Esports, previously limited to small pockets of online gaming aficionados and enthusiasts, has proliferated on a global scale that attracts tens or even hundreds of millions of fans alternatively while also generating billions in revenue. Over the past few years, esports has grown massively in popularity and is now a very real option as a career path for some of our more highly skilled candidates who opt to go down this route. The appeal of the esports industry is not just in competition – it also concerns potential money-making.
Today, the top esports players are making money that is comparable to traditional sports athletes, through a combination of tournament winnings, team salary, sponsorships and streaming revenue. SAITAMA, JAPAN — They have made gaming a money-making industry where skills on popular games such as Dota 2 or Starcraft II can prove to be a jackpot. The industry is already on a growth trajectory driven by an expanding audience that leads to improved sponsors rolling in and the introduction of new esports titles globally. 5
There are many factors that affect the potential earnings in esports. An obvious one would be winnings in tournaments that could offer huge prize pools like The International or League Of Legends World Championship. But that is only the first step. A top professional athlete can also demand a large salary from their teams and typically they are endorsed by some of the pro brands. This is also another means to earn as gamers can partake in making their gameplay available for streaming on platforms like Twitch or YouTube, and get paid each time someone subscribes,donates and via ad revenue. Add all this to the professional gaming world, it is a complete industry worth multi-million dollars and more.
Top 10 Richest Esports Players (Updated-2024)
Looking at the richest esport player in the world, one can tell that this list is composed mainly by gamers who did extremely well in their parking game and they are also making a buck through due to its industry. These players have made their name in the history of different esports tournaments and are somewhat legendary figures within gaming circles.
Then we have the boi himself, Johan Sundstein, or as you may know him: N0tail. A Danish Dota 2 player who has earned huge amounts of money, much credit due to his success in The International tournament which is by far the largest winnings and prizes pool for an esports competition. With total earnings over $7 million, he is the world’s highest earning esports player. Sundstein rose to prominence in the world of esports by leading OG, a team that won The International on two occasions (TI8 and TI9), securing him his place as one of the most iconic figures within it.
Next in line comes another Dota 2 great from Finland, Jesse Vainikka ‘JerAx.’ Vainikka has also played a part in both of OG’s The International wins, which accounts another $1 million or so to his overall bank account. There’s a reason he earns at the top of his sport, for both his skill within the game and what strategy-based input brings to any team.
Another name that appears on the team sheet is Kuro Takhasomi, also known as “KuroKy. This German Dota 2 player is one of the veterans in the esports arena and his total winnings account for it. Takhasomi has made a fortune from his stable performances in various esports competitions and, of course, winning The International 2017.
Ana — Anathan Pham, or “ana,” is also an Australian player and made a huge mark in Dota 2 as well. Their combined earnings exceed $6 million, providing a rags-to-riches story for Pham as he rose through the ranks and set his foot firmly at the top. He has had great successes with OG, which are also a driving force to his high earnings.
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is one of the most celebrated gamers in the world for his ability to be unbeatable playing League of Legends, a videogame with more followers globally. One of the highest-earning players globally, Faker (based in South Korea) was once seen as a paragon of greatness — and he pretty much still is. But his total haul is also augmented by plenty of world championships and lucrative sponsorship deals.
Now, coming to “Somnus” at rank 10, Lu Yao is a Chinese Dota2 pro player who has got some serious moolah by simply being good and consistent in the game. Yao’s salary illustrates just how lucrative the esports industry in China, which has an affinity for Dota 2.
Among them are Sébastien “Ceb” Debs of France, who is also a two-time TI winner with his OG teammates. For Debs, the reward represented his involvement in one of the most successful organizations ever seen in Dota 2.
Last summer, American Fortnite player Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf won the 2019 Fortnite World Cup and a sweet payoff. With his victory he made it to the list of richest esports players, with cash prizes that are constantly on rise as he gains supremacy in Fortnite.
Another successful Dota 2 player hailing from Finland is Jesse “Matumbaman” Vainikka. Like most of his contemporaries, he makes almost all of annual income by competing in The International and other significant events.
