Ben Affleck and ‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Jamie Ding Clinch $1 Million Grand Prize on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’
Oscar winner Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding have secured the $1 million top prize on ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, delivering a massive fundraising victory for the Eastern Congo Initiative.
Their triumph marks the fifth $1 million win since Jimmy Kimmel assumed hosting duties in 2020, occurring nearly one year after Affleck’s longtime collaborator Matt Damon won the jackpot alongside Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings.
Climbing the High-Stakes Ladder
Entering the broadcast with just two questions remaining, the pair navigated critical late-game hurdles:
-
The $500,000 Historic Flight Question: Faced with an inquiry regarding a famous erroneous New York Times prediction that dismissed human aviation as “1 million to 10 million years” away, the duo utilized their 50:50 lifeline before correctly selecting the Wright brothers’ first airplane flight.
-
The Final $1 Million Turkey Pardon Dilemma: The climactic question asked which pair of names—Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, or Spaghetti & Meatball—had never been given to a White House Thanksgiving pardoned turkey.
-
Trusting the Host’s Instinct: After their Phone-a-Friend lifeline timed out, the team relied on Kimmel’s Ask-the-Host insight. Reasoned by Kimmel that he would have certainly mocked “Spaghetti & Meatball” in his late-night monologues had it occurred, Affleck pushed to lock in the answer, correctly securing the $1 million prize.
Fueling Humanitarian Advocacy
The total earnings directly support the Eastern Congo Initiative, the non-profit organization Affleck co-founded in 2010 to provide grants and community-led resources for families impacted by ongoing regional conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
