Did JB Pritzker Hit the Jackpot in Las Vegas? Tax Filing Reveals Surprising Details

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, one of the wealthiest politicians in the United States, reported more than $10 million in income for 2024, including over $1 million in gambling winnings from Las Vegas, according to new tax filings released by his campaign. Documents made public on October 14 show the Democratic governor and his wife, MK Pritzker, reported an adjusted gross income of about $10.7 million, outlets including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and NBC News reported. Of that, roughly $1.4 million came from blackjack winnings at a Las Vegas casino. “The Governor had winnings and losses from a casino during the year and those amounts are reported on his tax return,” a Pritzker campaign spokesperson told the Tribune. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Pritzker acknowledged the reports, saying he had been “incredibly lucky” during a vacation in Las Vegas. “I went on vacation with my wife, with some friends,” he said. “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.”Also Read: Illinois Governor Pritzker Blasts Trump Over Move To Federalise National Guard His campaign confirmed that Pritzker plans to donate the winnings to charity. The Sun-Times noted that the couple’s reported income for 2024 is more than triple the $2.8 million they declared in 2023. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, has an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion and does not draw a salary as governor. Pritzker was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. In June, he announced his bid for a third term. He has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, particularly over federal interventions in Chicago. Earlier this month, a judge temporarily blocked Trump’s plan to deploy National Guard troops in the city. “The court confirmed what we all know: There is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago,” Pritzker said, according to the Associated Press. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers.” Pritzker responded in an interview with ABC News on 12 October: “Come and get me. They’re making things up to go after people. I’m going to stand up for the people of my state… all of us, Democrats and Republicans, need to speak out about it.”