When Wayne Gretzky made a fortune by selling his property twice

By Sukanya Banerjee

Modified Apr 13, 2023 15:36 GMT

Wayne Gretzky, popularly known as “the Great One,” did not cease to surprise the world with his impressive hockey performances. The former hockey professional and former head coach surprised his fans when he managed to sell the same property twice.

It is evident from his strategic moves that Gretzky excels, not only in sports, but also in real estate investments. After he retired from hockey in 1999, Gretzky and his significant other, Janet, bought a 13,000-square-foot mansion in Thousand Oaks for $23 million. They purchased the home because they wanted to raise their kids in Southern California.

In 2007, Gretzky sold the lavish mansion to former MLB player Lenny Dykstra for $18.5 million. However, Dykstra lost the home. It went into foreclosure, and a couple purchased the home via an auction.

Later, Gretzky bought the same mansion for $13.5 million from the couple. This purchase was a strategic move by the former hockey player, who made a huge profit.

Once again, in 2021, Wayne Gretzky rolled the dice by selling the same mansion to Eric and Joanna Miller, the daughter of Donald Sterling, the Los Angeles Clippers governor, for $17.6 million.

Although Gretzky set the selling price at $22.9 million, he received $5.3 million less than the original tag. Yet, it was an enormous profit for "The Great One." With a $250 million net worth, Gretzky bought another luxurious house in an established neighborhood.

Wayne Gretzky once taught Michael Jordan how to tip

Wayne Gretzky, the NHL legend, put NBA icon Michael Jordan in an awkward position at a gambling event in 2010, as witnessed by Rich Strafella, the former vice president of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

Jordan earned fame in the sports realm with his obsession with winning and never-ending stamina in the games. However, he apparently needed to be taught how to tip by former hockey star Wayne Gretzky. As stated by Strafella, Michael tried tipping a waitress $5 after she brought the two sports legends their drinks.

Gretzky removed the NBA icon's $5 chip from the waitress's tray and put it back into Jordan’s stack. He pulled out a $100 chip from Jordan's stack and placed it on the waitress's cocktail tray. Gretzky told Jordan that that is how they tip in Las Vegas.

No incidents have been reported regarding Michael Jordan's reaction after receiving this lesson from Gretzky. However, it was considered a friendly conversation between the two legends with no controversies.