Vanna White net worth in 2024 has piqued the curiosity of fans and viewers of Wheel of Fortune. As an iconic figure in television, she has captivated audiences for decades with her charm and grace. Vanna has not only become synonymous with the show but has also built a successful career that extends beyond the game board.
Let’s explore her earnings, sources of income, and the remarkable journey that has contributed to her impressive net worth.
Vanna White in Brief
Full Name | Vanna Marie Rosich |
Date of Birth | February 18, 1957 |
Place of Birth | North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA |
Occupation | Television Personality, Actress |
Height | 5 feet 5 inches (1.67 m) |
Spouse | George Santo Pietro |
Children | Nicio Santo Pietro, Gigi Santo Pietro |
Net Worth | $85 million |
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What is Vanna White Net Worth in 2024?
Vanna White is an American TV personality with a net worth of $85 Million as of 2024. The main source of Vanna White’s wealth comes from her long-standing role as the co-host and letter-turner on the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune.
She has been with the show since 1982 and earns a significant salary for her work, reportedly making around $10 million per year.
Additionally, she has made money from various endorsements, appearances, and investments. Vanna also has a real estate portfolio that contributes to her wealth, as she has successfully bought and sold several properties over the years.
Vanna White’s Early Life
Vanna Marie Rosich known as Vanna White was born on February 18, 1957, near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Her parents Joan Marie Nicholas and Miguel Angel Rosich divorced when she was just an infant. Vanna was raised by her mother and stepfather, Herbert White Jr., in North Myrtle Beach, and took White’s last name.
After high school, Vanna moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended the Atlanta School of Fashion and Design and worked as a model. In 1979, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. However, she briefly returned to South Carolina in 1980 to be with her mother, who was battling ovarian cancer.
Her family history reveals that Vanna’s paternal great-great-grandparents were Spanish, originally from Mallorca, and later settled in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Vanna White’s Career
Television
Before stepping into the spotlight on TV, Vanna White was a contestant in the 1978 Miss Georgia USA pageant.
Her first game show appearance was on “The Price Is Right” in June 1980 where she didn’t make it on stage but her clip was later replayed during the show’s 25th and 50th anniversaries.
In 1980, she acted in a film that wasn’t completed but was later released in 1990 as Gypsy Angels. The following year she had small roles in the movie “Looker” and the horror film “Graduation Day.”
White’s 1987 autobiography Vanna Speaks! became a bestseller. That same year she was featured in a Playboy pictorial with photos taken before her career on “Wheel of Fortune.” In 1988, she starred as Venus in the TV movie “Goddess of Love.”
The King of Queens
She made cameo appearances on popular TV shows like “L.A. Law 227,” “The King of Queens,” and “Full House” as well as in films like “Naked Gun,” “33⅓: The Final Insult,” and “Double Dragon.” She also guest-starred on “Married…With Children” and appeared at “WrestleMania IV” as a guest timekeeper.
In 2006, Vanna White received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Pat Sajak, Merv Griffin, and Alex Trebek in attendance.
White also lent her voice to animated shows like The Real Story of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Captain Planet and the Planeteers. She presented a set of luggage on The Price Is Right Celebrated 50 Years in 2021.
In May 2022, she appeared as a special guest on RuPaul’s “Drag Race: All Stars” where contestants paid tribute to her iconic looks.
In April 2023, ABC News announced a four-episode documentary featuring White titled “The Game Show” Show which aired in May covering the history of American game shows.
Wheel of Fortune
After Susan Stafford left “Wheel of Fortune” in October 1982, White became one of three substitute hostesses. By December 13, 1982, she became a regular hostess.
In December 2019, White temporarily hosted “Wheel of Fortune” when Pat Sajak underwent emergency surgery. During her hosting stint, Mickey and Minnie Mouse helped out during the Secret Santa Holiday Giveaway. White returned to hosting in January 2020 before Sajak’s full recovery.
White missed five episodes in August 2023 due to COVID-19 but returned in October. This was her first absence since 1991.
Since 2021, White has co-hosted Celebrity “Wheel of Fortune” on ABC with Pat Sajak. In 2023, she extended her contract to host both the regular and celebrity editions of “Wheel of Fortune” through the 2025-26 season.
In May 2023, she competed in a celebrity edition of “Wheel of Fortune” against Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.
Vanna White’s Personal Life
Relationship
In the 1980s, Vanna White was engaged to John Gibson a soap opera actor and dancer. Tragically Gibson died in a plane crash in 1986. In 1990, White married George Santo Pietro a restaurant owner. She became pregnant in 1992, but sadly she miscarried after it was announced on “Wheel of Fortune.”
White later had a son in 1994 and a daughter in 1997 with Santo Pietro. They divorced in 2002. From 2004 to 2006 White was engaged to businessman Michael Kaye but they did not marry. Since 2012 she has been in a relationship with contractor John Donaldson whom she met through friends.
White is a Baptist and was closely connected to actor Christopher George who was like a family friend though not a biological relative. Her mother grew up with George, and he and his wife looked after White in Los Angeles. White mentioned in an interview that her children often visit “Wheel of Fortune” tapings.
On April 1, 2022, White shared the news that her stepfather Herbert White Jr. passed away peacefully.
Philanthropy
In terms of philanthropy, White has donated $1.8 million to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as of 2019 and intends to continue her charitable efforts after retirement.
Vanna White’s Other Venture
Vanna White uses her earnings to invest in apartment buildings and enjoys flipping houses. In 2017 she listed her Beverly Hills home for $47.5 million. By 2023 she was renting out her Sherman Oaks home.
White learned to crochet from her grandmother when she was five. Although she lost interest over time she got back into it after seeing her pregnant hairdresser working on a baby blanket. White asked the hairdresser to help her relearn crochet. Now she often crochets during breaks on set finding it relaxing and rewarding.
White’s love for crochet led her to a partnership with Lion Brand Yarns which began after she talked about her hobby on “The Tonight Show” Starring Johnny Carson. She now has her yarn line called Vanna’s Choice and endorses crochet and knitting books under her name.
White is also known for her enthusiastic support of “Wheel of Fortune.” On May 24, 2013, she was awarded a Guinness World Record for the most claps on the show. By January 31, 2013, she had clapped about 3480864 times over the show’s 30 seasons averaging 606 claps per episode.
Vanna White’s Real Estate
Vanna White and George Santo Pietro once lived in a fancy neighborhood called The Mulholland Estates. Their neighbors included famous actors like Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty. Together, they built a huge house that was 15,000 square feet in Beverly Park. They lived there until their divorce in 2002.
After the divorce, they rented their house for a lot of money—$175,000 each month. In 2017, they tried to sell the house for $47.5 million. They also had another house close by, which sold for $22 million. Vanna’s main house sold in June 2020 for $19.3 million.
Vanna uses her money to buy apartment buildings and likes to fix up houses to sell them. She has a big house in the hills above Beverly Hills, which she bought for $3.4 million in the early 2000s. Now, that house is probably worth over $10 million.
In 2013, Vanna bought a home in Sherman Oaks, California, for $1.125 million. She listed it for rent in May 2020 for $20,000 a month.