Jeopardy! podium secrets revealed – Inside why there are little white lights & trick to make contestants SAME height

NOT even the biggest Jeopardy! fan might know these insider secrets about the show’s iconic stage. 

Everyone knows about the podiums and gameboard, but if you look closely there is a little TV magic behind the scenes that you might have never noticed.

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As it was revealed Ken Jennings will return to hosting duties after viewers slammed Mayim Bialik over her on-air blunders, here are some secrets from behind the scenes that not everyone knows.

CONTESTANT PODIUM RISERS

What viewers watching at home can’t see are the risers on the podiums to make the contestants similar in height. 

According to the Jeopardy! website, this is done so the camera doesn’t have to keep constantly readjusting between each contestant, making for a seamless viewing experience.

This also keeps viewers at home from getting nauseous. 

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CLUE SCREEN MONITOR

Contestants can read the clues on the gameboard from their podiums as the host reads it aloud.

However, a clue will sometimes be in visual form, meaning a special monitor might be used.

The visual clues allow contestants to decipher anything from a photo of a celebrity to an excerpt from a Broadway musical.

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PODIUM INDICATOR LIGHTS

As the host finds and reads clues during a rapid-fire game, the podiums have a small visual clue to help them keep track of who picks the next clue.

A little white light in the lower-left corner helps the host figure out who answered the last clue correctly.

GAMEBOARD SIGNAL LIGHTS

Right after a clue is read, contestants are alerted to the signal lights around the gameboard, telling them they can buzz in and respond.

If a contestant buzzes in before the signal is given, they will get locked out for a quarter of a second.

According to the website, this is enough time for the contestant to lose the first ring-in to another player.

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