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The 25 Richest Pro Athletes Of All Time

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By @jetleli

The 25 Richest Athletes of All Time

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Athletes today attract plenty of hate because of their abnormally large salaries, which can hover as high as million per year, and even more when you consider endorsement deals. This doesn't mean that athletes have not been making ridiculous sums of money for a long time though, as this list of the 25 richest athletes of all time will prove.

Enjoy!

25. Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton richest athletes ever
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

25. Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton richest athletes ever
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Hamilton is in the prime of his Formula One Racing career, but he is already worth $200 million, meaning he will likely creep up this list in the future.

24. Ken Block

ken block richest athletes ever
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24. Ken Block

ken block richest athletes ever
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Block is one of the faces of Hoonigan Racing Division, but he has made most of his $200 million fortune by being a founding father of DC Shoes.

23. Bob Arum

bob arum richest athletes ever
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23. Bob Arum

bob arum richest athletes ever
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Okay, Arum isn't a pro athlete, but has made so many boxers in the sport so much money that he deserves a spot here as the top promoter for Top Rank, which has booked fights for such prominent boxers as Muhammad Ali. The company has earned the 82-year-old a $200 million fortune in the process.

22. Dave Whelan

dave whelan richest athletes ever
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22. Dave Whelan

dave whelan richest athletes ever
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Whelan was once a star soccer player for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexander, but shrewd business deals in retirement have helped the 77-year-old amass most of his $210 million fortune.

21. Paul Caddick

caddick richest athletes ever
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21. Paul Caddick

caddick richest athletes ever
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Caddick has been retired from rugby since the 1980s, but he has moved into the business side of the sport and earned $225 million in the process.

20. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo richest athletes ever
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20. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo richest athletes ever
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Ronaldo is arguably the top soccer player in the world today, and a mix of massive endorsement deals and a high salary from Real Madrid has earned the 29-year-old a $250 million fortune.

19. George Foreman

George Foreman richest athletes ever
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19. George Foreman

George Foreman richest athletes ever
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Foreman was once the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but his $250 million fortune has been gained mostly through the George Foreman Grill business.

18. Kobe Bryant

kobe bryant richest athletes ever
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18. Kobe Bryant

kobe bryant richest athletes ever
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Bryant is creeping up on the end of his glorious career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he will rest happy knowing that $260 million is lying in the bank.

17. LeBron James

Lebron James richest athletes ever
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17. LeBron James

Lebron James richest athletes ever
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James just made a massive move back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which certainly will help his $270 million net worth continue to grow bigger.

16. Jack Nicklaus

jack nicklaus richest athletes ever
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16. Jack Nicklaus

jack nicklaus richest athletes ever
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Nicklaus won 18 career major championships during his golf career, but his net worth has ballooned to $280 million through the building of numerous golf courses around the world.

15. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. richest athletes ever
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15. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. richest athletes ever
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Mayweather is one of the most flamboyant athletes in recent history, and he never passes on a chance to let the world know that he is worth $280 million.

14. Alex Rodriguez

alex rodriguez richest athletes ever
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14. Alex Rodriguez

alex rodriguez richest athletes ever
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Rodriguez may be suspended for the entire 2014 MLB Season, but this hasn't hurt his net worth, which still stands at $300 million.

13. Greg Norman

richest athletes ever
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13. Greg Norman

richest athletes ever
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Norman won only two major championships during his days on the PGA Tour, but shrewd business dealings off the course have helped him rack up a $300 million fortune in retirement.

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. richest athletes ever
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12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

richest athletes ever Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Earnhardt Jr. is the most famous and marketable driver in NASCAR today, and he has taken advantage of this on the way to earning $300 million.

11. Roger Federer

roger federer richest athletes ever
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11. Roger Federer

roger federer richest athletes ever
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Federer may have seen the best of his tennis career pass by, but he is still worth over $300 million, meaning he will sleep well once retirement hits.

10. Shaquille O'Neal

richest athletes ever shaquille o'neal
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10. Shaquille O'Neal

richest athletes ever shaquille o'neal
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O'Neal was one of the top basketball players in the NBA during the 1990s and early 2000s, and his high salary while playing, lucrative endorsement deals and presence on TNT have helped him amass a $350 million fortune.

9. David Beckham

David Beckham richest athletes ever
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9. David Beckham

David Beckham richest athletes ever
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Beckham may have just retired from playing soccer, but he is on the cusp of owning an MLS franchise, and his $350 million fortune is certainly not done growing just yet.

8. Michael Buffer

michael buffer richest athletes ever
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8. Michael Buffer

michael buffer richest athletes ever
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I'm again cheating as he's not an athlete, but he's ingrained within the sport of boxing so much that it's hard to leave him out. Buffer is known by most as the man who yells out "Let's get ready to rumble!" before big fights begin, but he has also been an incredibly smart businessman, as he is worth $400 million.

7. Junior Bridgeman

junior bridgeman richest athletes ever
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7. Junior Bridgeman

junior bridgeman richest athletes ever
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Bridgeman had an impressive, if unspectacular, 13-year NBA career, but his ownership of Bridgeman Foods LLC has helped him get very rich, earning a net worth over $400 million.

6. Magic Johnson

magic johnson richest athletes ever
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6. Magic Johnson

magic johnson richest athletes ever
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Johnson was one of the best basketball players in NBA history, and his numerous endorsement deals, television appearances and ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers have helped his net worth grow to $500 million.

5. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods richest athletes ever
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5. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods richest athletes ever
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Woods may be struggling mightily on the golf course, but he is still the face of the PGA Tour and the Nike golf brand, and the 37-year-old has a net worth of $550 million.

4. Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer richest athletes ever
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4. Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer richest athletes ever
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Palmer is arguably the third greatest golfer of all time, and his legendary status, in addition to great business dealings have helped amass a net worth of $675 million.

3. Vince McMahon

McMahon richest athletes ever
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3. Vince McMahon

McMahon richest athletes ever
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McMahon is both the owner of WWE and an occasional fighter himself, and his dealings with the brand have helped the 68-year-old earn a $750 million net worth.

2. Michael Schumacher

michael schumacher richest athletes ever
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2. Michael Schumacher

michael schumacher richest athletes ever
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Schumacher is arguably the greatest driver in Formula One racing history, and he has earned a $800 million net worth because of his great success on the track and marketability off of it.

1. Michael Jordan

michael jordan richest athletes ever
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1. Michael Jordan

michael jordan richest athletes ever
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Jordan has been the most marketable face in sports over the last half century, and his mix of high career earnings, ownership of the Charlotte Hornets and of the Jordan brand have helped him become worth $1 billion.

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