Paolo Pasco Ends Winning Streak, Looks Ahead to Tournament of Champions

San Diego, California – Jeopardy! champion Paolo Pasco‘s impressive streak has come to an end after seven consecutive wins. The 25-year-old puzzle writer was defeated by Steven Olson, a band director from Princeton, Illinois, on Friday.

Paolo’s journey on the show included four runaway victories and a total of $195,717 in winnings. Reflecting on his performance, he shared, “I didn’t think I was going to do, like, bad, bad. But I didn’t want to plan, like, ‘Okay, I got to bring five outfits, plan five signatures’ because, you know — man plans…”.

Before his first game, Paolo set a simple goal: to be “charismatic enough to go to Second Chance.” Though he will not participate in that tournament, which gives players another shot at the title, he expressed excitement about his return.

Paolo became the first champion of Season 42 to qualify for the prestigious Tournament of Champions after winning his fifth game against Susan Harris and Alex Rossell Hayes. During a post-game interview, he humorously detailed plans to use his winnings to recreate the popular music video “Here It Goes Again” by rock band OK Go.

“I recently found a note on my phone that I must have made in high school or something, that had the title ‘Things I Want to Do if I Happen Into a Lot of Money,’” he said. “Item No. 1 was to rent out eight treadmills, get three other people, and recreate the music video.”

Fans eagerly await Paolo’s next appearance on stage as he prepares for the Tournament of Champions. With his blend of knowledge, humor, and charisma, many believe his return will be memorable.