Dave Portnoy Net Worth Exposed: How He Made (And Lost) A Fortune

Self-made multimillionaire Dave Portnoy stands apart from many of the world’s ultra-wealthy. He earned his fortune by founding Barstool Sports, which began as a free print newspaper he handed out on the streets of Boston in the early 2000s.

Today, Barstool Sports is valued at $550 million. But for fans and critics alike, it’s not just Portnoy’s wealth that draws attention. It’s his story, rise to fame, and unapologetic, larger-than-life personality.

Here’s how the Massachusetts native built his fortune, how he spends it, and why he’s constantly making headlines.

As of April 2025, most sources estimate Dave Portnoy’s net worth at around $250 million (per Celebrity Net Worth). Some reports suggest his total wealth may be 10–15% lower.

Earlier this month, Portnoy told followers in a YouTube video that he lost nearly $20 million in a single day, citing President Trump’s controversial tariff announcement as the cause.

The next day, after Trump revised the policy, Portnoy announced on X that he’d recovered $8.2 million of the loss. “That’s the game,” he told fans.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89D1LrbWv3A[/embed]

Tracking a multimillionaire’s net worth is rarely simple, but Portnoy has always been unusually transparent. He openly shares financial details with fans between his business ventures, real estate deals, and daily stock trades.

He even explains his trades live on his YouTube channel, Davey Day Trader.

Dave Portnoy graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in education, but had no clear career path. After returning to Massachusetts, he didn’t apply for teaching jobs. Instead, he took a position at an IT market research firm, lasting only a few months before quitting.

In 2003, Portnoy took a risk and launched Barstool Sports. At first, it was a simple publication featuring his sports and betting picks. He handed the four-page print paper around Boston to anyone.

According to Forbes, he secured early advertisers, including PartyPoker, an illegal betting site, to keep the project afloat. But Barstool struggled to profit until 2007, when Portnoy moved the paper online and began to grow.

By 2010, Barstool Sports had carved out a distinctive voice and loyal audience. Beyond sports betting, the site featured scantily clad women, politically incorrect articles, and irreverent humor. “It’s TMZ almost for guys,” Portnoy explained in a 2011 interview with the Boston Globe.

The content sparked backlash, with critics calling the site sexist and offensive. But Portnoy didn’t care. He doubled down, knowing exactly who his audience was, and gave them what they wanted. His gamble paid off.

In 2016, Business Insider reported that the Chernin Group offered $10–15 million for a majority stake in Barstool, while allowing Portnoy to keep editorial control. “This was not my cash-out moment,” he wrote in a Barstool Sports piece 2016. “This was our best shot to literally take this thing to the moon.”

He was right. Barstool expanded into a full-fledged media empire, racking millions of subscribers and followers across Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms. By 2020, Forbes valued the company at $450 million, up from $10 million just a few years prior.

That same year, Penn Entertainment (formerly Penn National Gaming) reportedly paid $165 million for a 36% stake in Barstool. In 2023, Penn bought the remaining shares for another $388 million (per Penn Entertainment).

While some were shocked that Portnoy sold the company outright, fellow entrepreneurs weren’t. Two decades after handing out newspapers on Boston’s streets, The New York Times reported his net worth had hit $100 million in 2024.

But in a surprising twist, just a year after the sale, Portnoy bought back every share of Barstool for just $1, not $1 per share, but $1 total (per Fox Business).

The deal included a clause giving Penn 50% of future sales profits. But Portnoy has made it clear he has no plans to sell again, meaning he retains Barstool’s full value indefinitely.

Dave has made waves and millions in the media. Dive into our ultimate net worth roundup to see where he ranks among today’s top earners.

Dave Portnoy’s net worth increased by $50 million after he repurchased Barstool. But it’s unclear how much of that came from the sale.

In addition to owning 100% of Barstool, Portnoy has other revenue streams that continue to shape his fortune, including several companies, brand partnerships, social media platforms, and an active stock portfolio.

