Ben Affleck Wins the Elusive One Million Dollar Prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Hollywood star Ben Affleck wins Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has become one of the biggest entertainment searches after the Oscar-winning actor snagged the elusive $1 million grand prise on ABC’s celebrity edition of the quiz show. Joining forces with Jeopardy! Affleck correctly answered the final question to claim the top prise as champion Jamie Ding and said it will be donated entirely to charity.
A Finish To Remember
Affleck and Jamie Ding worked through a series of questions, which got harder and harder, until they got to the final million-dollar question. The last question was about U.S. presidential pardons of turkeys at Thanksgiving, and asked which set of names was not a name that a pardoned turkey was ever called.
The pair weighed their remaining options and used available lifelines and selected “Spaghetti & Meatball” – the right answer. They picked correctly, and took home the show’s top prise, which resulted in an emotional celebration on stage.
Host Jimmy Kimmel built the suspense in the final moments, making the climax one of the season’s most talked about moments of television.
Why This Victory Matters
It’s rare to win the top prise on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, even on celebrity editions. Affleck is one of just a handful of celebrity contestants to reach the $1 million milestone.
The victory also came nearly a year after longtime pal and Good Will Hunting co-star Matt Damon achieved the same thing on the show, creating an unusual back-to-back success story for the famous duo.
Prise Money Donated To Charity
Regular contestants get to keep any money they win, but celebrities play for charity. The $1 million will go to the Eastern Congo Initiative, the nonprofit organisation co-founded by Affleck to support community-led development projects in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The donation will support education, healthcare and economic development programmes in the region, giving the television win a real-world impact beyond entertainment.
Jamie Ding’s Trivia Prowess Came In Handy
Affleck collaborated with Jamie Ding, a former Jeopardy! champion known for his vast knowledge of quizzes. Ding’s trivia knowledge and Affleck’s cool decision making served the pair well throughout the game.
The pair answered a whole host of tricky questions brilliantly before confidently making it through to the final challenge where teamwork was the winner.
Why Episode Is Popular
The episode quickly became one of the most talked-about entertainment stories on the Internet, as it combined celebrity appeal, authentic suspense and a significant charitable outcome.
Many viewers praised the team’s strategy under pressure, but also pointed to the feel-good ending, as the $1 million prise will go directly to humanitarian work, not personal earnings.
The dramatic finish and charitable donation has made the episode one of the highlight moments of the current season of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
References
Economic Times – Confirmed Ben Affleck, Jamie Ding won $1 million, described the final presidential turkey pardon question, and made note of the comparison to Matt Damon’s previous win.
Times of India – Reported that the Affleck donated the whole $1 million prise to charity when winning the celebrity edition.
Page Six – $500,000 and $1 million questions, lifelines used, Jimmy Kimmel’s role and the Eastern Congo Initiative donation.
The Daily Beast – Explained how Jimmy Kimmel’s “Ask the Host” lifeline helped with the final answer and confirmed the prise will go to the Eastern Congo Initiative.
