7. Sheldon Adelson

• Net Worth: $24.9 B                                                                 
• Source of Wealth: Casinos
• Citizen: United States
• Age: 80

Gambling mogul Sheldon Adelson continues to hit the jackpot. Booming business at his casinos in Macau and Singapore lifted the fortune of the Las Vegas Sands chief $8 billion over the past year as shares climbed 35%. In August the Sands settled a money laundering investigation by agreeing to return $47 million in deposits made by a high-stakes player that Sands failed to report to U.S. government. Adelson built the $1.5 billion Venetian Resort in 1997 and the $1.9 billion Palazzo resort in 2008.