When these magicians aren't making elephants and buildings disappear, they are busy making huge sums of money appear in their bank accounts. Sure, they possess magical skills unlike others in their field, but that doesn't mean they can just conjure actual money out of thin air. These 10 magicians work hard for their millions. They make things disappear and reappear, they float, they saw people in half and put them back together. Most of these master illusionists have long standing gigs in Las Vegas. They wow their audiences leave everyone saying "How did they DO that?!" For these talents, they are richly rewarded. How richly? These are the 10 richest magicians in the world:
10. Derren Brown – Net Worth: $7.5 million
Derren Brown is an English illusionist who frequently appears on the British television shows "Trick of the Mind" and "Trick or Treat." Brown is also an accomplished mentalist and author who has written a number of books on magic including "Absolute Magic," "Tricks of the Mind," and "Confessions of a Conjurer." In 2007, Brown came out as gay.
9. David Blaine – Net Worth: $12 million
Nowadays David Blaine is known for his acts of superhuman endurance. He lived in a transparent box without food or water for 44 days. He stood inside a block of ice for three days. He stood on top of a tall pole for two days. But long before this became his calling card, Blaine was known for his low-key demeanor and casual style. It is said he could do amazing magical feats with anything at hand.
David Blaine / JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
8. Hans Klok – Net Worth: $25 million
Hans Klock is a Dutch illusionist who is a part of the Inner Circle of the Magic Circle, an elite group of magicians from all over the world. Born in the Netherlands, Klok received his first magic set at age 10 and he was off and running. By the time he was 14-years old he was a master conjurer and was invited to perform in Las Vegas. He has performed during the 2006 FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies as well as London Fashion Week. Klok is also an actor in his native country and has appeared in many Dutch movies and television shows.
7. Criss Angel – Net Worth: $50 million
Criss Angel was born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos on Long Island, New York. His passion for magic started when he was seven years old after his aunt showed him a card trick. He became famous as a street magician, illusionist, and star and creator of the television show "Criss Angel Mindfreak." He's been on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", and "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," to name just a few. He was in residency in his own show on the Las Vegas Strip at both The Aladdin and Luxor. Criss also collaborated with Cirque du Soleil to create the live performance show "Criss Angel Believe". "Believe" premiered on October 31, 2008 and is scheduled to run 4600 performances over a 10 year run in the Luxor's 1600 person theatre.
Criss Angel /Ethan Miller/Getty Images
6. Lance Burton – Net Worth: $100 million
Lance Burton is another Las Vegas staple. The native of Columbia, Kentucky became fascinated with magic when he was five years old and asked to be a volunteer at a magic show. In 1977, Burton entered his first magic competition. He won first place. The International Brotherhood of Magicians awarded him the Gold Medal of Excellence in 1980. Burton appeared on The Tonight Show 10 times with Johnny Carson as host and another 10 with Jay Leno hosting. He spent nine years with the Folies Bergere show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. In 1994, Burton signed a 13-year contract with the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. During the show's 13-year run, Burton earned an estimated $110 million. He retired on September 4, 2010 after 31 years in magic.
5. & 4. Siegfried and Roy – Net Worth: $120 million
Siegfried and Roy are synonymous with Las Vegas. Nicknamed the Masters of the Impossible, they were a top draw for decades until Roy was injured by one of their tigers during a 2003 performance. Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn started working as a team in 1959 on a German ocean liner. Their show was such a hit that the duo was offered a gig in Las Vegas. They won best show in Las Vegas in 1972. They spent more than six years at the Frontier and in 1990 when they moved to the then brand new Mirage. By the time the show ended, they had performed an estimated 5,750 shows.
Siegfried and Roy / Ethan Miller/Getty Images
3. & 2. Penn & Teller – Net Worth: $300 million
Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller have been performing their magic and comedy routine together since the 1970s. Penn is a graduate of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College. Teller is one of the few people on earth who is allowed to have just one name on their passport. Penn and Teller began have been performing their permanent show in Las Vegas for roughly 20 years. They also had their own television show, "Penn and Teller: Bullshit", which ran from 2003 until 2010.
1. David Copperfield – Net Worth: $800 million
David Copperfield is not only the wealthiest, but also the most famous and accomplished magician of his generation. He made the Statue of Liberty disappear, he walked through the Great Wall of China, and he is well on his way to being the first billionaire magician in history. Over the last 30 years, he has managed to amass an astounding $800 million personal net worth. His Las Vegas shows and world tours have sold more than 40 million tickets and grossed $4 billion in revenue to date. He has sold more tickets than any other solo performer in history, earning him one of his 11 Guinness World Records. To put that in perspective, David Copperfield, a magician, has sold more tickets than Madonna, Justin Bieber, Elvis Presley and even Michael Jackson. He is the most successful magician of all time, but his net worth is not from illusions alone. Thanks to incredibly shrewd investments and acquisitions, David has managed to build an incredibly valuable financial empire that includes real estate, restaurants, merchandise and even magic memorabilia. He owns 11 islands in the Bahamas and also owns the world's largest collection of magic memorabilia. The collection contains more than 150,000 items and books with especially valuable items from Harry Houdini, Georges Melies, and the father of modern magic, Jean-Eugene Robert Houdin. The collection is irreplaceable and priceless, and is housed in a 40,000 square foot warehouse located several miles off the Las Vegas Strip. It is open only to fellow magicians, historians, and academics as well as actors researching roles. He rarely opens the collection to a member of the media. His collection is truly priceless, but to put some numbers on it, he's spent upwards of $200 million to assemble everything.
David Copperfield – Billionaire Magician / Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
