Actor Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding have claimed the $1 million grand prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The victory, achieved duirng Jimmy Kimmel's hosting era, will provide significant funding for the Eastern Congo Initiative.
The "Spaghetti & Meatball" turkey gamble
Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding secured the $1 million top prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire by correctly identifying an unpardoned U.S. presidential turkey. The final question presented four options: Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.
According to the report, the pair utilized two lifelines to navigate the high-stakes final round. After host Jimmy Kimmel suggested "Spaghetti & Meatball" despite expressing personal uncertainty, Affleck and Ding used a "phone a friend" lifeline to contact Stephen Morrison. When Morrison declined to guess, Affleck decided to trust Kimmel's intuition, leading to the correct answer and a celebratory moment in the studio.
Following the 2025 wins of Matt Damon and Oscar Nuñez
Ben Affleck’s victory marks the fifth time a contestant has reached the top prize since Jimmy Kimmel began hosting in April 2020. This win follows a series of high-profile celebrity successes, including Matt Damon and Ken Jennings in July 2025, and The Office stars Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery in September 2025.
The show has seen a consistent stream of winners under its current iteration, as reported by the source. Previous winners include David Chang in November 2020 and the duo of Ike and Alan Barinholtz in August 2024.
A windfall for the Eastern Congo Initiative
The $1 million prize won by Affleck and Ding will be donated to the Eastern Congo Initiative to support residents in the African region.. As the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making organization dedicated to this area, the group will receive a significant boost from this win.
This charitable achievement echoes a win by Affleck's Good Will Hunting co-star, Matt Damon, who reached the top prize for charity roughly one year prior. The victory has already generated significant social media engagement from fans congratulating the pair.
Did Affleck know he was paired with a champion?
A show insider suggested that Ben Affleck may not have been aware he was partnered with a trivia expert before the competition started. While the insider noted that Affleck seemed "surprised and delighted" upon learning about Jamie Ding's Jeopardy! credentials, it remains unclear if the pairing was a deliberate production choice.
Questions also remain regarding the specific allocation of the funds . While the source confirms the money is going to the Eastern Congo Initiative, it does not detail how the organization intends to deploy the $1 million windfall.
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