Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker Won $1.4 Million in Las Vegas Playing Blackjack
According to his tax records, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker won $1.425 million from gambling last year. The governor "had winnings and losses from a casino" in Las Vegas, according to a Pritzker campaign official, although the location was not disclosed.
The wealthy Democrat disclosed that blackjack is his preferred game during a news conference on Thursday. He also stated that he will donate the profits from his good fortune to charitable causes.
"I went on vacation with my wife, with some friends. I was incredibly lucky. You have to be to end up ahead, frankly, going to a casino anywhere — it was in Las Vegas — and I like to play cards,” Pritzker told reporters.
“Anybody who’s played cards in a casino knows that … you often play for too long and lose whatever it is that you won. I was fortunate enough to have to leave before that happened,” he added.
Hyatt Heir Billionaire
The Pritzkers had a successful year overall last year, reporting to the IRS a combined income of $10.7 million, which was more than three times their income from the year before.
With an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion, the governor is an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune and is presently running for a third term. He has recently fought with President Donald Trump, who has called for his imprisonment and accused him of failing to protect ICE personnel in Illinois. Many people consider Pritzker to be a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.
The governor's support for gambling is well known. He inked a large gambling deal in 2019 to build five smaller regional casinos in the southern suburbs and a casino in Chicago.
This was a component of a larger spending package that increased the number of video gambling machines in the state, legalized mobile and land-based sports betting, and set aside billions for infrastructure construction.
Casino-related interests
The Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas, which the Pritzker family controlled until 2003, is one of their many casino holdings. Pritzker used to be a stakeholder in a business that held a tiny portion of the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois, which is currently controlled by Caesars Entertainment. The Chicago Sun-Times claims that he is still interested in the Niagara Casino Group.
In addition, Pritzker is well-known for being an avid poker player. He even started the Chicago Poker Challenge, a charity tournament, to raise money for civil rights and the Holocaust Museum.
The Grand Victoria Casino is located in Elgin, Nevada, according to an earlier version of this article. It is located in Elgin, Illinois.
