Ben Affleck Just Won $1 Million on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ – And ‘The Odyssey’ Star Matt Damon Did It First

Ben Affleck just pulled off a very familiar Hollywood feat. The actor won the $1 million top prize on ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” teaming up with trivia expert Jamie Ding for a victory that came with an interesting twist. Affleck’s win happened almost exactly one year after his longtime friend and “Good Will Hunting” co-star Matt Damon also reached the million-dollar finish line on the show.

The episode aired Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, and according to the show, the money from Affleck and Ding’s win will be donated to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. The organization supports people and communities in the African region and works on advocacy and grant-making efforts.

Affleck had some serious help along the way. Ding is a “Jeopardy!” champion, making the actor’s team another celebrity-and-trivia-expert pairing to reach the top prize.

Damon had a similar setup when he appeared on the show in July 2025. He was paired with Ken Jennings, the longtime “Jeopardy!” champion who now hosts the quiz show. Damon and Jennings also won $1 million for charity.

For Affleck and Ding, the biggest challenge came down to the final question. And it was one neither of them seemed to know.

The question asked which pair of Thanksgiving turkeys had not been pardoned by a U.S. president. The choices were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.

With the million dollars hanging in the balance, the pair used a lifeline and asked host Jimmy Kimmel for help. Kimmel admitted he was not completely certain, but he picked Spaghetti & Meatball.

That wasn’t enough to convince Affleck and Ding right away. They used another lifeline to call Ding’s longtime trivia partner, Stephen Morrison. Unfortunately, Morrison didn’t know the answer either and decided not to make a guess.

That left Affleck and Ding with a choice. In the end, Affleck trusted Kimmel. “I would bet on Jimmy,” Affleck said. “I would go for it.” The answer was locked in, and the studio had to wait for the result. Kimmel looked just as nervous as the contestants. “I have such a stomach ache right now,” he said as the show prepared to reveal the answer.

Then came the big moment. Spaghetti & Meatball was correct. Confetti filled the studio as Affleck and Ding celebrated their huge win. The pair hugged, looking genuinely stunned that Kimmel’s uncertain guess had actually saved the day.

According to the show, Affleck and Ding are now the fifth winning team during Kimmel’s run as host, which began in 2020. David Chang was the first celebrity winner of the current version of the series. Ike and Alan Barinholtz, Damon and Jennings, and “The Office” stars Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery followed.

Kimmel had already spoken about Affleck’s appearance before the episode aired. In comments to Variety, he said he wasn’t sure Affleck realized he was being paired with a “Jeopardy!” champion when he agreed to participate.

“But when I told him, he seemed surprised and delighted. I think he was prepared to do it on his own. He’s very smart, that Ben Affleck,” Kimmel told Variety.

Now Affleck has another connection to Damon: both “Good Will Hunting” stars have officially joined the millionaire club.

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