The game show has long been a staple of American television, not just for its nail-biting tension and buffet of factoids, but also the charismatic personalities leading the charge.
Some of the most hallowed game show hosts on TV have become huge names off the screen, with many boasting media empires worth hundreds of millions.
Let's take a look at some of the richest game show hosts and their net worths, starting with one that's joining the league very soon…
Ryan Seacrest
© Getty ImagesWhile no stranger to TV, Ryan Seacrest will add a new feather to his cap when he succeeds Pat Sajak as the host of Wheel of Fortune in September 2024.
However, as one of the biggest media moguls in the world, the longtime host of American Idol, the host of Live with Kelly and Ryan for six years, the owner of his own entertainment company, AND the executive producer of reality TV juggernaut Keeping Up with the Kardashians, it's no surprise that Ryan is worth a whopping $450 million, according to celebritynetworth.com.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White
© Getty ImagesRyan's predecessor, Pat Sajak, is absolutely no slouch, though, holding the Guinness World Record for the longest career for a game show host, having led Wheel since 1981.
As he prepares to retire after an over four decade long stint as one of the biggest names in game show history, he walks away with a net worth of $75 million.
His co-hostess with the mostest, Vanna White, in fact is even RICHER than Pat, boasting a net worth of $85 million. Her stint as the host of other ABC shows helps, but it's her many real estate investments, including her passion for flipping houses, that boost her value.
Steve Harvey
© Getty ImagesSteve Harvey began his days in the spotlight as a nationally renowned stand up comedian in the '80s before he began starring in and producing the sitcom The Steve Harvey Show in 1996, which ran for six seasons.
Now best known as the host of Family Feud (since 2010) and his radio show The Steve Harvey Morning Show, his many credits as an actor, producer, and comedian contribute to his huge net worth of $200 million.
MORE: Meet Steve Harvey's seven kids including his famous daughter Lori
Regis Philbin
© Getty ImagesThe late Regis Philbin hosted many game shows in his day, but his biggest moneymaker was the original network run of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire from 1999-2002.
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Thanks to his diversified career as an actor and recording artist (plus a Guinness World Record for the most hours spent on American TV), he was worth $150 million when he passed away in 2020, with a large chunk of it coming from his time as the host of Live!. Speaking of…
Kelly Ripa
© Getty ImagesWhile new to the game show scene, starting with her hosting gig on the popular ABC show Generation Gap in 2022, Kelly Ripa is one of the most well known personalities on TV.
The longtime host of Live! since 2001 (the first ten of those years with Regis), Kelly's decade-long stint on the soap All My Children from 1990 to 2002, the production company Milojo with husband Mark Consuelos, and many other hosting and acting gigs enhance her own net worth of $120 million. And speaking of more Live!…
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Michael Strahan
© Getty ImagesMichael Strahan hosted Live! alongside Kelly from 2012-2016, but his claim to fame is his 14 seasons as an NFL pro with the New York Giants.
In 2016, he assumed two of his most significant TV roles: one of the three lead anchors of Good Morning America, and the host of ABC's revival of The $100,000 Pyramid. When you add his own line of eponymous apparel and skincare, his net worth stands at $65 million.
RELATED: GMA hosts' net worths revealed – Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer and more
Alex Trebek
© Getty ImagesThe host of several game shows until his death in 2020, Alex Trebek became a national icon when he began hosting the syndicated revival of Jeopardy!.
A role he maintained from 1984 till his passing, and known otherwise for his occasional acting and producing roles, Alex's net worth at the time of his death was a high $75 million.
READ: Where is Jeopardy! filmed? All you need to know about the long-running game show
Drew Carey
© Getty ImagesFirst gaining attention as a comic and actor, Drew Carey rose to stardom when he began hosting the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? from 1998 to 2007.
He then assumed the role of the host of The Price Is Right after the retirement of Bob Barker, a job he has held since then for over 15 years. Thanks to his foray into the world of sports, and the popular sitcom The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004), his net worth is one of the highest on the list, $165 million.
Bob Barker
© Getty ImagesDrew's Price Is Right predecessor, Bob Barker first gained recognition for hosting the game show Truth or Consequences all the way back in 1956, which he continued until 1975.
In 1972, he began hosting The Price Is Right and continued for 35 long and prosperous years. A noted animal activist, he continually donated millions to a variety of animal charities, and famously affirmed that he would "die broke" and give away all his wealth to such causes by the time he died.
Bob passed away on August 26, 2023, and while his assets place his net worth at nearly $70 million, according to celebritynetworth.com, he is listed as having $0, which might be just how he wanted it.
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