Ben Affleck has won the coveted $1 million (£748k) jackpot on the US version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, surprising audiences with his trivia knowledge. The 53-year-old actor appeared alongside Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding to secure the prize for charity.
How the Win Unfolded
The pair first faced the $500k (£373k) question: 'What achievement occurred just two months after a New York Times article said it wouldn’t happen for 1 million to 10 million years?' Options included splitting the atom, cloning a mammal, the first airplane flight, and the polio vaccine. They correctly chose the airplane flight, earning applause from host Jimmy Kimmel.
The final question was: 'In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?' The choices were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball. Desperate, they turned to Kimmel, who suggested Spaghetti & Meatball. They also phoned a friend of Ding's, but got no help. Risking it on Kimmel's suggestion, confetti fell as they hugged in victory.
Charity Beneficiary
The winners held a comically large cheque made out to Affleck's foundation, the Eastern Congo Initiative. According to the foundation, it 'amplifies the voices and leadership of the Congolese people while advancing peace, resilience and economic opportunity across Eastern Congo.'
Pressure from Matt Damon
The pressure was intense for Affleck, as his best friend Matt Damon had won the show just a year earlier. Kimmel even drew comparisons, saying after Affleck's reasoning on the $500k question: 'So much smarter than Matt.' Affleck explained he remembered the Wright brothers example from when he 'spent time looking up examples that the press got things wrong.'
Affleck joins a select group of celebrity winners, including Ike and Alan Barinholtz in 2024 and Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery in 2025.
