10 Things you didn't know about Bill Gates

10 things you didn't know about Bill Gates

Bill Gates is the richest man in the world, but how much do you really know about the billionaire with the bad hairdo?

1 Gates was just 17 when he sold his first piece of software — for $4,000.

2 He went to Harvard, but dropped out during his junior year.

3 He once liked all-night poker games and now plays bridge online under the handle "Chalengr."

4 At 31, Gates became the youngest self-made billionaire in history.

5 Despite his laidback image, Gates often berated underlings at Microsoft with his trademark put-down, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

6 Gates paid $30 million for a collection of writings by Leonardo da Vinci.

7 His massive home on a hill overlooking Lake Washington is the world's most expensive house, valued at a cool $125 million.

8 Gates' mom chided him at his wedding to be a philanthropist. "From those who are given great resources, great things are expected," Mary Gates said.

9 His foundation has given away more money than Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller put together, even when adjusted for inflation.

10 Not that he's hurting now, but he was worth more than $100 billion in 1999 — before the dot-com crash erased more than half his fortune.