Gabe Kaplan Net Worth

Gabe Kaplan has made his fortune through a multifaceted career spanning acting, comedy, and professional poker playing. He first rose to fame in the 1970s from the hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, which ran for 4 seasons on ABC.

After his acting career slowed, he pursued his long-time interest in poker more seriously, becoming a noted professional poker player on the tournament circuit. He has also worked as a commentator for poker TV programs. 

Kaplan has amassed considerable personal wealth through his acting and poker exploits over the past few decades. In this article, we look closer at his net worth and the highlights of his unique career path, bridging acting and high-stakes poker playing.

Gabe Kaplan’s net worth and acting career

Kaplan has amassed an impressive net worth between $30 million and $50 million. Most of his wealth has come from his prolific acting career in television and film. 

His big break came when he created and starred as teacher Gabe Kotter in the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter on ABC. The show was a hit and ran for 4 seasons, making him a household name and earning a steady paycheck plus residuals for years to come. 

Though the exact amount is undisclosed, as the show’s creator and star, he likely took in substantial profits. After Welcome Back, Kotter ended, Kaplan continued finding acting roles to keep his career thriving. 

Gabe Kaplan is a poker pro (Source: Upswing Poker)

In 1979, he had a starring role as a basketball coach in the film Fast Break. He also performed a successful one-person show portraying famed comedian Groucho Marx on and off Broadway, undoubtedly providing a nice income boost. 

Likewise, he made guest appearances on other popular TV shows like The Love Boat, appearing in over a dozen projects during the 1980s. Though his acting pace slowed in the 90s, he took on select roles and cameos that added to his growing wealth. 

The residuals from Welcome Back, Kotter over 40+ years, and consistent acting work have allowed Kaplan to live a lavish lifestyle.

While not earning at the height of his Kotter days, he has done well maintaining his celebrity status and net worth of tens of millions into his late 70s.

Gabe Kaplan in ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’

Welcome Back, Kotter was Kaplan’s breakthrough acting role, making him a huge star in the 1970s. He co-created the show based partly on his experiences attending remedial classes in high school.

He also co-developed the core format and central characters, including the lead role he played. In the show, Kotter returns to his Brooklyn alma mater as a teacher overseeing a class of underachieving remedial students known as the “Sweathogs.” 

As a founding member of the original group of Sweathogs from his school days, Kotter uses humor and understanding to connect with and stimulate the potential of the current Sweathogs. 

Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter (Source: Facebook)

His unorthodox teaching methods often land him in trouble with the school’s strict vice principal, Mr. Woodman. As the show’s main star, Kaplan appeared in nearly every episode over its 4 seasons from 1975-1979. 

His comedic talent and timing as Gabe Kotter were essential to making the character likable and funny. His rapid-fire quips and Groucho Marx impersonations became a trademark of the role. 

The huge success of Welcome Back, Kotter cemented Kaplan as a household celebrity during its peak years on the air. While he would act in other TV and film projects afterward, Kotter remains the most iconic acting performance that made him famous. 

Gabe Kaplan’s Poker career

In addition to his acting, Kaplan is an accomplished professional poker player who has earned over $1.9 million in live tournament winnings. He first played poker while starring on Welcome Back, Kotter in the late 1970s. 

He began playing in the World Series of Poker in 1978 and soon became one of the game’s elite players. In 1980, he won the main event at Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker, taking home an enormous loving cup trophy.  

Over the next decade, he continued notching final table appearances in major poker tournaments.

In recent years, he has earned huge payouts for top finishes in the World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker events, including over $250,000 for coming in 3rd place in a WPT no-limit Texas Hold ’em tournament in 2004. 

Gabe Kaplan playing poker (Source: WSOP)

He has also found success on televised poker shows like Poker After Dark, winning several recent episodes, including the show’s greatest comeback ever during the “Commentators III” week in 2010.

Besides playing competitively, Kaplan has become a premier poker television commentator. He helped call the action for the WSOP Main Event in 1997 and 2002.

In 2021, he returned to host the popular high-stakes poker cash game show High Stakes Poker during its 8th season on PokerGO. 

Hence, his poker winnings of almost $2 million combined with residuals from his acting career have allowed him to accrue a substantial net worth estimated between $30-$50 million.

Gabe Kaplan retired as a poker commentator

Kaplan worked extensively as a commentator for poker television programming over the last 15 years. He lent his voice and analysis to shows like the National Heads-Up Poker Championship on NBC and the Intercontinental Poker Championship on CBS. 

Perhaps most notably, he served as a long-time commentator on High Stakes Poker, which aired on GSN and later PokerGO. 

He commentated alongside A.J. Benza for the show’s 8th season in 2020 and continued when High Stakes Poker returned for a 10th season in January 2023. 

However, on January 25th, 2023, after hinting at retirement during the Season 10 premiere episode, Kaplan officially announced that he was retiring from his role as the High Stakes Poker commentator, effective immediately. 

He did not give a specific reason for stepping down as commentator, but at 78, he likely felt it was time to move on from the role he had held for over a decade.

He leaves big shoes to fill on the popular poker cash game show, with no replacement named yet but expected to be announced soon.

After decades in the limelight across acting and poker, Kaplan is paring down his on-camera commitments by retiring as a commentator.