Richest Left-Handed Billionaires
How Southpaws Built Incredible Fortunes
Left-handed earn less, right? According to a 2014 study—The Wages of Sinistrality: Handedness, Brain Structure, and Human Capital Accumulation—economist Joshua Goodman found that lefties earn annually 10 to 12 percent less than righties. His theory? Some left-handers may be born with neurological differences that impact cognitive and social development, which can lead to lower lifetime earnings.
And yet... a few famous left handed people have climbed all the way to billionaire status.
They’re rare. But they exist. Whether it’s social media platforms, financial data systems, or media empires, these left-handed rich have proved that being a southpaw doesn’t keep you from building a massive fortune.
So, pour a coffee in your favorite left-handed mug, settle in, and get ready to meet some of the richest lefties to ever live.
Mark Zuckerberg
Co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook), Zuckerberg is worth roughly $240 billion. That fortune was built on code, ad revenue, and some famously gauche interviews. A true left-hander, he turned a dorm-room project into a social platform that billions use—whether they like it or not.
Bill Gates
Long before tech tycoons were everywhere, Gates co-founded Microsoft and made personal computing a reality. His fortune still sits at about $117 billion, and he remains one of the most famous left-handed people in the world. Whether you love or hate Windows, his role in reshaping the digital age is undeniable.
Michael Bloomberg
A lefty who became mayor of New York City and then built a financial data empire, Bloomberg is worth about $105 billion. He turned keyboard symbols and ticker streams into Wall Street’s backbone. Another left-handed rich guy who made his billions through scale, finance, and staying extremely on-brand.
Oprah Winfrey
Rising from poverty to global media royalty, Oprah is worth around $3 billion. The first Black woman billionaire, she built a media empire with authenticity and influence. Her success shows that left-handed celebrities can be both powerful and empathetic.
David Rockefeller Sr.
A member of the iconic Rockefeller dynasty, David Rockefeller was worth approximately $3 billion at his death in 2017. He led Chase Manhattan Bank and steered family trusts that helped define American finance. Born into incredible wealth, sure, but still a left-handed master of money.
When Lefties Join the 0.1%
Do left-handed people earn more? Not generally. The data says the opposite. But these five prove it’s possible to beat the odds. Still, don’t let the billionaire glow-ups fool you. Left-handed intelligence or not, their wealth is the exception. Not the rule.
Their fortunes reflect not just personal brilliance but systems that reward platforms, capital, and influence. Most lefties, like most people, work hard without seeing billions at the end of the tunnel. But it’s worth noticing which famous people who are left handed managed to game the system. Or build it from scratch.
If you are curious to discover more successful stories of left-handed famous people, check out our articles on Left-Handed Tech Masterminds, Left-Handed Culinary Chefs, and A-List Left-Handed Hollywood Actors.
