Oprah Winfrey placed a US$2-million limit on her bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers.

The media mogul has revealed her disappointment at missing out on the chance to own the basketball team after her offers were beaten by a US$2-million bid from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The 60-year-old - who is currently filming the Martin Luther King biopic Selma - told Entertainment Tonight: "I was in the middle of these scenes while making the bid - literally the first day I was going to shoot. I had to run upstairs in the building, find a fax machine - we're putting in the bid and I'm signing it, and I'm thinking, 'How ironic is that? I'm playing a woman who can't get the right to vote, and now you're putting in a bid [to buy a professional sports team].'"

However, as bids for the team skyrocketed, she was forced to pull out of the race for the side.

She explained: "$2billion... OK, now that's my limit!"

"I always look at things as whatever is supposed to happen, happens. We went over that number, and then we went over that number again, and by the time we got to the final number [it was no longer] a good business decision."

The former 'Oprah Winfrey Show' host has since revealed her relief at losing out on the bid after worrying she would be pestered for tickets to see the NBA side.

She said: "That's one reason I'm glad we didn't get it, because a lot of people would be like, 'Oprah? Got any Clippers tickets?'"