In brief
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois reported a $1.4 million win from blackjack during a holiday trip to Las Vegas. Known for his wealth and philanthropic efforts, Pritzker intends to donate his winnings to charity but faced questions regarding the timing of the donation. The governor reflects on his gambling experience, describing it as a stroke of luck amid his role as a prominent political figure and critic of former President Trump.
A US governor took home $1.4m (£1m) in a gambling windfall last year, a copy of his recent tax filing shows.
JB Pritzker, who is the governor of Illinois, reportedly won the sum while playing blackjack at a Las Vegas casino while on holiday with his wife and friends.
The two-term Democrat already has a net worth of $3.9bn (£2.9bn), according to Forbes, and is an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune.
A campaign spokesperson told CBS, the BBC's US media partner, that Pritzker planned to donate the money to charity but did not respond when asked why he had not already done so.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Pritzker described the win and himself as incredibly lucky.
You have to be [lucky] to end up ahead, frankly, going to a casino anywhere, he added.
He previously founded a charitable Chicago Poker Challenge which he says has raised millions of dollars for the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
Pritzker and his wife, Mary Kathryn, reported a total income of $10.6m (£7.8m) in 2024, mostly from dividends and capital gains. It's understood they paid $1.6m in taxes on taxable income of $5.87m.
He described his Sin City winnings as a net number across his trip. He declined to say what his winning hand was, according to CBS.
Anybody who's played cards in a casino knows, you often play for too long and lose whatever it is you won, Pritzker said. I was fortunate enough to have to leave before that happened.
The governor has emerged as one of US President Donald Trump's strongest critics of late, clashing with the president over the federal deployment of national troops to Chicago - actions which he called authoritarian.
Trump called for the jailing of the Illinois official, accusing him and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson of not doing enough to ensure the safety of federal immigration officers who are conducting raids in Chicago.
Pritzker intends to seek a third term in the governor's mansion in 2026, it is understood, and has deflected questions about any ambition beyond his current position.
