Connect with us

eSports

Esports earnings: Top 25 Highest Paid Players in 2020 So Far

Published

on

Reading Time: 4 minutes

 

 > Five teenagers, including a 15-year-old, among the best
> Two chess players make the list
> No League of Legends players in top 25

2020 has hit a lot of industries very hard – but not esports.

The lockdown has brought huge growth in viewers to professional gaming as millions flock to watch the world’s best players in action.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

This new level of interest will only help the industry grow, along with the pay packets of the gamers themselves.

But, how much do they earn?

New research by esports bookmakers Unikrn shows just how much the top 25 players have been winning in tournament prize money so far this year.

In 2019, there was a total prize pool of $227m shared between over 25,000 players playing in 5,000 tournaments.

Six months into 2020 and there’s still been $32.5m in prize money – despite the cancellation and postponement of many events.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Of that pot, the highest earning player has taken home $300,000 so far.

Brazilian Paulo Damo Da Rosa, known as PVDDR, won Magic: The Gathering Arena’s, Magic World Championship XXVI in February – pocketing the huge fee in one lump sum.

The five members of Spacestation Gaming’s Rainbow Six Siege team  – Bosco, Rampy, Thinkingnade, Fultz and Canadian – also feature in the top 10.

Their victories in this year’s Six Invitational 2020 and Pro League Season 11 have earned them $210,000 each.

With a combined age of 47, teenagers Wolfiez, Furious and JannisZ are in the top 16 for their big Fortnite wins.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

The UK’s Wolfiez, 16, has taken home $130,000 so far this year from two tournaments coming second in both FNCS Invitationals: Europe last month.

JannisZ, 15, from Germany, won one of those tournaments, while American 16-year-old Furious secured victory in the FNCS Grand Finals in North America – both earning $120,000+.

Among the top 25, Chess24 stars Hikaru Nakamura and grandmaster Magnus Carlsen have also taken home over $100,000 each in prize money.

STATISTICS

The average age of the top 25 earning players so far in 2020 is 24 years old.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

So far this year, the top country for earning prize money is the United States with players making over $6million between 1,870 of them.

However, the best average prize winner per country belongs to Jordan.

Six players earned an average of $33,000 each – made up mostly by Doha 2 players Yapzor and Miracle-, who claimed $175,000 of the total $200,000.

Bear in mind all of these earnings do not include their sponsorships, bonuses or salaries – some of which are rumoured to be around the $500,000 mark.

So there will be players easily taking home close to $1,000,000 a year.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

The highest earning esports player of all-time is Danish Dota 2 player Johan Sundstein.

Going by player ID N0tail, the 26-year-old has amassed $6.9m in prize money from 117 tournaments and been a winner at the International 2018 and 2019.

Ryan Jurado, esports analyst with the industry juggernaut Unikrn, said: “As impressive as the prize earnings are in esports, they’re just the tip of the iceberg.

“In reality, thousands of players around the world make additional income by building their brand and fan bases with non-competition activities such as gaming streams, earn income with sponsorship deals and receive a salary to play as part of an organized team.

“Amazon’s Twitch alone has 22,000 partnered streamers, most of whom are playing games and earning cash outside of tournaments. When you add in Microsoft’s Mixr, Google’s YouTube, Facebook, plus non-American platforms like Huya, plus thousands of yearly video game tournaments, the number of players making some form of income by gaming is likely well over 100,000 worldwide. For most, this is a paying hobby rather than a career, but some players do reach multi-millionaire status before they even graduate high school.”

