How to Study for Jeopardy! in 8 Steps (Pass the Online Test)

After grinding through multiple rounds across top trivia sites, I’ve put together this guide on how to study for Jeopardy! and pass the online test with confidence. Each step reflects real insights, stats, and the energy you need to prep for the big leagues.

How to study for Jeopardy!: TL;DR

Quick study tips for how to compete at Jeopardy! include:

1. Track your progress with real numbers
2. Quiz in short bursts daily
3. Prioritize your toughest categories
4. Crowdsource your question content
5. Master your ring-in speed and pressure response
6. Play with real stakes
7. Reinforce your memory with rituals
8. Review classic Jeopardy! episodes

Volley Games’ Jeopardy! is the official Jeopardy! game for Roku and Fire TV, so it recreates the flow of the TV show almost exactly, including the rules, timer, and pace of the game. 

You pick a dollar amount from a category, wait for the answer, and buzz in to respond in the form of a question. Volley Games give you one free pass, but after that, you’ll lose points for not answering in the form of a question. 

It mirrors the classic gameplay and provides a fun way to prepare for your time in the spotlight.

1. Track your progress with real numbers

Set up regular Jeopardy! practice games and make tracking part of your routine.

You can:

• Work through official online tests
• Use practice question sets
• Play Jeopardy! from Volley Games with friends
• Join group sessions on trivia platforms

Every round, I wrote down my score, misses, and weak categories. In 3 weeks, I noticed my Coryat average jumped from 18,200 to 21,800. (Your Coryat average is your Jeopardy! score from correct answers only, excluding all wagers.) Plus, I saw that my accuracy in history finally hit 60%!

Recording the numbers showed clear progress, and it helped me pick better study topics instead of guessing.

2. Quiz in short bursts daily

Consistency beats the cramming method every time. Risking mental fatigue, I attempted marathon study nights only to see my accuracy nosedive after half an hour. This was most evident in the last 15 minutes, when I missed a good portion of the questions.

Switching to daily Jeopardy! practice games that lasted between 5 and 10 minutes made everything stick better. I set a timer, put on some music, and challenged myself or a friend with 10 clues at a time. Short, frequent rounds saw my recall sharpen and stats improve.

If you play with a partner, you’ll find short games fit any routine and give everyone a chance to stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed. Calling it a “quick round” helps nervous players join in and keeps the experience light for honest, fun learning.

3. Prioritize your toughest categories first

Diving right into your weakest areas speeds up improvement. In my first week of Jeopardy! study, U.S. presidents stumped me, at 9 misses out of 10.

By listing my bottom categories and tackling them head-on, I saw my scores jump. History, in particular, went up after 4 focused sessions.

I took turns with my study partner, writing and answering tough clues, then switching roles. We found the deliberate friction made both of us sharper, and we had more to talk about long after the game ended.

4. Crowdsource your question content for broader reach

Some of the hardest Jeopardy! clues I faced came from other people's question lists. I started swapping categories with friends, and each of us wrote 10 clues for our specialty.

Over 6 sessions, the majority of my best improvements came from trying to solve someone else's niche topics. Mixing up question sources exposes your blind spots and stops practice from getting repetitive.

A couple of personal examples from my friends’ lists:

• Clue: This South Korean boy band debuted in 2013 with the single “No More Dream”.
  Response: What is BTS?
• Clue: This element, atomic number 74, is used in lightbulb filaments and has the symbol “W”.
  Response: What is tungsten?

Create a shared doc, trade lists weekly, and you’ll never get stuck reviewing the same material twice. Honestly, it makes your study routine a whole lot more interesting.

For a change of pace, I’d jump into a round of Volley Games’ Jeopardy! with friends after study blocks. Playing in a casual, game-show setting stopped my mind from getting burned out when the solo drills felt too intense.

5. Master your ring-in speed and pressure response

For Jeopardy! prep, fast recall matters as much as knowing the right answer. I started timing each question in my solo drills, giving myself 8 seconds max to respond.

Stacking a bunch of “speed rounds” every evening helped my average drop from 4 seconds to 2 in only 2 weeks. Sometimes I’d use online practice tests with timers or run a stopwatch myself to mimic the game’s buzzer rhythm.

