Brice Sanderson, a burly high school teacher and athletic director from San Bernardino, Calif., introduced himself as the returning champion.

“How many shows have you won?” I asked. “One,” he said.

Jennings’ record-breaking 74-game streak had just come to an end. I had feared that whoever beat him would be an intellectual powerhouse, poised for a run of her or his own. Now, for the first time since I decided to audition, I thought I had a realistic chance at winning.

I had dreamed of competing in “Jeopardy!” since childhood. While working the night desk in the Baltimore bureau of The Associated Press, I watched the show regularly — not that it distracted me from my job, of course — and found that my career had helped me answer more clues than ever.

I auditioned in June 2004 in Washington, D.C. and got the call in early November. A contestant’s life is not glamorous — “Jeopardy!” doesn’t pay your airfare or hotel costs, although they give you a discounted rate at a Radisson in Culver City, near the Sony lot. Prize money for second place is $2,000 and third place is $1,000, mostly to defray the costs of travel. So the only way you can make any real money is to win.