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
Top 25 Highest Paid Esports Players in 2020 (By Prize Money)
Real name Player name Game Nationality Age Prize Money 2020 Tournaments Prize Money (Overall)
Paulo Damo da Rosa PVDDR Magic: The Gathering Arena Brazil 32 $300,000.00 1 $337,800.00
Troy Jaroslawski Canadian Rainbow Six Siege Canada 23 $210,000.00 2 $317,628.57
Dylan Bosco Bosco Rainbow Six Siege United States 25 $210,000.00 2 $275,750.00
Nathanial Duvall Rampy Rainbow Six Siege United States $210,000.00 2 $261,060.00
Javier Escamila Thinkingnade Rainbow Six Siege El Salvador 21 $210,000.00 2 $261,030.00
Alec Fultz Fultz Rainbow Six Siege American $210,000.00 2 $238,966.67
Lee, Byung Ryul Rogue Starcraft II Korea 26 $155,128.20 9 $832,543.20
Marcio Carvalho Marcio Carvalho Magic The Gathering Arena Portugal 34 $150,000.00 1 $214,900.00
Jaden Ashman Wolfiez Fortnite UK 16 $130,000.00 2 $1,300,026.67
Lasse Urpalainen Matumbaman Dota 2 Finland 25 $122,413.40 7 $3,684,194.44
Clement Ivanov Puppey Dota 2 Estonia 30 $122,413.40 7 $2,783,899.63
Ludwig Wåhlberg Zai Dota 2 Sweden 22 $122,413.40 7 $2,443,054.42
Yazied Jaradat YapzOr Dota 2 Jordan 25 $122,413.40 7 $1,452,524.07
Michał Jankowski Nisha Dota 2 Poland 19 $122,413.40 7 $852,679.11
Furious Fortnite United States 16 $121,500.00 3 $122,400.00
JannisZ Fortnite Germany 15 $120,000.00 1 $131,362.42
Asger Larsen AcilioN CS:GO Denmark 23 $117,688.05 6 $205,471.35
Lucas Andersen Bubzki CS:GO Denmark 21 $113,800.00 5 $186,770.86
Frederik Gyldstrand acoR CS:GO Denmark 22 $113,800.00 5 $183,034.72
Rasmus Beck sjuush CS:GO Denmark 21 $113,800.00 5 $178,613.09
Fredrik Jørgensen roejJ CS:GO Denmark $113,800.00 5 $167,242.03
Hikaru Nakamura Hikaru Chess24 Japan 32 $102,632.19 10 $148,117.61
Sven Magnus Carlsen DrNykterstein Chess24 Norway 29 $101,170.48 7 $130,928.92
Seth Manfield Seth Manfield Magic: The Gathering Arena United States 29 $100,000.00 1 $141,900.00
David Wang Aqua Fortnite Austria 18 $98,750.00 4 $1,868,341.23

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Top 10 Highest Earning Countries in 2020 (By Prize Money)
Country Prize Money Players Average per
United States $6,340,646.89 1870 $3,390.72
China $2,918,944.04 340 $8,585.13
Brazil $2,161,506.14 401 $5,390.29
Korea, Republic of $2,067,293.52 455 $4,543.50
France $1,516,403.65 419 $3,619.10
Russian Federation $1,495,117.67 440 $3,397.99
Denmark $1,472,041.31 173 $8,508.91
Germany $1,262,670.52 483 $2,614.22
United Kingdom $1,255,641.62 333 $3,770.70
Canada $1,170,591.49 308 $3,800.62

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Highest Earning Players of All Time (By Prize Money)

Real name Player name Game Nationality Age Prize Money Overall Tournaments
Johan Sundstein N0tail Dota 2 Denmark 26 $6,895,040.18 117
Jesse Vainikka JerAx Dota 2 Finland 28 $6,470,000.02 65
Anathan Pham ana Dota 2 Australia 20 $6,000,411.96 24
Sébastien Debs Ceb Dota 2 France 28 $5,501,233.01 54
Topias Taavitsainen Topson Dota 2 Finland 22 $5,415,046.17 21
Kuro Takhasomi KuroKy Dota 2 Germany 27 $5,177,764.81 110
Amer Al-Barkawi Miracle- Dota 2 Jordan 22 $4,743,118.88 57
Ivan Ivanov MinD_ContRoL Dota 2 Bulgaria 25 $4,534,193.36 67
Maroun Merhej GH Dota 2 Lebanon 24 $4,137,126.44 44
Lasse Urpalainen Matumbaman Dota 2 Finland 25 $3,674,181.04 69

**Stats taken from www.esportsearnings.com and do not include salaries, bonuses or sponsorships

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

eSports

BLAST.tv Austin Major Becomes Austin’s First Arena Esports Event & Sells Out in Record Six Hours

Published

on

blast.tv-austin-major-becomes-austin’s-first-arena-esports-event-&-sells-out-in-record-six-hours
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

BLAST, Live Nation, C3 Presents and the Austin Sports Commission announced that tickets for the highly-anticipated Counter-Strike Austin Major sold out within six hours, breaking all records of previous BLAST esports events. 