He’s collaborated with brands like Randolph USA, Tommy John, Muck Boots, Slice, and DraftKings, but his attention is currently focused on growing his online show, One Bite Pizza.

The show’s premise is simple: Portnoyak, aka “El Pres,” takes a few bites of a pizza slice outside the restaurant and rates it on a scale from 1 to 10. So far, he’s reviewed nearly 2,000 pizza slices across the US, sharing his opinions on Instagram and TikTok.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@_one_bite_pizza_reviews/video/7430089563940392235?lang=en[/embed]

When he’s not reviewing pizza, Portnoy manages other platforms. His X account primarily features political commentary, while his YouTube channel, Davey Day Trader, offers stock market insights and trading updates.

He also hosts The Unnamed Show with Ryan Whitney and Kirk Minihane, and frequently guest-stars on other popular shows like Barstool Rundown, The Adam Carolla Show, Call Her Daddy, and The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside his business ventures, a large share of Portnoy’s fortune comes from the stock market.

He often tells followers his top picks are tech stocks, cryptocurrencies, and distressed companies. According to Quiver Quantitative, his portfolio includes major brands like Budweiser, Chipotle, Apple, Tesla, Spirit Airlines, and Snapchat.

The stock market’s volatility is no secret. Earlier this month, Fortune reported Portnoy lost nearly $20 million in a single day. The next day, he announced on X that he’d made $8 million of it back, yet he never seemed fazed.

But while it may look like he has the Midas touch, Portnoy has faced his share of setbacks, financially and personally. And it’s often his personal life that grabs headlines.

In recent years, multiple women have accused Portnoy of sexual misconduct. He has strongly denied the allegations and even filed a lawsuit against Business Insider for publishing the original report (per The Washington Post). Although no formal charges were filed, the controversy lingers in the public eye.

The backlash resurfaced last year when fans learned Taylor Swift had sent Portnoy a personal thank-you note for attending her concert.

Reddit users reacted with comments like: “This woman continues to publicly align herself with people with histories of sexual assault allegations. This is really disappointing.”

Earlier this month, Portnoy made an uncharacteristic public apology after his Barstool Sports team helped spread a false rumor about 19-year-old Mary Kate Cornett at the University of Mississippi.

“It’s a vicious rumor,” Portnoy told reporters. “I wish we didn’t play any part in it… though I don’t know how you put the toothpaste back in the tube.”

One woman Portnoy never speaks ill of is his wife, Renee Portnoy. Although legally separated since 2017, they never divorced. “Renee currently has access to all my money,” Portnoy told the New York Post.

“If she wanted to take it and leave, she could. But we’ve had that joint bank account forever. I trust her implicitly. She has full access.”

Dave Portnoy doesn’t look or act like someone worth over $250 million. Usually dressed in a T-shirt with a scruffy beard, El Pres is far from flashy. Forbes reported that instead of spending on designer clothes, the Barstool founder prefers multimillion-dollar homes, boats, and luxury furniture.

Portnoy owns three homes (per Realtor.com): a $42 million house in Nantucket, a $9.8 million, 5,700-square-foot home in Montauk, and a $14 million waterfront property in Miami.

He isn’t the only controversial internet millionaire. Joe Rogan, Mr. Beast, and Logan Paul use similar playbooks. According to Forbes, Rogan is worth between $200 and $250 million.

Logan Paul at $150 million. MrBeast’s finances are trickier; The Street reports estimates ranging from $85 million to speculation he could soon hit $1 billion.

For content creators like Portnoy, Rogan, Paul, and MrBeast, the ceiling for fame and fortune keeps rising. And Portnoy has made it clear: whether through his reacquisition of Barstool, his growing YouTube presence, or his stock portfolio, he plans to keep winning.

Dave Portnoy sold Barstool for $553 million over two transactions in 2020 and 2023 before repurchasing it for just $1 in 2024 (per MarketWatch).

Dave Portnoy is still married; he and his wife, Renee Portnoy, legally and amicably separated in 2017. The two remain close friends (per Newsweek).