Jeopardy! star Mattea Roach reveals they were on government benefits and ‘not financially comfortable’ before $810K win

JEOPARDY! star Mattea Roach has shared that they were struggling to get by before their massive success on the game show.

The 24-year-old Canadian wunderkind got candid about their pre-Jeopardy! financial situation in a new video interview with the CBC.

Mattea Roach is seen during their 23-day winning streak on Jeopardy! in 2022Credit: ABC

Mattea Roach shared they were not ‘financially comfortable’ before Jeopardy!Credit: Instagram/cbcq

Mattea won $560,983, $810,000 total counting tournaments so all’s well that ends wellCredit: ABC
“I was actually on E.I. when I was taping Jeopardy!,” Mattea told the outlet on Wednesday.

EI stands for Employment Insurance in Canada, which provides temporary income support to unemployed workers.

“I had to file my little ‘no no, no, yes, no’ [form] while I was taping Jeopardy!.”

“And I, of course, got docked for being out of the country, and they asked, ‘Were you out of the country looking for work?'”

“And I was like, ‘In a sense,” Mattea joked, referring to their 2023 Jeopardy! streak, which would, thankfully, change their tax bracket.

“‘I was out of the country chasing a fortune.’ But that’s not something the E.I. people want to hear, right?”

Mattea explained their financial situation even impacted their Jeopardy! strategy, and was the reason they didn’t make risky wagers.

They admitted the “right” strategy on the show is to bet big on Daily Doubles, which they didn’t feel comfortable doing.

“So I was not in a position where I felt comfortable throwing around house money,” they added.

“Because it meant something to me, really concretely.”

“If you were more financially comfortable and used to wagering money you would just realize the right thing to do is go big.”

Fans may recall Mattea not playing James Holzhauer’s game during their initial run and famously lamenting on-screen after a correct Daily Double: “I should have wagered more!”

MATTEA’S MONEY MOVES

Mattea was working as a tutor for law students when their winning streak began in 2022.

They were a huge draw for their signature wrist flicks, tattoos, bold outfits, and knowledge base.

Mattea didn’t hide their financial status and exclaimed upon their first win: “All my student loans are paid off!”

In the new interview, Mattea brought up that moment and shared that they didn’t actually use their winnings to pay off their student loans.

When their streak ended, Canada happened to have ended interest on student loans, so Mattea said they “never” paid it off and used the money to improve their credit score.

Ultimately, Mattea won 23 games and $560,983 during their initial run.

This made them the youngest-ever “super-champion” (or 10+ game-winner) and the longest-running Canadian contestant.

TRAGIC LOSS

Mattea participated in Masters Season 1 and 2 on ABC, ultimately earning $810,000 from the show.

They nearly won Masters 2023, catching fire in the finals but ultimately losing to James Holzhauer and placing second.

The near-upset win was all the more inspiring as Mattea’s father, Phillip Henry Roach, died while the tournament was taped.

Mattea tearfully revealed the loss on stage, saying they were dedicating their performance to him at one point.

“My dad passed away at the start of the month very suddenly. He’s a huge part of the reason why I’m here,” they told Ken Jennings.

“So I wanted to in what might be my last game of the series recognize the impact he had on my life.”

“And also recognize, I was actually here at the set when my dad died.

“And everyone here, my fellow contestants- I cannot ask for better support during what was the worst day of my life. Thank you to everyone,” they said.

“Everyone who made sure I could go home and be with my mom and brothers.”

The crowd clapped and Ken said, “Mattea…” while visibly shaken up.

“Everyone here is so heartbroken. “Speaking as a dad, Phillip must have been so proud to see you play, play Masters.”

When declared the champion, Holzhauer whispered, “Your dad would be so proud of you,” as he went over and hugged Mattea.

In Masters 2024, Mattea could not repeat their success and was eliminated before the semifinals.

Afterward, they announced they’d take a lengthy hiatus from the show and likely future Invitational Tournaments on X.

“I hope to return to the Jeopardy stage someday feeling hungry to win and hopefully in a position to turn in a better performance than I did this time.”

‘DREAM JOB’

Now, the game show star is focusing on media, having announced on Tuesday they’ll be hosting a literature radio show called Bookends With Mattea Roach on The CBC this fall.

Mattea shared the announcement on their X account, writing, “Some personal news.”

They added: “I’m enough of a cynic that I gave up on the idea of a ‘dream job’ forever ago, but if reading books and interviewing authors for the national public broadcaster isn’t a dream job I don’t know what is. Bookends begins airing September 8, I am so proud and excited!”

Bookends with Mattea Roach will air on CBC Radio One on Sundays and Wednesdays at 1 p.m. ET starting September 8.