Pat Sajak, host of the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune, announced his retirement this past Monday, although he’ll stick around in a consulting capacity for a few more years. After 41 years of hosting the show where contestants solve word puzzles for a chance to win fabulous prizes like all-expenses-paid vacations, he’s more than earned a little rest and relaxation himself. No matter how deserving of retirement he is, it will no doubt be strange for fans and his long-time co-host Vanna White to see him off.
Wheel of Fortune has a long history; first airing in 1975, with Sajak not joining until 1981 and White a year later, in 1982. Since then, the two have been an integral part of the show, and as the faces of Wheel of Fortune, you can bet they’ve both made a pretty penny over the years.
Pat Sajak’s net worth and other income
Over time, Sajack has amassed an estimated net worth of over $75 million. As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Sajack reportedly earned an annual salary of $14 million from the show per Celebrity Net Worth. While that’s obviously a large part of his income, the show only films for four days out of the month, leaving Sajack plenty of time to invest in other money-making methods.
Both Sajack and White make more money licensing their image to casinos than they do from the show; slot machines with the Wheel of Fortune brand and imagery are some of the most popular worldwide, and the two hosts likely make $15 million in royalties from these alone. Additionally, Sajack is on Southern Michigan’s Hillsdale College’s board of trustees, creates his own puzzle gam, es and writes for multiple conservative outlets. He also generates income through investments in the Golden Baseball League and his two real estate properties in Encino and Severna Park, Maryland.
Vanna White’s net worth and other income
While Vanna White has a lower Wheel of Fortune salary than Sajak, she’s more than made up the difference with additional investments and side hustles, making her net worth an estimated $85 million per Celebrity Net Worth. White makes an annual $10 million from the show and, like her co-host, earns a sizable income from royalties from licensing her image to slot machines.
White makes the rest of her income through intelligent investments; in 2018, she told Market Watch that she enjoyed investing in apartment buildings and flipping houses. She makes additional income both as a landlord and from her own properties, listing her Beverly Hills property for a cool $47.5 million in 2017. Her other significant source of income is through her line of yarn products under Lion Brand Yarns.
Published: Jun 13, 2023 11:42 pm