Ben Affleck wins $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Ben Affleck wins million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire after correctly answering the $1 million question with Jeopardy! champ Jamie Ding. The Season 5 Episode 2 ABC special aired at 8 p.m. ET, with winnings going to Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative — nearly a year after Matt Damon did the same.
Key Takeaways
- Affleck and Jamie Ding took the top prize on Season 5, Episode 2 of ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
- The win comes almost exactly one year after Matt Damon and Ken Jennings hit the same jackpot for charity.
- Prize money benefits Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative.
- They locked in host Jimmy Kimmel's lifeline guess on a presidential turkey-pardon question.
- They are the fifth winners of the show during Kimmel's tenure, which began in April 2020.
According to Variety, Affleck has joined the short list of celebrity Millionaire winners, leaning on Ding's trivia prowess much as Damon leaned on Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings a year earlier.
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How did Ben Affleck win the $1 million?
On the final question, Affleck and Ding had to identify which turkeys were not pardoned by a U.S. president. The options were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.
Unsure, they used a lifeline to ask host Jimmy Kimmel, who admitted he was not 100% sure but guessed Spaghetti & Meatball. They then phoned Ding's longtime trivia partner Stephen Morrison, who did not know and declined to guess.
Affleck urged the team to trust Kimmel. "I would bet on Jimmy," he said. "I would go for it." Ding locked in the answer as Kimmel joked about a stomach ache. Spaghetti & Meatball was correct, and confetti fell as Affleck and Ding celebrated in shock.
Where does the prize money go?
The $1 million from Affleck and Ding's victory will go toward Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative. Variety describes it as the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making organization dedicated to supporting people living in that African region.
Damon's earlier win with Jennings was also for charity, matching Affleck's decision to steer the jackpot toward a cause rather than personal cash.
Who else has won under Jimmy Kimmel?
Affleck and Ding are the fifth winners during Kimmel's run as host, which began in April 2020. David Chang was first in November 2020, followed by Ike and Alan Barinholtz in August 2024, Damon and Jennings in July 2025, and The Office stars Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery in September 2025.
In July, Kimmel told Variety he was unsure Affleck knew he had been paired with a champion when he agreed to appear. Once told, Affleck seemed surprised and delighted — and, Kimmel added, prepared to compete on his own. "He's very smart, that Ben Affleck."