Then we have Maroun “GH” Merhej, a prominent Lebanon player in the Dota 2 professional scene. Merhej’s money came from his multiple victories but also seems to because he was always one of the best players in game-winning teams.
Variables that Determine Esports Kid Earnings
Over the past few years, professional player salaries have risen in line with a number of key drivers that are part and parcel of an eSports industry which is still very much emergent. Prize money earned from many of the esports tournaments is considered to be a leading income source for an esport player. The International for Dota 2 and the League of Legends World Championship are both examples, with prize pools that make them extremely profitable if you can compete up at the top. However, these tournaments are not just competitions; they are also a treasure trove for the elite players who have mastered their abilities relentlessly.
But prize money is only one part of the equation. Teams will pay a ton of money to pick the best players, and more on that soon — but esports athletes also receive hefty salaries from the teams they play for. And the salaries range anywhere from thousands and up but this greatly depends on how good a player is, the game they’re best at and where in the world that human happens to be living. If they are part of the best teams, players in more established esports games like Dota 2, League of Legends or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can receive salaries significantly higher than average. In countries where esports has more history, like North America and Europe or China, salaries are generally higher than in developing markets. That still often relies on tournament winnings, but internationally a professional team association also provides income independent of location.
Sponsorships and endorsements are also very important for increasing esports earnings. Professional players are sponsored by a variety of top brands including: Gaming peripherals, Energy drinks and Clothing lines, Web hosting/telco solutions. Those types of partnerships are worth huge money, as brands want access to the massive esports player reach. Top players such as Johan Sundstein (N0tail) and Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker) have managed to get deals with leading brands, boosting their earnings and recognition in the world of esports.
Content and streaming — also potentially another source of revenue for esports players. More recently, players can interact with fans directly through live streams on platforms like Twitch or YouTube — keep your tips coming into that box below. In turn, players get a constant stream of money as income that differs from winning prize pools via subscriptions, donations and ad-revenue. The proliferation of streaming has certainly lent a huge hand to the players who do not necessarily win every tournament, but have made other inroads—building an audience on these platforms and through that machine—and reaped major benefits.
In addition to the main streams, professional gamers also make money with merchandise and fan appearances, or even investments. Players can monetize off their popularity — selling branded merchandise ranging from clothing to gaming accessories. With the expansion of esports, players are also entering investment and advisory roles to supplement their income. All of these revenue streams combined create the very lucrative earnings we see in esports today.
The Evolution of Esports Player Earnings
The progress in terms of esports player earnings has been nothing short of amazing to watch.It’s easy to forget that competitive gaming was once a small niche for even smaller prize pools. To give an idea of the scale that has developed around esports, consider this: The biggest tournaments in the early days (the late 1990s) was Starcraft and even then they offered prize money only equivalent to10 thousandths or less than what is being won today. But when the business of esports started to grow, the money at stake became a lot larger.
By the early 2000s, Counter-Strike and WarCraft III were bringing in more people as well as larger prize pools. However, it was the advent of games like Dota 2 and League of Legends which Astin describes that blindsided him: esports revenue might actually be a real possibility?! A turnaround started with the debut of The International in 2011. The very first worldwide event occurred throughout Gamescom, along with the Hanover Video game Fair because it was the last time in which they were granted a $200 million reward cash prize. Every year since, The International has surpassed its previous prize pool records, with recent editions boasting more than $40 million aiming to make it the biggest esports tournament of all time.
Technological advancements have also changed the way players get paid, with Twitch (launched in 2011) and other streaming platforms making it an option for gamers to earn income. Players depended not only on winning tournaments, but also their salaries from teams pre-streaming. Rauer states that gamers can stream their gameplay to users for a steady income at present and top the rankings across the world. As a result, players have more power in their careers than they did five seasons ago when no player had any say at all. This includes things like players such as Anathan Pham (ana) and Jesse Vainikka(JerAx), who have parlayed performance on the stick into massive notoriety online, netting themselves huge returns in streaming revenues.
