When casino magnate Sheldon Adelson decided to build a string of resorts in Macau in 2002, his competitors were skeptical. “Everyone else in the gambling industry thought it was the dumbest idea ever,” Adelson told Forbes. “Now all the naysayers would cut off their right arm to get a piece of land there. I’ve got a warehouse full of arms, and a couple of left ones, too.”

Nearly two decades later, the gamble is still paying off. The 85-year-old chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. gained $2.2 billion in seven days due to robust gaming revenue in Macau boosting the company’s stock. Las Vegas Sands’ share price rose 8.8 percent in the week through April 4. Adelson, who owns more than half of the gambling empire, is now worth $38.1 billion, making him the 23rd-richest person of the world. This is a $6.3 billion increase since the beginning of 2019.