The BLAST.tv Austin Major will feature 32 of the world’s top Counter-Strike teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool, from June 3 to June 22, with June 19-22 taking place at a packed out Moody Center. 

Counter-Strike is one of the world’s most iconic esports titles, with over 20 years of competitive history and a massive global fan base. As the first Counter-Strike Major in the U.S. since 2018, this event continues to solidify Austin’s position as a premier destination for world-leading events. Catch a glimpse of what is to be expected by viewing the last CS Major, in Paris.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

The BLAST.tv Austin Major is anticipated to be one of the largest esports events ever hosted in the United States, with thousands attending in person and millions more watching online across 150+ territories in more than 30 languages.

In addition to the impressive international presence guaranteed at this event, it’s an exciting time for Texas-based esports teams like Complexity Gaming, headquartered in Frisco, Texas, to represent their home state on their home turf.

At a press conference last night at the Moody Center (livestream available on youtube) featuring remarks from Mayor Kirk Watson, Leo Matlock (BLAST), Jason Lake (Complexity Gaming), Drew Hays (Austin Sports Commission/Visit Austin) and Andrew Haworth (BLAST), the spokespeople revealed that the Austin Major will drive economic impact for the local community:

  • The estimated direct economic impact of the Counter-Strike Austin Major in Austin is $30M+
  • Estimated total attendance: 40,000+
  • Estimated out-of-state attendance: 65%
  • Estimated average daily fan spend: $481
  • 15 broadcast days and 59 hours live from Austin 
  • 220+ million projected views and an estimated 30 million US-based viewers 

 

image.png

(Credit David Brendan Hall)

The BLAST.tv Major adds to Austin’s growing reputation as a world-class event destination, joining a lineup of high-profile international events, including SXSW, Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Formula 1 at Circuit of The Americas.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

The road to the Counter-Strike Austin Major has officially begun and will feature several exciting moments leading up to the final stage inside the Moody Center arena. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements including watch parties, tailgates, tickets and more by heading to BLAST.tv.

BLAST.tv Major dates and schedule: 

  • Phase One: June 3rd-6th (Downtown Austin)
  • Phase Two: June 7th-10th (Downtown Austin)
  • Phase Three: June 12th-15th (Downtown Austin)
  • Playoffs: June 19th-22nd (Moody Center)

The BLAST.tv Austin Major will be the first to feature the Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs). The MRQs are a brand new qualifying system to the Major – featuring a series of online qualifiers across 3 regions: Europe, Americas and Asia. Americas is split into separate North American & South American qualifiers and Asia is split into Oceania, China & Rest of Asia regions: Mongolian & Western Asia, China and Oceania and South East Asia. You can read more details on the qualifying process at blast.tv/cs/news/blasttv-austin-major-mrqs-info.

The post BLAST.tv Austin Major Becomes Austin’s First Arena Esports Event & Sells Out in Record Six Hours appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

eSports

Level Up: Die Bayerische extends main sponsorship contract with Berlin International Gaming (BIG) for another two years

Published

on

level-up:-die-bayerische-extends-main-sponsorship-contract-with-berlin-international-gaming-(big)-for-another-two-years
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

The insurance group die Bayerische continues its successful commitment to e-sports by extending its main sponsorship partnership with Berlin International Gaming (BIG) for an additional two years, until the end of 2026. Since 2021, die Bayerische has stood as a strong partner alongside BIG, supporting one of the most innovative and dynamic sectors of the digital entertainment world.

Martin Gräfer, a member of the board at die Bayerische, explains: “BIG is much more than a classic sponsorship partner for us. The community around BIG is young, digital, and future-oriented—a target group with which we, as an insurer, want to engage in dialogue. Our partnership shows that insurance companies are also relevant in this dynamic world. The renewed contract extension is a clear sign of the sustainable success of our commitment.”


