- Gov. JB Pritzker reported $1.4 million in net blackjack winnings on his 2024 federal tax return, part of a total income of $10.66 million.
- The winnings came from a Las Vegas trip, and Pritzker emphasized the importance of luck in gambling while noting most players lose.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker reported a significant gambling windfall of $1.4 million on his federal tax return this week, revealing the billionaire Democrat hit it big playing legal blackjack during a Las Vegas vacation.
The two-term governor disclosed the winnings alongside income totaling $10.66 million in 2024, more than triple the $2.8 million the Pritzkers reported in 2023. They paid $1.6 million in taxes on taxable income of $5.87 million.
Pritzker told reporters in Chicago on Thursday that he drew charmed hands during a trip to Sin City with first lady MK Pritzker and friends. He acknowledged that luck was essential to walking away ahead from any casino, emphasizing that players need to be incredibly lucky to end up ahead at any gambling establishment.
The $1.4 million represented net winnings after accounting for losses during one trip to Las Vegas casinos. Pritzker, whose net worth is $3.9 billion as an heir to the Hyatt hotel chain, declined to reveal what his winning blackjack hand was during the vacation.
While blackjack sites offer online opportunities, Pritzker's winnings came from in person table games like blackjack in Nevada. He is an avid card player who hosts the charitable Chicago Poker Challenge, which has raised millions for the Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
In his home state, Illinois blackjack has expanded significantly. Pritzker, who intends to seek a third term in 2026, was previously under consideration as a vice presidential running mate to Kamala Harris.
Pritzker acknowledged that blackjack gamblers often play too long and lose their winnings, noting he was fortunate enough to leave before that happened.