In light of recent backlash regarding contestants’ unpaid travel expenses, the long-standing game show, “Jeopardy!”, is making significant changes for its highly anticipated Season 40. With the premiere set for September 11, the show has faced criticism for not reimbursing contestants for their travel costs.

To tackle this issue head-on, “Jeopardy!” has announced a boost in prize money for second- and third-place winners. Moving forward, both second-place and third-place contestants will receive an additional $1,000, with second-place securing $3,000 and third-place taking home $2,000. This alteration aims to alleviate the financial strains on participants who have had to shoulder their own travel expenses to appear on the show.

This decision comes as a response to mounting concerns over contestants’ financial burdens regarding travel costs, which have escalated considerably following the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased expenses. Michael Davies, the executive producer of “Jeopardy!”, acknowledges the challenges faced by contestants in funding their trips to the show and empathizes with their predicament.

Furthermore, “Jeopardy!” will adopt a strategy of recycling both contestants and questions, in addition to introducing fresh ones that were created prior to the ongoing writers’ strike. This approach seeks to provide a second chance to contestants who believed their opportunity to compete on the show was forever lost. A dedicated second chance tournament will be held for players from Season 37 who were defeated in their initial game, with the winners advancing to a wild card event for champions.

The actions taken by “Jeopardy!” in response to the controversy and their efforts to address contestants’ concerns demonstrate their commitment to establishing a fair and supportive environment for all participants in the forthcoming season.