How Much Did Clark Griswold Lose in Vegas Vacation?

By Michael Ferguson

If you’re a fan of the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise, chances are you’ve seen Vegas Vacation – the fourth installment in the series. In this movie, we see the Griswold family head to Las Vegas for a fun-filled vacation. However, things take a turn for the worse when Clark Griswold gets caught up in the glitz and glamour of Sin City.

One of the most memorable scenes in Vegas Vacation is when Clark hits it big at the blackjack table. He wins $25,000 and decides to continue playing, despite his wife’s protests. In typical Clark fashion, he ends up losing all of his winnings and more.

But just how much did Clark Griswold lose in Vegas Vacation? Let’s break it down.

First off, we know that Clark won $25,000 at the blackjack table. However, he doesn’t stop there. He continues to gamble and loses all of his winnings plus an additional $22,600.

So in total, Clark lost $47,600 during his time in Las Vegas. That’s no small amount of money!

To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at what that amount would be worth today. Vegas Vacation was released in 1997, so we’ll adjust for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). According to the CPI Inflation Calculator from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, $47,600 in 1997 is equivalent to approximately $79,000 in 2021.

That’s right – Clark Griswold lost almost $80k during his wild weekend in Las Vegas!

Of course, it’s important to remember that Vegas Vacation is just a movie and these events are fictional. Still, it’s interesting to think about how much money someone could potentially lose while gambling in Sin City.

In conclusion, Clark Griswold lost a whopping $47,600 during his ill-fated vacation in Las Vegas. While this may seem like a lot, it’s small potatoes compared to some of the big losses we’ve seen in real life. But hey, at least Clark got a memorable vacation out of it!