Gayle Benson gains $1 billion in net worth and remains Louisiana's richest person

Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans, is still the richest person in Louisiana, according to the latest Forbes rankings.

Driving the news: Her net worth has increased by nearly $1 billion since 2022 to $4.7 billion, the magazine estimates.

Catch up quick: Benson, 76, took over the sports empire from her late husband Tom Benson following his 2018 death, though she faced an inheritance dispute with his daughter and grandchildren over the assets.

• Tom Benson had owned the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans since 2012. The two married in 2004.
• Gayle Benson also started a thoroughbred racing stable in 2014 and owns four local automobile dealerships and Faubourg Brewing Company.
• A native of New Orleans, Benson grew up in Old Algiers. She previously worked in jewelry sales, real estate development and for 30 years in interior design, according to her official bio.

Worth noting: She is the first woman to be the principal owner of both an NFL and NBA team.

Go deeper: "How Gayle Benson became the First Lady of Football" (Town & Country Magazine).