Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates may be best known for transforming the tech world, but he says a quirky racquet sport has held his heart for decades—and it’s called pickleball.
What Happened: In an interview with Times Now, Gates opened up about how he relaxes, revealing that pickleball is one of his favorite pastimes.
“I get to play a lot of tennis, a funny American game called pickleball, and a card game, not many people play called bridge—I am big on that,” Gates said.
Pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, has become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for two years running. However, Gates’ love for the game long predates its current hype.
In a 2022 “Gates Notes” YouTube video titled “I’m a Pickler,” the billionaire philanthropist said he’s been playing the sport for 50 years.
“It is kind of stunning that 50 years after it was invented, it started to take off and now has incredible momentum,” Gates said. He added that the game’s simplicity, accessibility, and fun factor make it ideal for players of all ages.
Gates also has a personal connection to pickleball’s origins. His father, Bill Gates Sr., was close friends with the sport’s inventors—Bill Bell, Barney McCallum, and Joel Pritchard—who created it in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, not far from the Gates family’s hometown of Seattle.
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Why It’s Important: Gates currently has a net worth of $162 billion, making him the seventh wealthiest person on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Gates has held numerous titles throughout his life—tech pioneer, philanthropist, and once the world’s wealthiest individual.
Gates owns approximately 1% of Microsoft. He resigned from his role as a director in March 2020, and his exact holdings have not been detailed in later proxy statements.
His net worth does not account for shares held by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on poverty reduction, medical advancements, and educational programs.
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