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Top 3 highest-paid athletes of all time

Top 3 highest-paid athletes of all time

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One of the most memorable films to feature a dollar-obsessed athlete was the 1996 hit "Jerry Maguire."

Cuba Gooding Jr.'s football player character might have popularized the iconic phrase, "Show me the money!" but the following athletes are so wealthy they'll never need to yell for a paycheck again.

Read our countdown of the all-time highest paid international athletes.

The golf guru

Although the 2016 Forbes list for highest-paid athletes featured two soccer players in top slots, when it comes to the all-time list golf is the lucrative sport.

Coming in at No. 3, Arnold Palmer is a master of the money game and an amazing athlete. His empire, comprised of golf clubs, endorsement deals and even a popular drink brand, all estimated to be worth $1.35 billion.

He was nicknamed by his fans, or Arnie's Army, "the King," because he had a record of excellence and a kind personality. From 1955 to 1973, Palmer won 62 PGA Tour titles.

If you're not a sports fan or on the young side, you might be confused about why a popular ice tea and lemonade beverage shares this highly paid athletes name. Palmer's drink of choice, in 2001 Arnold Palmer Enterprises began bottling the drink in partnership with the AriZona Beverage Company.

Golf's new kid on the green

He has a catchy nickname and a really weird first name (have you ever met someone named Eldrick?), coming in at No. 2 is Tiger Woods.

In 1996, he turned to professional golf at the tender age of 20. At an age when most people are sleeping through their college algebra exams or entering their third straight month of eating nothing but pizza, Tiger was winning The Masters and rose to No. 1 in the world in 1997.

How's that for putting your youthful accomplishments into perspective?

Forbes estimates that his total empire of winnings, endorsement checks and other earnings at $1.65 billion. Although he may have had a rocky personal life lately, his bank account is probably still in good shape.

Sports world's ultimate legend

If you were a basketball fan in the 1990s, one figure dominated your dreams or nightmares (depending on whether you called the Prairie State home).

The sport and basketball legend Michael Jordan, who played for the Chicago Bulls at the height of his career, is the No. 1 highest-paid athlete of all time.

Born in 1963 in New York, Jordan was a determined player from the time he was in high school.

Before Jordan retired, he gained the honors of NBA Rookie of the Year; five-time NBA MVP; six-time NBA Champion; six-time NBA Finals MVP; 10-time All-NBA First Team; nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team; NBA Defensive Player of the Year; 14-time NBA All-Star; three-time NBA All-Star MVP; 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; and 10 scoring titles, according to the NBA.

One of the gems in his empire's crown is the Air Jordan Nike sneakers line, which was introduced to the market in 1985 and remain popular. His total empire is estimated to be worth over $1.7 billion.

With these athletes' hefty paychecks, you can bet that they choose reliable banks. Whether your financial needs are personal or business-related, take a look at the superior and personalized service offered by First National Bank.

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