Wer wird Millionär?: Ben Affleck takes the top prize as Germany's quiz institution marks 25 years

Ben Affleck has won the top prize on the American version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, answering all 15 questions correctly, according to media reports. The decisive hint for the final question reportedly came from host Jimmy Kimmel, and Affleck is also said to have received help from a Jeopardy! champion during his run. His prize money is earmarked for a charitable cause, reports say, though which one, and how much he won, has not been disclosed. The format Affleck conquered began in Britain and has become a fixture far beyond it. In Germany, Wer wird Millionär? has aired on the private channel RTL since 3 September 1999, hosted throughout by Günther Jauch. Produced by Endemol Shine Germany in Hürth-Efferen near Cologne, it ranks among the longest-running editions of the Millionaire format worldwide and one of the best-known quiz programmes in the country. The timing is notable. RTL recently marked 25 years of the show with an anniversary evening that, according to the broadcaster, surprised Jauch himself. The German show continues to air Mondays and Fridays at 20:15, with a further episode scheduled for 3 August 2026.

Ben Affleck wins the top prize on the US Millionaire

Ben Affleck has won the top prize on the American version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, according to media reports. The actor and director answered all 15 questions correctly during his run on the show, reports say.

He did not do it entirely alone. According to the coverage, Affleck received help from a Jeopardy! champion during his appearance, and the decisive hint on the final question came from talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel. The million-dollar question was reportedly cracked with Kimmel's tip.

The prize money will not stay with Affleck. Reports indicate the winnings are earmarked for a charitable cause, though which organisation will benefit, and the exact sum of the top prize, have not been confirmed. The air date of his winning appearance has also not been established. The US show is the American edition of the same British quiz format that Germany adapted as Wer wird Millionär?.

A German institution since 1999

The German adaptation of the British format Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has been on air since 3 September 1999. Günther Jauch, a television presenter, producer and journalist, has hosted the programme from the start. It is broadcast by the private channel RTL, with episodes airing on Mondays and Fridays at 20:15 CET/CEST.

Production is handled by Endemol Shine Germany GmbH in Hürth-Efferen near Cologne, on the EMG Germany studio site. More than two and a half decades after its premiere, the show ranks among the longest-running editions of the Millionaire format anywhere in the world. It is also counted among the most popular and best-known quiz programmes in Germany, a fixture of the country's television schedules since the final years of the 1990s.

Martin Finé's 500,000-euro run and the Moon footprint question

Martin Finé walked away from the German edition of the show with 500,000 euros, one of the largest sums in its history. Along the way, a question about animals that sweat blood contributed to his winnings. His run ended not with a wrong answer but with a decision: faced with the question about the footprint of the most recent person to walk on the Moon, Finé declined to answer and stopped, securing his half-million rather than risking it. The appearance drew attention beyond the usual quiz-show audience. Spiegel reported on it on 5 March 2007, cementing the episode as one of the memorable moments in the programme's long run on RTL.

Anniversary celebrations and what airs next

RTL marked 25 years of the programme with an anniversary evening that caught its own host off guard, according to reports. Günther Jauch, who has fronted the show since its launch, reportedly reacted to the surprise with the exclamation "Meine Güte". The anniversary special was made available both on television and via the RTL+ streaming service, reports say.

The milestone comes as Jauch himself reaches a personal landmark: according to German media coverage, the presenter has turned 70.

The show's schedule continues regardless. An episode of Wer wird Millionär? is scheduled to air on RTL on 3 August 2026 at 20:15, and a repeat episode featuring Jauch is also listed for 3 August, according to programme information. The series normally airs on RTL on Mondays and Fridays at 20:15 CET/CEST, produced by Endemol Shine Germany GmbH in Hürth-Efferen near Cologne.

1. 1999-09-03

   German premiere of 'Wer wird Millionär?'

2. 2007-03-05

   Spiegel reports on Martin Finé's appearance, in which he won 500,000 euros and stopped at a question about the footprint of the most recent Moon walker

3. 2024 (approximate, derived from 25 years

   RTL marks 25 years of the show with an anniversary evening that surprises host Günther Jauch; the special is shown on television and via RTL+

4. 2026-08-03

   An episode of 'Wer wird Millionär?' is scheduled to air on RTL at 20:15; a repeat episode with Günther Jauch is also noted for 3 August

5. undated

   Ben Affleck wins the top prize on the US version of the show, answering all 15 questions correctly, with a tip from Jimmy Kimmel on the final question; the prize money is earmarked for charity

Frequently asked questions