The other side of the coin is streamers building themselves up as personalities. By reaching out to fans directly, players can build a fiercely loyal following behind their back in not just tournaments but also every other venture that comes with it. And this direct link — particularly remarkable in an industry with infinite uncertainties about who will win, and when a couple years of subpar playing ability can cut earnings significantly. That way, with the help of streaming revenue players can keep their base running and at same time grow further into other regions.
Esports player earnings over timeIn addition, the phenomenon of increasing industry growth is linked to growing esports player earnings. With the global esports market only growing larger — taking in revenue from sponsors, media rights and merch sales alike—there are more financial opportunities available for players. Brands are beginning to pay up for exposure in esports, paying attention to a valuable and hard-to-reach demographic that turns out in droves. This investment influx brings with it an increase in salaries, lucrative advertising deals, bigger prize pools and has contributed to the rich earnings of today’s best players.
In addition, the creation of professional leagues with major organizations have helped to stabilize that ecosystem and secure some opportunities for financial stability among players. Well-known leagues like the Overwatch League and the League of Legends Championship Series provide stability in terms of guaranteed salaries, benefits to players as well as revenue-sharing models.
Overall, what we know today with certainty is that esports player earnings are attributed to a variety of factors and those factors continue to evolve. Professional gamers no longer have to rely solely on tournament earnings and team salaries in addition to sponsorships, streaming and other generic sources of revenue. With the esports industry expanding further, in India and across the world, namely being viewed as a potential career choice for game enthusiasts adapting to new methods of competitiveness; cumulatively increasing financial trajectories achievable upgrading the skill levels towards professional play.
What Esports Player Earning Could Look Like In The Future
With the growth of esports already faster than almost all other industries, players will soon be making more and more money. The global esports market is now truly huge and continues to grow in an exponential fashion, so not only can players expect never seen before prize money through tournaments and salaries but also potential new revenue streams. Esports industry watchers believe that the e-sport business will further grow due to more money flow, better media rights deals and expanding crowds. This means that prize pools in major esports tournaments are likely to scale as we’ve never seen before, and it’s also possible these would develop into more frequent multi-million dollar events like The International or the League of Legends World Championship.
Well, apart from the conventional ways of making cash with playing games, new avenues are being explored that could help these esports players earn even more. A real highlight however is the introduction of gaming applications that use blockchain. Include NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and Cryptocurrency as virtual revenue streams. This allows players to create and sell digital goods (for example: in-game items, personalized content) directly to their fans. It is an asset to make the most of their abilities and creativity, which appeals to a completely out-of-the-box way to interact with players. It’s definitely worth investigating the potential of these as revenue beyond just winnings, especially since it seems likely deeper integration between gaming and blockchain will start to happen on a larger scale over time.
Additionally, the overall rise in virtual goods and the selling thereof further provides capabilities for your players to earn. With games becoming more and more interactive, players are able to make some money out of their gaming experience by selling virtual goods they own/create. Games such as Fortnite and PUBG are already seeing this transition, representing a prohibitively large part of their in-game economy. This also presents more chances for professional players to monetize their gaming skill and audience.
It is a promising future for esports prize money in gross with newer prospects to it. With a changing industry, new methods of monetization will also become available to gamers enabling more and more people around the world to consider taking up esports as a career.
Conclusion
Once a leisurely pastime with a much smaller audience, esports has rapidly become an international powerhouse that allows individuals to make some serious money via competition. The sources of capital available from tournament earnings and team salaries to sponsorships, streaming and now, the (less traditional) areas such as NFTs & cryptocurrency make for a growing market in esports revenues. Esports has created an entirely new community of avid gamers who want to pursue careers in gaming. As the industry booms, top players are set to earn more and as such esports might easily be one of tech entertainment’s most lucrative verticals.
This is the best time for anyone interested to step into this fast paced and dynamic world of eSports. Esports is a field full of opportunity, whether you’re just wanting to follow your favorite players or if you have ambitions as the next big streamer. Esports continue to grow, and more revenue coming into the industry only increases that outlook.
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