<\/p>\n
On Tuesday\u2019s heated episode of Jeopardy!<\/a>,<\/em> returning champion Aaron Levine faced off against a peanut butter enthusiast and an Olympian in a bid to hold on to his title \u2014 and he succeeded, bringing his two-day total to $28,999. But if Levine looks familiar to viewers, there\u2019s a good reason.<\/p>\n The sports director at KCPQ Fox 13 in Seattle, Washington, is no stranger to the small screen. In addition to his work as a sports anchor, Levine was once a standout contestant on the ESPN reality competition Dream Job<\/em>, which aired from 2004 to 2006.<\/p>\n At just 21 years old and a senior at Stanford University, Levine competed on the show, which sought to discover the next SportsCenter anchor, an early sign of the broadcasting career that would follow.<\/p>\n Chosen from more than 30,000 applicants of all ages, Levine made it to the final round. However, he didn\u2019t fare as well on Dream Job<\/em> as he did on Jeopardy!<\/em> as he reached the final two but was ultimately eliminated by a viewer poll, with his competitor Mike Hall becoming the show\u2019s first-ever winner.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I got second place and didn\u2019t win, I go back to school,\u201d Levine said in an interview with The Acorn<\/em><\/a> back in 2004. \u201cIt might have been a blessing in disguise. Now I won\u2019t have that hanging over my head. I\u2019ll hopefully get my degree in June.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Later that year, Levine landed a job at KBAK CBS in Bakersfield, California, as a sports anchor and reporter \u2014 a move that set him on the path to his current gig in Seattle.<\/p>\n While talking to Jeopardy!<\/em> host Ken Jennings<\/a>, Levine joked, \u201cIt was my senior year in college. I joked that the winner got a brand new contract with ESPN, and I got a bus ticket to Bakersfield, California for my first job.\u201d<\/p>\n It is no small task to compete on Jeopardy!<\/em>, and Levine has an old-school study method that serves him well.\u00a0While chatting with Good Day Seattle<\/em><\/a>, he explained he uses shoeboxes full of index cards that he\u2019s filled over the years to help study trivia.<\/p>\n \u201cI joked that if I was going to lose, all the prize money would probably would have covered the money that I spent on shoeboxes and index cards over the last six and a half years or so,\u201d said Levin. \u201cWhenever I get something wrong on Jeopardy!<\/em>, or in a trivia match, and I miss a question, I make another card on that topic. So I acquired these all over time.\u201d<\/p>\n To back up the claim, the Jeopardy!<\/em> champ posted a pic of his many boxes filled with index cards. In the post on X<\/a> (formerly Twitter), Levine wrote<\/a>: \u201cNo spoilers, but since I discussed the flashcards on #Jeopardy tonight, here is my collection as of this May. Unlike Anki decks (a #trivia flashcard app on your phone), you\u2019ll notice check-in\/check-out logs on each of the boxes, almost like library books.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome boxes I\u2019ve had forever and only need to be reviewed every few months. The newest ones I have to go over every week or two. And the more I have\u2026well\u2026the harder it is to keep up! The second photo is what I brought to Detroit with me for the [American League Division Series]. Came in handy during the long rain delay\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n On Wednesday, October 29, the former reality show star will attempt to hold on to his \u201cchamp\u201d title as he goes head-to-head with HR administrator Eli Bondar and attorney Katie Mantoan, aiming to add to his two-day total of $28,999.<\/p>\n