Illinois Governor Pritzker Wins $1.4 Million at Las Vegas Blackjack Table

Vacation Luck and Financial Context

Governor Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt hotel chain with a net worth of $3.9 billion, called the win “incredibly lucky.” He also remarked, “You have to be to end up ahead, frankly, going to a casino anywhere.” The $1.4 million figure represents the net amount, combining wins and losses from that specific trip. Pritzker joked that he was “fortunate enough to have to leave before that happened,” referring to the common tendency to lose winnings by playing too long.

The gambling income contributed to the $10.66 million total income reported by Pritzker and his wife for 2024. This total marked their highest taxable income since 2021, primarily derived from capital gains and dividends. As a billionaire, Pritzker does not accept a salary for his role as governor.

Charitable Plans

A spokesperson for Pritzker’s campaign confirmed the governor plans to donate the entire $1.4 million sum to charitable causes. The governor is known as an avid card player and founded the Chicago Poker Challenge, a charitable poker match that has raised millions of dollars for the Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Chicago, with a focus on civil rights initiatives. However, the spokesperson did not clarify why the donation has not yet been processed.

The disclosure of the substantial winnings comes as Governor Pritzker, a two-term Democrat, raises his national profile. Often cited as a potential presidential candidate in 2028, Pritzker has been increasingly active on the national stage, particularly in his criticism of the Donald Trump administration regarding immigration enforcement policies in cities like Chicago. Pritzker encouraged the public to visit Illinois casinos, noting, “We have some really lovely places to go.”