Dave Portnoy is a trailblazer in media and sports entertainment. He’s made his mark on the industry with his business acumen and never giving up. Born March 22, 1977 in Swampscott, MA he started his journey to fame as the founder of Barstool Sports, a sports and pop culture blog that changed the digital media game. He’s got a talent for being funny and smart and quickly built a loyal following which turned Barstool Sports into a multimedia company with podcasts, live events and merchandise. His business sense turned his passion into a business and made him a bunch of money, estimated to be over $100 million.
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From the bottom up Portnoy’s rise to fame shows he’s always been about innovation and authenticity in media. He’s able to connect with people through raw and unapologetic content and is now a cultural icon. Beyond his business ventures Portnoy is a big time sports fan and a fun guy. His influence goes beyond media and shapes the conversation and trends in sports and entertainment. As he continues to grow his brand and talk to the world Dave Portnoy is the embodiment of passion and perseverance in the digital age.
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What is Dave Portnoy's Net Worth
Dave Portnoy has a net worth of $100-150 million. He made that from Barstool Sports, the sports and pop culture blog he started in 2003. Over the years his entrepreneurial spirit and content have turned a small local newspaper into a national brand in the sports entertainment space. His net worth is a result of his business sense, content creation and the power of digital.
Barstool Sports
Barstool Sports is the bread and butter of Dave Portnoy’s net worth. He started it as a print publication in the Boston area. But he saw the digital space and moved Barstool Sports online. Today it’s one of the biggest sports and pop culture blogs with millions of visitors a month. Barstool Sports is a big part of his net worth.
In 2020 Penn National Gaming bought 36% of Barstool Sports for $163 million valuing the company at $450 million. That increased the value of Barstool Sports and Portnoy’s net worth. As part of the deal Penn National Gaming has the option to buy more in the future which could increase Portnoy’s wealth.
Personal Investments and Other Ventures
Outside of Barstool Sports Dave Portnoy has diversified his income streams through personal investments and other ventures. He’s an active stock trader and has shared his trades on various platforms. Those investments come with risk but could add to his net worth.
Portnoy also does pizza reviews. His “One Bite” reviews are super popular and led to the creation of the “One Bite” app. The app allows users to share their own pizza reviews. It’s not as big as Barstool Sports but another part of his entrepreneurial empire.
Net Worth By Year
Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, has made a ton of money over the years. His net worth has grown along with Barstool Sports which went from a small print publication to a digital sports entertainment giant. Barstool Sports plus his personal investments and ventures has led to a steady increase in his net worth. As of 2024 he’s worth between $120-$150 million.
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $120-150 million |
| 2023 | $125 million |
| 2022 | $115 million |
| 2021 | $110 million |
| 2020 | $100 million |
Dave’s net worth has grown from the success of Barstool Sports and his personal investments. The 36% stake in Barstool Sports that Penn National Gaming bought for $163 million in 2020 boosted his net worth4. Then in 2023 Penn National Gaming bought the rest of the company for $388 million and he got even richer4. Despite market fluctuations and the risks that come with his investments, his net worth has been trending up. His ability to adapt to the digital age has been key to that growth. We’ll see how his net worth changes as the sports entertainment and digital media landscape evolves.
Early Life of Dave Portnoy
Born March 22, 1977 in Swampscott, MA a small town on the North Shore. Son of Linda and Michael Portnoy. Middle class upbringing. Parents were hard working and were his role models. He was taught a strong work ethic from a young age. His childhood in Swampscott was pretty normal. Ups and downs of childhood and adolescence.
Attended Swampscott High School where he was an athlete. Loved sports especially football. After high school he went to the University of Michigan. Graduated with an Education degree but his love for sports never wavered. Little did he know that would lead him to create Barstool Sports and add to his net worth. The experiences and lessons from his early life would play a big part in his entrepreneurial journey and would set the stage for his future success.
