Ben Affleck wins $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Ben Affleck has become part of a rare television game show result. He has won the US$1 million top prize on the US edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Affleck appeared alongside Jeopardy champion Jamie Ding. The pair played for Affleck’s charity, the Eastern Congo Initiative.
For Australian TV readers, the story shows how quickly a traditional game show moment can become global entertainment news. It combines a Hollywood name, a familiar quiz format and a charity result that pushed the episode beyond a standard celebrity appearance.
How Ben Affleck won the million
According to Deadline, Affleck and Ding reached the final question on the Jimmy Kimmel-hosted celebrity edition. The question carried the US$1 million prize for charity.
The final question centred on the names of turkeys pardoned by US presidents. The pair used lifelines, including Ask the Host, before locking in the correct answer.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Kimmel helped steer the pair toward the correct option. The episode also leaned into Affleck’s long-running friendship and comic rivalry with Matt Damon.
A charity win for Eastern Congo Initiative
The prize money will go to the Eastern Congo Initiative, the organisation Affleck co-founded in 2010. The nonprofit supports locally led organisations and community development work in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
People noted that Affleck and Ding also answered a difficult US$500,000 question before reaching the million-dollar stage.
The result places Affleck and Ding among a small group of celebrity contestants to reach the top prize in the revived US celebrity format.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire remains a durable TV format
The current US celebrity edition airs on ABC, with Kimmel hosting. ABC describes the format as pairs of celebrity contestants playing together to win money for charities of their choice.
The Affleck episode has attracted attention because the stakes are simple and clear. A familiar star, a recognisable quiz ladder and one final question stood between a charity and a million-dollar result.
For more television news, visit TV Central. More information about the charity is available from the Eastern Congo Initiative.