More Than Just Sponsorship: die Bayerische as an Active Part of the Community

Over the past few years, die Bayerische has established itself as a credible player in e-sports, supporting BIG not only as the main sponsor but also through innovative community formats and activations. Whether at Gamescom or during special online events, the company creates genuine added value for the gaming community by focusing on authentic interactions.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

A special highlight was the joint youth development program “die Bayerische x BIG SELECTA” in 2024, which discovered and specifically promoted emerging talents. This initiative will continue in the coming years, providing young players with opportunities to build a career in the professional e-sports scene.


Strategic Expansion: Broadening Focus in the Area of Trackmania

In addition to the successful collaboration in League of Legends, die Bayerische is intensifying its commitment in the Trackmania sector. With top players Dennis “Massa” Lotze and Nico “GranaDy” Gyarmati, alongside analyst and content creator Lars “Lars” Buchholz, BIG is further expanding its Trackmania division. In doing so, die Bayerische is deliberately entering a community with significant reach and strong identification potential. After several successful years in League of Legends and two championship titles in the Prime League, the newly formed team currently leads its group with three victories, positioning itself strongly as it enters the Play-Off phase of Germany’s top league.

Daniel Finkler, CEO of Berlin International Gaming, emphasizes: “The partnership with die Bayerische has proven to be a true success model. Extending our collaboration by two more years speaks to the mutual trust and shared successes. We look forward to developing innovative formats, setting new standards in e-sports together, and we thank you for the ongoing support.”


Insurance Reimagined in the Digital Age

The extension of this sponsorship underscores die Bayerische’s strategy to position itself as a modern, approachable, and digital insurance brand. By deliberately building trust within the gaming community, the company is pioneering new paths in customer engagement and establishing itself sustainably as an innovative insurer for tomorrow’s generation.


Note: This article is a translation from the original language, which is German.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

The post Level Up: Die Bayerische extends main sponsorship contract with Berlin International Gaming (BIG) for another two years appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

eSports

Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions

Published

on

abios-partners-with-kindred-group-to-provide-full-esports-betting-solutions
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

New partnership will see Kambi’s Esports division deliver its full suite of esports products, including odds via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, to Kindred’s in-house sportsbook

Abios, a leading esports data and odds provider and part of Kambi Group, is pleased to announce a multi-year partnership with Kindred Group, one of the world’s leading online betting and gaming operators, to provide its full range of best-in-class esports betting solutions.

Abios will supply its complete esports package, including odds, data, widgets and always-on content, to Kindred’s Unibet and 32Red brands, providing the operator’s in-house sportsbook with unrivalled esports betting experiences.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Leveraging Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, Abios will deliver its high-uptime odds feed which includes comprehensive esoccer and ebasketball coverage, as well as leading esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2 and VALORANT. Utilising automated modelling, Abios’ low latency odds feed utilises official tournament data to power leading features such as bet builder and player props.

The new agreement is in addition to the Esports odds service Abios currently provides to Kindred as part of Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook service.

Anton Janér, Managing Director and Co-founder of Abios, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Unibet and the wider Kindred Group, a leader in the global sports betting and gaming market. This agreement showcases the value of Abios’ full esports odds packages and our ability to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of operators and enables them to reach new audiences through the growth of esports.”

Ben Colley, Sportsbook Director of Kindred Group, added: “Esports continues to grow in popularity, and it’s essential that we offer our customers the best possible experience in this exciting category. Extending our partnership with Abios via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API and leveraging their deep expertise and esports odds solutions ensures we remain at the forefront of esports betting, delivering unparalleled products and services to our players.”

The post Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Advertisement
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)
Continue Reading

Trending

Offering comprehensive coverage on all aspects of the gaming sector, our daily posts include online and land-based gaming, betting, esports, regulatory and compliance updates, and technological advancements. Regular features encompass daily news articles, press releases, exclusive interviews, and insightful event reports.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Gaming News Room is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania