How do the people on the jeopardy show know a bunch of random facts?

I was on Jeopardy in June of 2007 and won twice. Jeopardy contestants tend to read a lot, and we remember what we read. I've always been this way; I memorized all the Presidents in order when I was 9 because I wanted to. Then I started to read about them. Then I couldn't help learning about American history while I read about Presidents. One thing leads to another..., etc.

Contrary to what many people think, you have no idea what the categories are going to be when you get on the show, and by the time you do get on, you've already been through a couple of tests and an audition.

It's probably hard for people who aren't into that sort of thing to understand Jeopardy-contestant-type people who learn and retain all these facts, but I would be the same way if a show dealt only with sports trivia. There are people who are such sports fans that they really get into the details. I'm not that interested in sports, so I don't read much about it or know much sports trivia.

Edit: Gino, I have a job, I've been married for 30 years and I raised two sons. I have plenty of other things in my life; I just don't like to be ignorant. I also know, for example, that you meant "except" instead of "accept." If it makes you feel better to believe that smart people don't have lives, well, OK, but it doesn't happen to be true.

Philip, the initial test is 50 questions long. I took the first online contestant test they gave, in 2006. Then when I was called for an audition, the first thing we had to do was take another 50-question test. Then we played a mock game and had brief interviews as well. 10 questions wouldn't be nearly enough to sort through the thousands of people who take the test every year.

Edit: @Mymomscrazytoo - In January, you should definitely take the Jeopardy online test, then, and see how it goes.

I find that I can answer most of the Jeopardy questions based on the information given in the question. If I have just "heard of" some writer, book, movie, event, I can identify it, without actually having read the book, knowing the whole story, having seen the movie, knowing any details about the event, etc. I am well read, have a doctorate and remember a lot, but really I think that some people just naturally think in ways that fit the show's format, even if they do not know that much.

Well these so called "Random Facts" are not too random at all, they're just not to commonly known by the general public.

The contestants know these from studying a lot of trivia, and some facts the they obtain though studying common things, that scholars "should" know..

Only the best are accepted to perform on Jeopardy!. The initial test they give is ten questions long and is nearly impossible, even for people who have multiple degrees and are very smart.

I think they study for it before the show.

because they have nothing else to do accept study everything and anything that has ever existed