How did Matt Damon and Ken Jennings win $1 million on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Details explored

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire aired its second episode of season 4 on July 30, 2025, featuring an unexpected winning duo, quiz legend Ken Jennings and actor Matt Damon.

The pair secured the $1 million prize for Water.org, a nonprofit co-founded by Damon that helps provide access to safe water globally.

This episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was full of humor and tension, especially with host Jimmy Kimmel fueling his long-running comedic rivalry with Damon.

Kimmel introduced the pairing as his own idea, joking that he planned to "storm Jeopardy!" next as payback. Despite the banter, Kimmel played a key role in their success by correctly answering a critical $500,000 question using the "Ask the Host" lifeline. Jennings later said,

“I’ve never been happier in my life to hear Jimmy Kimmel say, ‘I actually know this one cold.’”

Their final $1 million question asked which word described the sound of wind in trees, “susurrus.” Jennings recognized it quickly, confirming their win.

He noted this was a redemption moment, as he had previously left the show with $100,000.

The pair even recreated a moment from Millionaire history by calling Brad Rutter with the news, an homage to John Carpenter’s iconic win in 1999.

A surprising team-up with a smart strategy in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

 

 

 

 

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Ken Jennings and Matt Damon had never met before filming, but their chemistry was evident in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

The idea for the pairing came from Jimmy Kimmel himself, who approached Jennings at a UCLA fundraiser.

Kimmel suggested it would be funny to pair a real A-lister with a trivia expert. Jennings admitted he was hesitant at first, saying he thought it would be a lot of pressure, but agreed because he respected Kimmel and didn’t expect the idea to actually fructify.

Jennings said he had always seen Damon as a believable “smart guy” in movies like Good Will Hunting and The Martian.

Backstage, the two hit it off quickly. Jennings called Damon “just a normal guy who is secretly really smart.” The strategy worked well, Jennings carried the trivia knowledge, and Damon contributed reasoning and support.

The team used their lifelines wisely, saving “Phone a Friend” until the end, when they called Jeopardy! champ Brad Rutter just to announce they were about to win.

“We got to do the, ‘Hey Brad. We’re gonna win a million dollars!’” Jennings shared.

He was referencing the same move John Carpenter made during his historic win.

A well-timed assist from Jimmy Kimmel in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Although Kimmel hosts the show, he doesn’t normally give away answers in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. However, for the $500,000 question, he was confident.

When asked which celebrity once entered a Steve Martin look-alike contest, Kimmel correctly identified Bill Nye.

“I was on the radio in Seattle when this guy started out. My final answer is Bill Nye, the Science Guy,” he explained.

Jennings admitted that the Bill Nye question was their toughest, saying that many of the options seemed believable and neither he nor Damon had ever heard the fact about Nye entering a Steve Martin look-alike contest.

He credited Kimmel’s input for helping them stay in the game at that critical moment.

The final question, about the word “susurrus,” was a moment of relief for Jennings.

“You’re not aware of how much pressure there is on you until you think, ‘I think we’re gonna win the million!’”

With this victory in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Jennings and Damon join a small group of celebrity winners on Millionaire, including Chef David Chang and Ike Barinholtz.

Their win added both humor and history to the season, showcasing what happens when trivia skill and unexpected partnerships come together for a good cause.

Stay tuned for more updates.