He began guiding contestants to solve puzzles on Wheel of Fortune in the ‘80s, and because of that, Pat Sajak racked up quite a nice net worth. The game show host made a massive salary from the program before announcing his retirement.
What Is Pat Sajak’s Net Worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the iconic TV personality has an estimated net worth of $75 million.
When Did Pat Sajak Start Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’?
Pat didn’t start off as the head of the classic game show from the get-go. The TV personality was first an anchor on WEDC, a local radio station in Chicago. But things didn’t slow down there. In 1968, Pat joined the U.S. Army, where he also served as a disc jockey on their radio station.
Upon returning home from the Vietnam War, the Illinois native continued to move forward in his career. In 1977 he became a full-time weatherman at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. But it would be four years until the father of two would land his iconic spot on the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune, a position that was previously filled by Chuck Woolery.
In addition to his career on television, Pat became a dad to two children, Patrick and Maggie, whom he welcomed with his second wife, Lesly Brown. Maggie has made several appearances on Wheel of Fortune over the years.
What Was Pat Sajak’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Salary?
For four decades, Pat served as the host of the syndicated nighttime version of Wheel of Fortune since its inception in 1983. The Emmy winner made a huge chunk of change from the program, with an estimated salary of $15 million, per Forbes. He did not lead the show to success on his own, as cohost Vanna White has been by his side through it all.
“People at home see the chemistry between Pat and me,” Vanna exclusively told Closer Weekly in February 2019. “We are like brother and sister, and I think that is what makes it work.”
“It’s like lightning in a bottle,” Pat once said of their amazing friendship. “We’ve never had one argument,” Vanna added. While the pair are quite close now after working together for so long, the actress almost didn’t end up on the famous game show.
“Vanna has a sweetness, an all-American, girl-next-door demeanor. [Show creator] Merv Griffin immediately saw her appeal,” biographer Marianne Robin-Tani revealed to Closer.
Thankfully, the power duo ended up on screen together. It is quite clear that they have both been extremely successful in their careers, with huge fortunes to prove it. Vanna has an estimated $85 million net worth of her own, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Pat Sajak Announced His Retirement
In June 2023, Pat announced that season 41 of Wheel of Fortune would be his last. A year later, he looked forward to retirement and getting to spend more time with his family.
“As much as he has thoroughly enjoyed his years on the show, he is ready to step back and relax,” a friend of the star told Closer in June 2024 ahead of his final episode.
“Pat will spend his time enjoying his family and his hobbies,” the insider added. “He loves to travel, to play the occasional game of golf with friends, and do charity work with organizations close to his heart like the USO and PETA.”
The game show personality also hopes that his family expands in the future after his departure from the series.
“I’m perfectly happy if it just means that I’ll continue with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren. Hint hint hint. No pressure,” he said during an interview on Good Morning America with Maggie.
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