Ben Affleck’s Secret Weapon on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Wasn’t Hollywood Fame—It Was a Jeopardy! Champion

Ben Affleck may be an Oscar winner, but when he stepped onto the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire stage, he knew exactly who the real trivia expert was. Teaming up with Jeopardy! super champion Jamie Ding, Affleck embraced the role of teammate rather than star, creating one of the season’s most entertaining partnerships as they chased the show’s $1 million prize for the Eastern Congo Initiative.

 

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The pairing immediately caught viewers’ attention because it blended two very different worlds. Ding arrived with a reputation as one of television’s sharpest quiz competitors, while Affleck brought quick wit, confidence, and an unexpected knack for remembering obscure facts. Instead of competing for control, the two leaned on each other’s strengths, proving that chemistry can matter just as much as raw knowledge.

Ben Affleck on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.’.Credit : 

Disney/Eric McCandless

One of the night’s funniest moments came when the contestants faced a seemingly simple question about McDonald’s. Affleck admitted he eats there “all the time,” but even his fast-food habit couldn’t produce instant certainty. Trusting both the audience and each other, the duo selected Filet-O-Fish as the sandwich served with half a slice of cheese—a choice that proved correct and pushed them another step closer to the top prize.

But the moment that truly changed the game came later with a difficult question about El Colacho, Spain’s centuries-old festival where men dressed as devils leap over babies. Affleck surprised both Ding and host Jimmy Kimmel by confidently recalling the unusual tradition, explaining that he had learned about it after watching his longtime friend Matt Damon face a similar Spain-themed question on an earlier appearance. What began as a joke about their famous friendship unexpectedly became the key to a $250,000 correct answer.

Jamie Ding, Ben Affleck and Jimmy Kimmel on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.’.

Disney/Eric McCandless

The episode also highlighted why Affleck remains such a compelling television guest. He balanced self-deprecating humor with genuine competitiveness, happily joking that he was “riding Jamie’s coattails” before the tables turned and Ding placed his trust in Affleck’s memory during one of the night’s biggest moments. Their easy banter made the game feel less like a celebrity showcase and more like two teammates solving a puzzle together.

When time expired, Affleck and Ding had successfully reached the final two questions without being eliminated, leaving their quest for the $1 million prize unresolved. Rather than ending with a victory or defeat, the episode closed on a cliffhanger that now has viewers waiting to see whether Hollywood’s Oscar-winning actor and Jeopardy!’s newest champion can finish what may become one of the most memorable celebrity runs in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire history.