Dave Portnoy's Career
Barstool Sports
Dave Portnoy’s career started with Barstool Sports. In 2003 he launched the company as a print publication that was all fantasy sports projections. It was distributed in the Boston area and quickly became popular among sports fans. He saw the opportunity in the digital space and moved Barstool Sports online in 2007. That was a game changer and Barstool Sports went national.
The online platform was a mix of sports news, commentary and humor and it attracted a huge and loyal following. Portnoy himself became a big deal and his personality and unfiltered commentary made him a star. His “El Presidente” and “One Bite” pizza reviews became a big part of the Barstool brand. Despite the criticism and controversy he faced he stuck to his guns and became a true pioneer.
Penn National Gaming Deal
In 2020 Portnoy’s career went to new heights when Penn National Gaming invested $163 million for 36% of Barstool Sports. The deal valued Barstool Sports at around $450 million and added hundreds of millions to Portnoy’s net worth. As part of the deal Penn National Gaming has the option to increase their stake in the future and add even more to Portnoy’s bank account.
The partnership with Penn National Gaming also brought about the Barstool Sportsbook, Barstool’s entry into the sports betting space. The sportsbook has been a success and has added to the growth of Barstool Sports and Portnoy’s wealth. Despite the challenges and controversy Portnoy’s career continues to roll on and he’s a true survivor.
Early Life
Dave Portnoy, the man of large personality and no filter, has a life just as interesting as his career. He was married to Renee Satterthwaite, aka the “First Lady of Barstool,” from 2009-2017. Despite the divorce they remain on good terms. His personal life, like his professional one, is always in the public eye because of his fame and what he does.
Portnoy is a sports guy, football and horse racing are his favorite. He’s a die hard Boston sports fan and it shows in his work at Barstool Sports. Besides sports Portnoy is also a pizza guy. His “One Bite” pizza reviews are super popular and have even spawned the “One Bite” app. Despite his busy schedule and running a company he makes time for his hobbies and it adds to the whole package.
In recent years Portnoy has used his platform for good. He started the Barstool Fund during the COVID pandemic to help small businesses affected by it. He’s raised millions of dollars and helped many businesses. This part of his personal life adds to the whole good guy image.
Award, Nomination & Decoration
Dave Portnoy’s resume is filled with many achievements. But his biggest one is definitely creating and running Barstool Sports. From a small print publication to a digital sports entertainment behemoth under his leadership1. That alone makes him a successful entrepreneur and innovator in the sports entertainment space.
In addition to Barstool Sports, Portnoy has also made a name for himself as a sports bettor. He’s called himself the “World No. 1 gambler” on Twitter and has the bankroll to back it up2. In 2024 he won $2.76 million on a $600,000 bet that the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team would win the championship game3. That’s the biggest bet of his life and shows he’s not afraid to take risks4.
He may not have any awards or nominations but he’s got the credentials. He turned a small print publication into a national brand, he’s a sports bettor and a social media personality.
Controversies
In November 2021 Dave Portnoy was accused of sexual misconduct. Two women, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said he turned sexual experiences violent and humiliating. The allegations were published by Insider and went big time1. One of the women said she felt like a “human sex doll” and was “literally screaming in pain” during their encounter2. Portnoy denied the allegations and said Insider was trying to do a “hit piece” on him and that he never engaged in non-consensual sex. Even though he denied it the allegations went big time and raised some serious questions about him.
Racist Comments
Portnoy has also been called out for making racist comments. Barstool Sports and his commentary have been accused of being racist. This brought to light the problems with Barstool Sports content and led to calls for NASCAR to cut ties with Portnoy and Barstool because of their association.
Defamation Lawsuit
In February 2023 Portnoy dropped his appeal to refile a defamation lawsuit against Insider over the sexual misconduct allegations. A federal judge had previously ruled that the First Amendment protected Insider’s right to publish the stories. Dropping the appeal ended the long legal battle but did nothing to quiet the controversy around the allegations.
