Jeopardy Revenue Per Episode
Jeopardy generates an estimated $5 million to $10 million in total revenue per episode when combining advertising, syndication, and digital licensing, with the exact figure varying by season, market, and distribution platform. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television and distributed by CBS Media Ventures, which negotiates carriage fees and ad inventory across broadcast, cable, and streaming partners Forbes.
Advertising revenue remains the largest single contributor, with a 30-second spot during a typical episode selling for roughly $100,000 to $150,000 depending on the time slot and affiliate market, while the show typically carries between four and six such breaks per episode. Syndication reruns and international licensing add a significant recurring income stream, as local stations and foreign broadcasters pay annual flat fees or per-episode license costs that are amortized across hundreds of episodes Sony Pictures Television.
Where the Money Comes From
Broadcast ad sales are handled primarily by CBS and its owned-and-operated stations, with the network retaining a share of the inventory and passing a portion to the production company based on the agreed-upan revenue split for the time slot CBS.
Streaming and digital distribution now represent a growing share of per-episode income, as services like Peacock and Amazon Prime Video license full seasons or individual episodes for on-demand viewing, paying either a flat buyout or a percentage of ad revenue generated on the platform Forbes.
Costs, Profits, and Final Payouts
Production costs for a single episode typically run between $3 million and $5 million, covering talent fees for host and clue crew, set maintenance, research staff, and post-production, which means the show’s operating margin per episode can range from 50 percent to over 80 percent depending on the revenue mix Sony Pictures Television.
Host Alex Trebek’s former compensation package was reported at roughly $10 million per year, which translates to a per-episode figure of around $300,000 to $400,000 when spread across the roughly 230 episodes produced annually, while current host Ken Jennings earns a comparable base salary under the deal structure Forbes.