Gareth Bale vs Gerwyn Price vs Mark Williams – How much Welsh sporting icons are really worth
Money is a big part of sport with many Welsh stars raking in the millions for their respective talents on the football pitch, oche and snooker table
Having a career as a professional athlete is something many of us can only dream about. Top sports stars receive the undying adulation of their fans, are known as some as the most famous faces in the country and, of course, have the opportunity to bank some considerable sums of money through their talents.
Wales just so happens to have some pretty impressive sports stars as well, including former national football team captain Gareth Bale and snooker icon Mark Williams. However, despite their undoubted legendary status, their earnings over the years don't quite match up with each other due to the different profiles of their chosen sports.
In fact, there is a massive £70 million gap between the highest earner and the next Welsh star on the list of the country's athletes with the biggest net worths. Here, Wales Online lists some of the nation's biggest earners in sport and how they earned their wealth.
Gavin Henson - £800,000
Welsh rugby legend Gavin Henson was widely considered one of the most naturally talented players in his prime but now enjoys a quiet life. It is understood that the ex-Swansea star is worth around £800,000 after signing a contract with Ospreys in 2005 worth £120,000 a year.
The 43-year-old also enjoyed spells with Saracens, Toulon, Cardiff Blues, London Welsh, Bath and Bristol before he retired in 2019. Nowadays, Henson spends his time managing his pub, The Fox, in St Brides Major.
The ex-rugby star spoke to Wales Online in 2020 about his influence in the village, which also included running Sunday league football club Super Fox United alongside childhood pal Jamie Griffiths. He said: "I'm just really passionate about the village.
"We managed to put a team together of all the old boys. When I was in school they would all be playing football and I was always watching with a jealous eye, thinking ‘I’d love to play’ but I stuck to my rugby. You had to choose at that age so I pined for it a bit. I think I’m trying to recapture my youth. Maybe we all are.
"The pub has always been run down and never run right. It coincided well with me finishing playing rugby. It’s something for me to do and not have that thought of ‘Oh God, what am I going to do with my life now.'"
Dan Biggar - £800,000
Dan Biggar is another Welsh name in rugby who made a decent living on the pitch. The ex-fly half, who is now a director at Scarlets, made £800,000 across his career which included two tours with the British and Irish Lions.
Biggar played for Ospreys, Northampton Saints and Toulon, and also had 112 caps for Wales in an 18-year rugby career. The 36-year-old retired from international rugby after the 2023 World Cup but continued to play club until April 2025.
Gerwyn Price - £4.2million
Gerwyn Price is Wales' very own darts hero, winning five major titles across his career on the oche. This included the World Darts Championship in 2021, which was the 40-year-old's lifelong dream.
Throughout his career, which has lasted over a decade, the Iceman has secured a cool £4.2million in prize money. However, Price isn't too bothered about his wealth and is more focused on collecting silverware than cash.
He said: "It just goes into the business account. I mean, if you've all got business accounts, which you probably have, you can only draw a certain amount out a year, unless you're buying properties, which I do.
"So, yeah, I could probably buy a nice place in Dubai or somewhere. It would just sit there. It wouldn't change my life."
Mark Williams - £8.8million
Next up is snooker star Mark Williams, who is a three-time world champion and former world number one in the sport. He is the first, and to date, the only player to win all three versions of the professional world championship: the World Snooker Championship, the Six-red World Championship and the World Seniors Championship.
With all these achievements, it's no surprise that Williams has amassed millions in prize money. Cue Tracker reports that across a 34-year career, the 50-year-old has made a whopping £8.8million from his tournament successes.
Ryan Giggs - £44.7million
The second-to-last star on this list is £70million away from the highest earner but has still made plenty of cash during his playing days. Ryan Giggs spent his entire career at Manchester United, winning 35 major honours as a Red Devil.
These include 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and a slew of domestic cups, making him one of the most decorated players of all time.
Giggs is said to be worth £44.7million as per Celebrity Net Worth and now spends his time coaching football and was also a co-owner of Salford City before David Beckham and Gary Neville took over last year.
Gareth Bale - £115million
Gareth Bale is unsurprisingly the top man on this list with an overall wealth of £115million as per Celebrity Net Worth. The former national team captain has been an incredible success for Welsh football, earning the most caps for his country and scoring the most goals.
The forward played for the likes of Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Los Angeles FC but is most known for his trophy-laden stint at Real Madrid. Bale won three LaLiga titles and five Champions Leagues in Spain and was nominated for multiple Ballon d'Ors for his incredible performances in football.
All of these achievements, coupled with endorsements with Adidas, EA Sports and Lucozade, have earned him millions over the years.