Ben Affleck and Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding won the top prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. 

The pair won the grand prize when they correctly answered the 15th and final question on the Wednesday, July 30 episode of the ABC game show. The money goes to the Oscar winner’s foundation, the Eastern Congo Initiative.

At the top of the episode, which picked up where last week’s episode left off, Affleck, 57, shared that the Eastern Congo Initiative supports community-based organizations in the region, which has been “severely impacted by a very traumatic war.”

This week’s episode began with Affleck and Ding only having two questions left in the game.

The $500,000 question read: “What achievement occurred just two months after a New York Times article said it wouldn’t happen for ‘1 million to 10 million years’?”

Possible answers for this question included splitting the atom, cloning a mammal, the first airplane flight, or the polio vaccine.

Ding’s immediate thought was option C, the first airplane flight, which Affleck agreed with.

“I only remember this because it was a time in my life where I spent time looking up examples that the press got things wrong. Yeah, just randomly,” the Gone Girl actor explained. “And I sort of, vaguely, in my subconscious remember the Times and the Wright brothers and that whole thing was 1905, 3 or 4, or something.”

“I think ‘03,” Ding said, to which host Jimmy Kimmel joked, “So much smarter than Matt,” playfully referring to Affleck’s close friend Matt Damon, who competed on the show alongside Ken Jennings last year and also won $1 million.

Unsure, the duo chose to use their 50:50 lifeline to eliminate two incorrect answers, leaving options A, splitting the atom, and C, the first airplane, on the ballot.

“Well, C is still on there, but damn it. If it’s not C, it’s A,” Affleck joked.

“That’s very true,” Ding said. “I am still feeling much better about C overall than A because people don’t go outside and look at the sky and dream of splitting the atom, but we all dream of flying.”

After a moment of deliberation, Affleck leaned into Ding’s reasoning and trusted him. “My man, I came here with you,” he told Ding, putting his arm around him. “Take us. I’m with you. If that’s how you feel, let’s do it.”

Kimmel revealed the answer, saying, “Jamie let me tell you what you did get right. 1903 was exactly the year that the Wright brothers flew an airplane into the sky and those cynical, disbelieving, bastards at the New York Times, I guess they just didn’t believe.”

Then, the million-dollar question read: “In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?

Possible answers included Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.

Looking at the options, Affleck said, “You must be kidding me,” and suggested they use their Phone-A-Friend lifeline. When Kimmel reminded them they still have their Ask-the-Host lifeline, Affleck jokingly repeated that they should call Ding’s friend.

“No. We might as well have Jimmy help,” Affleck said. To which Kimmel joked, “Alright, I don’t have to give you any of my f—ing thoughts, if you don’t want.”

“Actually, you’re very good with cooking and food, current events too. Actually, you might know this,” the Good Will Hunting star said.

“You’re absolutely right,” Kimmel said. “I do a bit about this on the show. Every year.” The late-night host went on to say that though he wasn’t certain the names Spaghetti and Meatball didn’t ring a bell.

“I could see me adding a big bowl in Donald Trump’s hands and him slurping up the spaghetti and meatballs,” Kimmel joked. “That one sounds like it wasn’t the one to me.”

“This is the person that would actually be paying attention to every pardoned turkey’s name,” Affleck said. “Probably the best person in the world to ask this question to.”

“If I’m wrong, I’m so sorry. But Spaghetti and Meatball is my final answer.”

The duo thanked Kimmel for his response and decided to call one of Ding’s friends just in case.

“Jimmy, you might like this friend of mine,” Ding said. “I mean, Harvard-educated, father, we’re two years apart, but we’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations together. Just like Ben and Matt.”

“Are you looking for trouble?” Kimmel asked. “Are you looking for trouble?” Ding replied.

When Ding’s friend wasn’t able to answer in time, Kimmel joked, “Oh, he is like Matt,” continuing his long-running playful feud with the Odyssey actor.

Affleck told Ding that they are “lucky” to get help from “the world’s expert on precisely this kind of story,” referring to Kimmel. He went on to say, “I don’t know how you feel, but I would bet on Jimmy. I would go for it.”

They locked in Spaghetti and Meatball and won $1 million. Both Affleck and Ding jumped up and down, holding each other as confetti fell around them.

Other celebrity contestants featured on this season of the game show include Brad Paisley, Brooks Nader, Jesse Eisenberg, Clayton Kershaw, Michael Keaton, Awkwafina, Leslie Odom Jr., Jackie Tohn, Michael Che and Colin Jost, among others.

Other past celebrity duos to win $1 million on the show include Damon and Jennings in 2025, Ike and Alan Barinholtz in 2024, and Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery in 2025.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire airs Wednesdays on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.

source: https://people.com/