Phil Ruffin’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2019 | $2.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $2.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $2 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $3.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $2.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $4.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $4.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $5.1 billion | Forbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Phil Ruffin’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
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Phil Ruffin has an estimated net worth of $5.1 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Phil Ruffin profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $2.7 billion in 2019.
Phil Ruffin is an American businessman known for casinos, hotels, real estate, and other operating businesses. He left college and started out selling hamburgers with friends. He then used those profits to buy convenience stores. In 1972, he helped pioneer self-serve gasoline in Kansas and built a chain of 60 stores in the Midwest. That early retail business gave him cash to move into bigger deals and long-term property ownership.
His business expanded from stores into strip malls, office parks, hotels, and casinos. In 1987, he built his first hotel, a Marriott in Wichita. He later owned Marriotts in Alabama, California, and the Bahamas. A major turning point came in 1998, when he bought the New Frontier Hotel & Casino for $165 million and sold it in 2007 for $1.2 billion. He added Treasure Island in 2009 and Circus Circus plus the Las Vegas Festival Grounds in 2019.
How Phil Ruffin makes money
Ruffin built his wealth step by step across several industries. After starting with hamburgers, he moved into convenience stores and then real estate. His holdings grew to include strip malls, office parks, hotels, casinos, oil production, greyhound racing tracks, and manufacturing. He also owns Harper Trucks, described as the world's largest manufacturer of hand trucks, plus Angelus Manufacturing. That mix gave him income from both operating companies and property assets.
Casinos became a major part of his fortune. He owns the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He also has 50% of the Trump International Las Vegas hotel with Donald Trump. Ruffin bought Treasure Island from MGM in 2009 for $775 million during the great recession. In 2019, he bought Circus Circus and the Las Vegas Festival Grounds from MGM for $825 million, adding another large Strip property to his portfolio.
What Forbes says about his fortune
Forbes has tracked Ruffin's wealth as part of his broader mix of casinos and real estate. On the Forbes World's Billionaires List, his estimate was $2.7 billion in 2019, $2.5 billion in 2020, $2.1 billion in 2021, and $2 billion in 2022. It then moved up to $3.3 billion in 2023 and $2.7 billion in 2024. Those changes came while he continued to hold major Las Vegas properties and other business interests.
More recently, Forbes put his fortune at $4.7 billion on the 2025 billionaires list and $4.4 billion on the 2026 list. Forbes' real-time tracker later showed $5.1 billion in October 2026, which is also the current figure we track. That estimate lines up with a portfolio centered on Treasure Island, his 50% stake in Trump International Las Vegas, Circus Circus, and a long history of buying and selling large hotel and casino assets.
Career and money timeline
- 1972
He pioneered self-serve gasoline in Kansas and built a chain of 60 convenience stores.
- 1987
He used store cash to build his first hotel, a Marriott in Wichita.
- 1998
He bought the New Frontier Hotel & Casino for $165 million.
- 2007
He sold the New Frontier for $1.2 billion.
- 2009
He bought Treasure Island from MGM for $775 million.
- 2019
He bought Circus Circus and the Las Vegas Festival Grounds from MGM for $825 million.
Phil Ruffin net worth FAQ
What is Phil Ruffin's net worth?
Phil Ruffin's net worth is an estimated $5.1 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Phil Ruffin profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Phil Ruffin get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Casinos, real estate.
Is Phil Ruffin a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Phil Ruffin is worth $5.1 billion.
How has Phil Ruffin's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $2.7 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $5.1 billion (October 20, 2026).
What is Phil Ruffin best known for?
He is best known for building wealth in casinos and real estate. His headline properties include Treasure Island and Circus Circus in Las Vegas.
What does Phil Ruffin own in Las Vegas?
He owns Treasure Island Hotel & Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino. He also owns 50% of the Trump International Las Vegas hotel.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Phil Ruffin profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Phil Ruffin profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Phil Ruffin profile (April 7, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Phil Ruffin profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Phil Ruffin profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Phil Ruffin profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Phil Ruffin profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Phil Ruffin profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Phil Ruffin profile (March 10, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Phil Ruffin (accessed October 22, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.