Ben Affleck wins $1 million for Eastern Congo Initiative on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Ben Affleck Eastern Congo Initiative Who Wants to Be a Millionaire $1 million turkey name

Oscar‑winning actor Ben Affleck appeared as a celebrity contestant on ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, paired with Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the duo reached the final question, which asked which of four food‑themed names had never been used for a U.S. presidential Thanksgiving turkey pardon. After using the “Ask the Host” lifeline (and a brief “Phone‑a‑Friend” call that yielded no answer), Kimmel suggested “Spaghetti & Meatball,” which Affleck and Ding locked in. The answer was correct, earning them the $1 million top prize on the July 30, 2026 episode. All winnings were pledged to the Eastern Congo Initiative, the nonprofit that Affleck co‑founded in 2010 to support community‑led projects in the war‑torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Entities: ABC · Ben Affleck · Democratic Republic of Congo · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Eastern Congo Initiative · Jamie Ding · Jimmy Kimmel · Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 14 SOURCES] The $1 million prize was pledged to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. (The $1 million prize was pledged to Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative.)
[● 21 SOURCES] Ben Affleck and Jamie Ding won $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. (Affleck and Ding secured the $1 million top prize on the July 30, 2026 episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.)
[● 21 SOURCES] The final question asked which turkey name had never been used in a U.S. presidential Thanksgiving pardon tradition. (The question listed Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese and Spaghetti & Meatball.)
[● 14 SOURCES] The Eastern Congo Initiative is a U.S.-based advocacy and grant‑making organization that supports community projects in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (Existing claim)
[● 3 SOURCES] Jimmy Kimmel suggested “Spaghetti & Meatball” as the turkey name that had never been pardoned, and it was the correct answer. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Jimmy Kimmel provided the “Ask‑the‑Host” lifeline suggestion for the final question. (All three articles)
[● 14 SOURCES] The final question asked which turkey name had not been pardoned by a U.S. president, with “Spaghetti & Meatball” being the correct answer. (The final question asked which turkey name had not been pardoned by a U.S. president, with “Spaghetti & Meatball” being)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Eastern Congo Initiative is a U.S.-based nonprofit that supports communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (Articles 1‑3)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Matt Damon and Ken Jennings won the same prize on the show a year earlier and also donated it to charity. (Article 3)
[● 3 SOURCES] The $1 million prize was pledged to the Eastern Congo Initiative. (Articles 1, 2, 3)
[● 5 SOURCES] Jamie Ding is a Jeopardy! champion who previously won 31 consecutive games and over $880,000 in winnings. (Existing claim)
[● 14 SOURCES] The $1 million prize was donated to the Eastern Congo Initiative. (Affleck pledged the winnings to the Eastern Congo Initiative, the nonprofit he co‑founded.)