You’ve heard the cries from Democrats and socialists: Fight the oligarchy! Bring an end to the era of billionaires!
Of course, billionaire Hyatt Hotel empire heir and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who’s a major player in the modern progressive machine, has made no offers to give up his estimated $3.9 billion fortune, much of it inherited.
While many Democrats have excoriated President Donald Trump for playing too much golf and for focusing on the White House ballroom while the Schumer Shutdown drags on, it turns out Pritzker has his own – apparently highly lucrative – hobby.
His federal tax returns, revealed Wednesday, show that he and his wife earned $10.7 million in 2024. Whoa! Impressive. The bulk of his money came from dividends and capital gains, but there’s an interesting tidbit listed among the sources of that income: $1.4 million from gambling on cards in Vegas.
What, what?!
He says he “got lucky.” I would say that is very, very, very lucky indeed, Mr. Governor. He seemed almost sheepish explaining it during a Thursday press conference:
BREAKING - JB Pritzker claims the $1.4 million in gambling income he reported on his partially released tax returns came from a single trip to Las Vegas, where he got “incredibly lucky.” pic.twitter.com/De0GuWaG1h
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) October 16, 2025
Luck be a lady tonight:
“I was incredibly lucky,” Pritzer said at a press conference, a day after his gubernatorial campaign released federal income tax returns that detailed his gambling earnings.
“You have to be, to end up ahead, frankly, going to a casino anywhere,” the Democrat said. “It was in Las Vegas, and I like to play cards.”
He then launched into a monologue about a charity poker game he founded in Chicago, as if that had anything to do with his monumental Vegas haul. Only a Democrat could somehow turn winning over a million dollars into a conversation about civil rights.
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One thing I note about his press conference: it’s clear to me somebody has told him to smile more, perhaps noting that he often comes across like Darth Vader or perhaps another Star Wars villain we all know well. I’ve noticed his forced, awkward grin in several clips recently, and let’s just say, it doesn’t come across as authentic.
There’s nothing illegal about being unbelievably lucky on a level that would make stock-picking genius Nancy Pelosi proud. But I do have questions: how freakin’ much were you betting a hand?! In a game like blackjack, you have to bet a lot to win a lot – it’s not a lottery where one dollar can bring back a fortune, and the house, as always, has the edge. You only win big if you bet big.
It’s your money, JB, but boy am I curious.
🚨 JB PRITZKER MADE $10 MILLION - THEN WON $1.4 MILLION IN VEGAS
— HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) October 16, 2025
The Illinois Governor bragged about “getting lucky” on vacation, stacking $1.4 MILLION in gambling winnings after already pulling $10 MILLION last year.
To win that kind of money, you’re betting $50K–$100K per… pic.twitter.com/eq09ZSdWZT
To win that kind of money, you’re betting $50K–$100K per hand.
He laughed and said, “I had fun doing it.”
He laughs while families in Illinois can’t pay rent.
How the hell is the Governor always the one hitting jackpots?
The left loves to demonize success, so I won’t do that here. Even if I’m no fan of JB Pritzker as a politician, I’ll say that if you’re that good at cards, then good on you.
It sure doesn’t square, though, with your claiming to be a man of the people even as you tax residents to poverty’s doorstep and overload services with your illegal alien polices and demand the prosecution of non-billionaire ICE agents who could only dream of betting $100K a hand.
Gambling is not illegal – and I’ve enjoyed many a table in Vegas myself – but I don’t think this is going to play well on the national stage as JB pivots to what everyone expects is a presidential run. Donald Trump has mastered the art of being unbelievably successful while still relating to Mr. and Mrs. America, but the Democrats – who would be out protesting somewhere if Trump had made that much money from gambling on cards – have not. To them, this huge win would normally be a sign that the oligarchy is at play again, but they will doubtless be silent because Pritzker is one of theirs.
JB’s streak of luck at the tables was impressive – but I think it will end with a hard crash when the ’28 presidential cycle heats up.