-time highest winnings list for a regular season, to help pay for a new house and his upcoming honeymoon.
Zuffranieri will face two new contestants in an episode airing Thursday at 6 p.m. on KRQE and CBS.
According to Albuquerque Academy’s website, he has taught mathematics at the school since 2013 and also coaches the school’s Science Bowl and Mathcounts teams.
“His hobbies include puzzles, trivia, karaoke and playing recreational sports volleyball and softball,” according to Albuquerque Academy.
The episodes were filmed over the summer, and he said he was very lucky not to miss his classes.
Zuffranieri has three degrees in chemical engineering, mathematics, and statistics from Arizona State University.