Miriam Adelson
Miriam Adelson's journey from doctor to billionaire businesswoman is remarkable. Her influence spans healthcare, casinos, sports (Mavericks), and media. X / Lucky @TheMagaHulk

Miriam Adelson's recent acquisition of the Dallas Mavericks has brought her into the spotlight in the world of sports.

While many recognise her significant role in philanthropy and her ties to the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, there is growing curiosity about her personal life, including her age, family, and net worth.

Who is Miriam Adelson?

Miriam Adelson, a distinguished figure in medicine, business, and philanthropy, was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 10th October 1945. As of February 2025, she is 79 years old. She is the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the late CEO and chairman of the Las Vegas Sands casino empire, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 87.

Though often in the shadow of her late husband, Miriam Adelson is far from a typical billionaire's spouse. She is a highly accomplished medical doctor and was a key partner of Sheldon Adelson in numerous business ventures and charitable endeavours.

The Adelson Empire

Miriam Adelson and her family own the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. While she doesn't hold an official position within the company, her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, serves as its president and board member. According to the Associated Press, the family also owns the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the largest newspaper in Nevada.

She also publishes Israel Hayom, a widely circulated Hebrew-language free daily newspaper in her native country known for supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Forbes, Miriam Adelson and her family hold a majority stake in the New York Stock Exchange-listed gambling giant, Las Vegas Sands, which operates casinos in Singapore and Macao.

In 2022, Las Vegas Sands divested its Vegas Strip properties, including the Venetian Resort and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, selling them to Apollo Global and Vici Properties for £5.03 billion ($6.25 billion). Then, in late 2023, Miriam Adelson moved significantly into the sports world, acquiring a majority ownership stake in the Dallas Mavericks NBA team from Mark Cuban.

A major Republican donor, alongside her late husband, Miriam Adelson is a leading supporter of US President Donald Trump.

Family Background

In 1986, Miriam Adelson relocated to New York City to work at Rockefeller University, where she focused on drug addiction research. It was there, in 1989, that she met Sheldon Adelson on a blind date. According to a report by UNLV University Libraries, she married Sheldon Adelson, the founder of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, in 1991, and he died in 2021.

During their honeymoon in Venice, Italy, Sheldon Adelson, already a successful trade show magnate with a growing casino business, conceived the idea for a massive hotel and resort inspired by an Italian city.

Miriam and Sheldon Adelson had two sons together, Adam and Matan. After Sheldon's passing, Miriam and her family inherited a substantial portion of his business empire, notably a controlling interest in the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.

Before her marriage to Sheldon Adelson, Miriam was married to Arial Ochshorn. They divorced in 1980 and had two daughters together. Sheldon Adelson also had three adopted children from a previous marriage.

In 2015, Yasmin Lukatz, one of Miriam's daughters from her first marriage, purchased a mansion in Atherton, California, for £28.14 million ($35 million). She sold the property in May 2022 for £36.18 million ($45 million).

What Is Miriam Adelson's Net Worth?

According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Miriam Adelson's net worth is estimated at £27.50 billion ($34.2 billion). Her wealth is attributed mainly to her long-term marriage to the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.

At the time of his death, Sheldon Adelson's net worth was estimated at £32.16 billion ($40 billion). Miriam Adelson subsequently inherited majority ownership of Las Vegas Sands, the casino conglomerate that generates over £3.22 billion ($4 billion) in annual revenue.

She holds a 47% stake in the publicly traded Las Vegas Sands Corporation. Over the past three decades, the Adelson family has received £8.04 billion ($10 billion) in dividends, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Prior to November 2023, Miriam Adelson owned 57% of Las Vegas Sands' shares. She then sold approximately £1.61 billion ($2 billion) worth of stock to facilitate her purchase of the Dallas Mavericks from Mark Cuban.

A trained medical doctor who served in the Israeli army, Miriam Adelson founded two substance abuse treatment clinics, one in the US and the other in Israel. Today, she ranks among the world's wealthiest women.

Las Vegas Estate

In 2005, Sheldon and Miriam Adelson acquired a 2-acre property in Las Vegas for £3.30 million ($4.1 million). Over the next eight years, they built a sprawling 43,500-square-foot mansion on the site. The palatial residence, which includes eight bedrooms and 20 bathrooms, spans three lots and features a private water park in the backyard. It is the largest private residence in Clark County, Nevada.

Over several decades, Sheldon and Miriam Adelson acquired an impressive collection of nine oceanfront homes in the highly exclusive gated community of Malibu Colony. This represents approximately 10% of all the residences in that prestigious neighbourhood.

Recent Developments

In early 2025, the Dallas Mavericks made headlines with the surprising trade of their star player, Luka Dončić, to the Los Angeles Lakers. This unexpected move sparked speculation among fans about the team's future. Some theories suggest that the Adelson family's ownership could influence the Mavericks' direction, potentially including considerations related to their business interests in Las Vegas, as reported by VOX.