Last night (7/17/24), Amarillo, Texas was in the spotlight once again on the iconic TV gameshow, Jeopardy! Amarillo is no stranger to showing up as part of an answer on the hit show, but this time we were on the opposite side of the stage. Last night, one of Amarillo's own took on the current champion.

Nella Ballauer From Amarillo, Texas Appears On Jeopardy!

Last night, reigning champ Jay Fisher fought to keep his spot behind the buzzer on Jeopardy! against Zach Eckstein, a law clerk from New York, and Nella Ballauer. Nella is a church secretary from Amarillo, Texas.

You could say it was a tough night for all three contestants at times. There were plenty of missed questions, and the final clue of the night resulted in a triple stumper. At the end of the opening round, Nella would find herself in last place with $0. She would fight her way back to second place heading into the final with $3,600.

Nella Pulled Off A Second Place Finish With $1

Final Jeopardy! was tough on all three contestants. Not a single one of them got the question right. The clue came from a 1980 award-winning novel that went on to become a movie starring Robin Williams. Nella bet $3,599 of her $3,600 leaving her at the end with $1. It would be enough to take a second-place finish, though, as Zach bet everything and got the answer wrong. Jay Fisher took the win with $14,400.

I'm proud of Nella for taking a shot at Jeopardy! and coming away with second place. It's even more impressive that she did it with $1. Knowing that Zach would probably bet the farm, it was a gutsy play that paid off. Well played, Nella, and congrats.

Every Time Jeopardy! Asked a Question About Amarillo

Amarillo might not be a bustling urban metropolis, but it most certainly is full of quirky characters, unexpected treasures, and historical gems that fly under the radar. It should really be no surprise that our fair Yellow City has popped up more than a few times on Jeopardy!

What's that? How many times is "more than a few times"? Well, take al look and see for yourself.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark

25 Songs that Mention Amarillo

Even though Amarillo is a small city, it is a city that is used in many songs, and through many genres.

It's always fun to hear your city in a song.

Here are a list of songs that include Amarillo in the lyrics.

Gallery Credit: Lori Crofford

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