Meet the Man Who Beat Microsoft Excel
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Most people use Excel for budgets and charts, but for Michael Jarman, it’s a way to win world championships. Originally from the UK and now based in Toronto, Michael is the reigning Excel World Champion, turning spreadsheets into a high-speed game of logic, accuracy, and endurance.
Held at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas and broadcast on ESPN, the Microsoft Excel Championship transforms data into drama. Players face timed puzzles built around games like Scrabble and Monopoly, with eliminations, bonus rounds, and live commentary creating a true esport spectacle.
In this film, Michael walks us through the world of Excel esports, how the competition works, how to train like a champion, and what it takes to stay on top of one of the most niche competitions on Earth.
00:00 - Meet Michael Jarman
00:13 - Welcome to the Excel World Championship
00:50 - The Origins of Competitive Excel
01:40 - Going Big in Las Vegas
02:20 - How the Competition Actually Works
02:55 - Puzzle Themes and Challenges
04:17 - The Spreadsheet Community
04:38 - Why You Should Give It a Try
#microsoftexcel #esports #greatbigstory #truestory
Welcome to Great Big Story - Where the extraordinary hides in plain sight. From forgotten histories and unsung heroes to mind-blowing innovations and mesmerising cultures, We’re a global storytelling collective obsessed with the extraordinary tucked inside the everyday. Our producers are filmmakers, adventurers, and curious souls who believe a great story can change how you see the world. We publish new videos every week. Please join us in exploring a world of fascinating perspectives around history, culture, technology, food, real life stories, and beyond.
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Most people use Excel for budgets and charts, but for Michael Jarman, it’s a way to win world championships. Originally from the UK and now based in Toronto, Michael is the reigning Excel World Champion, turning spreadsheets into a high-speed game of logic, accuracy, and endurance.
Held at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas and broadcast on ESPN, the Microsoft Excel Championship transforms data into drama. Players face timed puzzles built around games like Scrabble and Monopoly, with eliminations, bonus rounds, and live commentary creating a true esport spectacle.
In this film, Michael walks us through the world of Excel esports, how the competition works, how to train like a champion, and what it takes to stay on top of one of the most niche competitions on Earth.
00:00 - Meet Michael Jarman
00:13 - Welcome to the Excel World Championship
00:50 - The Origins of Competitive Excel
01:40 - Going Big in Las Vegas
02:20 - How the Competition Actually Works
02:55 - Puzzle Themes and Challenges
04:17 - The Spreadsheet Community
04:38 - Why You Should Give It a Try
#microsoftexcel #esports #greatbigstory #truestory
Welcome to Great Big Story - Where the extraordinary hides in plain sight. From forgotten histories and unsung heroes to mind-blowing innovations and mesmerising cultures, We’re a global storytelling collective obsessed with the extraordinary tucked inside the everyday. Our producers are filmmakers, adventurers, and curious souls who believe a great story can change how you see the world. We publish new videos every week. Please join us in exploring a world of fascinating perspectives around history, culture, technology, food, real life stories, and beyond.
Got a story idea for us? Send us an email at pitch [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com ?
Get exclusive GBS items from our online store ?
? https://shop.greatbigstory.com/
SUBSCRIBE: https://buff.ly/41yqVHF
NOTIFICATIONS: Make sure you enable the ? to get notified about our latest video publishes.
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatbigstory
Check us out on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greatbigstory
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatbigstory
Give us a shout on Twitter: https://twitter.com/greatbigstory
Sign up to our newsletter: https://greatbigstory.com/signup/
Great Big Story
Great Big Story is a global media company devoted to cinematic storytelling. Headquartered in New York, with a bureau in London, our studios create and distribute micro docs and short films, as well as series for digital, social, TV and theatrical release...