It’s probably no surprise that celebrity royal Queen Bey is on this list. Starting off in the famous girl group, Destiny’s Child, with singers Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, Beyoncé went on to launch a more than successful solo career and has amassed enough wealth to last her more than a lifetime. She’s sure to pass on her amazing fortune to her expanding family with her husband, Jay-Z.
Always in the spotlight, we’ve seen Queen B spend her fortune on multimillion-dollar mansions, expensive beauty products, and incredible vacations. Not stingy or selfish with her wealth, Beyoncé is reportedly an amazing gift-giver. She has given her husband Jay-Z luxurious gifts, such as a private jet, a Rolex worth $1 million, and luxury cars including a $2 million Bugatti. The couple also gifts each other incredible experiences. For example, Beyoncé once rented out the entire Louvre!
Maria Sharapova — $196 Million
A sports legend with a massive net worth, Maria Sharapova is one of the greatest tennis players in the world, and she’s got the bank account to prove it. She’s one of only ten women to make a professional career out of playing tennis. Russian-born Sharapova became a pro in 2001 and began to accumulate her fortune off of prize winnings and endorsements from advertisers. In 2004, she signed endorsement contracts with massive companies including Motorola, Tiffany and Co., Nike, Gatorade, and Tropicana.
In addition to her amazing talents, Sharapova is a natural beauty and has been featured as a model in numerous ad campaigns. Being in the spotlight, especially the sports spotlight, comes with its potential issues, though. In 2016, Sharapova was banned from the tennis courts for a total of 15 months after failing a test meant to detect performance enhancers. However, she bounced back and continues to lead an impressive professional career.
Simon Cowell — $600 Million
Known for his harsh attitude and biting commentary as a judge, Simon Cowell gained his fortune from his excellent ability to tell the difference between a dud and a superstar in the music industry. Cowell’s talents as a producer and manager helped him to discern famous acts such as Five and Westlife, two popular boy bands out of the U.K.
What most people know him for, though, are his roles as a judge on the hit television shows "American Idol" and "The X Factor." Though he’s often posed as the villain on the judging panel for his rude remarks, his discerning ear has helped him to find numerous singers and transform them into pop sensations. Famous acts that Cowell is responsible for include Il Divo, Leona Lewis, Fifth Harmony, and One Direction. The proof is certainly in the pudding!
Dale Earnhardt Jr. — $300 Million
If you’re not familiar with racecar driving, you might not realize just how lucrative it is as a sport. Coming from a long line of family racecar drivers, Dale Earnhardt grew up in the world of NASCAR and has the paycheck to prove his skill and talents. Driving for about two decades, Earnhardt Jr. has won countless cash prizes from winning races, but as you might imagine, the real money comes from the advertisements you see on those cars as they whizz through the track.
As possibly the most famous NASCAR racer there is, Earnhardt Jr. gives advertisers a spot on his car for nothing less than $1 million. He also sells quite a bit of merchandise and has made a large portion of his fortune from selling items with his name on them. In fact, Earnhardt Jr.’s merchandise has outsold other NASCAR drivers by more than 25%. Though he isn’t really racing anymore, he remains quite involved in the sport and makes money by serving as a NASCAR analyst for NBC.
Derek Jeter — $200 Million
Through the duration of his long, 20-year career playing for the New York Yankees, Jeter made an incredible $265 million — and that’s just his salary. He made even more money from the countless endorsement deals he was able to make as one of the most celebrated players in the MLB. Some of the companies that signed million-dollar contracts for his sponsorship include Jordan by Nike, Gatorade, Rawling, Steiner Sports, Movado, and Avon. Talk about a popularity contest!
With that huge paycheck, you may be wondering why Jeter’s net worth rests at $200 million. That’s because he spent a large portion of his fortune buying the Miami Marlins franchise in 2017. However, even though he had a massive amount of money to back him, Jeter still had to partner with Jeb Bush on the deal. Of course, the deal ultimately will add to his fortune, and on top of that, he owns his own baseball club.