Ben Affleck wins $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding secured a $1 million prize on the U.S. version of *Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?*, with the win tied to a charity donation and a lighthearted exchange involving late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The victory, which aired on July 29, 2026, marked the culmination of a high-stakes game show journey that blended pop culture humor, historical trivia, and a nod to political humor.

The pair entered their second episode with two questions remaining, facing a $500,000 challenge about a scientific achievement. The question asked, “What achievement occurred just two months after a New York Times article said it wouldn’t happen for ‘one million to ten million years’?” Options included splitting the atom, cloning a mammal, the first airplane flight, and the polio vaccine. Affleck and Ding debated, using their 50/50 lifeline to narrow the choices to splitting the atom and the first airplane flight. They opted for the latter, a decision Affleck later attributed to a vague memory of the Wright brothers’ 1903 flight, which he recalled as “a time in my life where I spent time looking up examples that the press got things wrong.”

The $1 million question, however, proved more contentious. It asked, “In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. President?” The options were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball. Affleck initially suggested using their Phone-a-Friend lifeline, but host Jimmy Kimmel reminded them of the Ask-the-Host option. Kimmel, known for his late-night political humor, quipped, “I don’t have to give you any of my f — ing thoughts, if you don’t want,” before joking about the Spaghetti & Meatball option. “I could see me adding a big bowl in Donald Trump’s hands and him slurping up the spaghetti and meatballs,” he said, referencing a recurring gag on *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*. Affleck, convinced by Kimmel’s “news appetite,” locked in the answer, which proved correct.

The win, which netted the Eastern Congo Initiative — a nonprofit supporting communities in a region “severely impacted by a very traumatic war”, was celebrated with a heartfelt moment between Affleck and Ding. After the final answer was revealed, Ding embraced Affleck, resting his head on his shoulder in a gesture that drew praise from fans. “The way Jamie hugged Ben and laid his head on his chest was so sweet!” one commenter wrote on the show’s Instagram page. Another called it “a dream collab” and “one of a kind.”

The episode also highlighted the show’s history of celebrity contestants. Affleck and Ding joined a roster that included Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Keaton, and Leslie Odom Jr., with previous winners like Ike and Alan Barinholtz (2024) and Oscar Nunez and Kate Flannery (2025). For Affleck, the win added to his public persona as a philanthropist, though it also sparked light-hearted banter about his friendship with Matt Damon, who had previously won a million dollars on the show. Kimmel joked, “I think ‘03,” referencing Damon’s age, before teasing, “so much smarter than Matt.”

The victory underscored the show’s blend of intellectual challenge and entertainment, with its signature dramatic music. While the $1 million prize was the headline, the event also served as a platform for charitable giving, a recurring theme in celebrity game show appearances. For fans, the moment captured the show’s enduring appeal: a mix of suspense, trivia, and human connection, all framed by the humor and warmth of its participants.