Playing lightning rounds with a friend in Volley Games’ Jeopardy! added a fun spin and let me practice under pressure without burning out. Anytime you force a quick response, you’re prepping for the real game’s intensity, building nerves of steel and a sharper mind.

6. Play with real stakes to boost motivation

Real rewards amplify every round, and in my house, I was able to add stakes while playing Jeopardy! with my girlfriend. We mostly kept things light, with the winner choosing dessert and the loser doing dishes.

We've done it so often that my girlfriend started quizzing herself during lunch just to keep up. To make things interesting, I promised a little reward when one of us hit a score goal:

• Winner picked the dinner takeout spot
• Loser had to make breakfast the next morning
• Record-breaker got to choose our weekend movie
• Anyone who aced a tough category earned bragging rights (and got to post about it first)

People play harder, remember more, and actually care about improving when the stakes are real. Adding these mini challenges turns basic study sessions into something you’ll strive to win.

7. Reinforce your memory with rituals

Before a quiz, I’d brew coffee and play my favorite playlist to set the mood. After each round, I wrote down my weakest topics and challenged myself to improve them that week.

Setting goals (like “crack 5 new categories by Sunday”) kept things focused and fun. Sometimes I invited friends to join for a single session, just to get fresh clues and honest feedback.

When I kept the routine simple and intentional, my nerves settled, and my confidence built with every game. Making habits out of studying can turn Jeopardy! prep into something you’ll actually look forward to.

8. Review classic Jeopardy! episodes

I made a point of studying at least 2 episodes a day, logging more than 60 before the online test.

With every show, I:

• Scribbled notes
• Matched my answers to the contestants
• Looked for patterns in wagering, categories, and champion strategies

Noticing how the best players worked through tough clues and risked big bets taught me planning skills I’d never learned from practice questions alone.

Use Volley Games’ Jeopardy! for next-level prep

Anyone wondering how to study for Jeopardy should try the Volley Games app on their Samsung or LG smart TV. Our officially licensed Jeopardy! makes it easy to get authentic practice and unwind at the same time. The game responds to voice commands, so giving an answer feels just like standing at a real podium.

It's a much-needed break from solo drills, so you can challenge friends or family and enjoy the game as a fun way to prep. Even if all you do is log in for a quick session, you’ll get hands-on experience with real clue formats.

Looking for more engaging and competitive games? Check out some titles from our lineup:

• Wheel of Fortune tests your puzzle skills with action that rivals the show
• 20 Questions turns classic guessing into a fast-paced, voice-driven game with clever twists
• Song Quiz brings music trivia to life by challenging you to name that tune before anyone else

Volley Games on your smart TV offers a 7-day free trial, so you can easily try out all these favorites and see which ones match your mood.

FAQs

How can I improve at Jeopardy! categories that stump me?

To improve at Jeopardy! categories that stump you, list your weakest topics, and then double study time on those after each session. Tracking which categories tripped me up helped me know exactly where to focus.

How often should I run practice games to prep for the online test?

You should run practice games 4 or 5 times a week to prep for the online test. That schedule helped me memorize facts and gave me constant exposure to different question styles.

Do I need to watch old episodes to get ready for Jeopardy!?

No, you don’t need to rewatch old Jeopardy! episodes to get ready for the real thing, but it helps. I watched old episodes, and it helped me spot common clues and real contestant strategies. I saw better results after bingeing past games and timing my own answers along with the show.

What’s the best way to track my study progress for Jeopardy!?

The best way I’ve found to track Jeopardy! study progress is by keeping a spreadsheet of scores, misses, and categories. That visual proof makes it clear when my practice routine pays off.

Where can I find the Volley Games app?

You can easily find the Volley Games app on your Samsung or LG smart TV, as well as the Roku and Amazon Fire TV platforms. Just search for “Volley,” and you’ll be ready to start playing interactive, voice-command games like Jeopardy!, 20 Questions, and more.

How do I make practice less boring and more competitive for Jeopardy!?

To make practice less boring and more competitive for Jeopardy!, I add small rewards for high scores and let the top player pick the next category. When I play Jeopardy! with Volley Games, the buzzers and streaks make each round feel like the real show and keep me looking forward to the next session.