Who Is The Most Paid Esports Player?

The esports industry is growing rapidly, and with that comes big money. So who is the most paid esports player? Read on to find out!

Top Earning Esports Players

Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf – $3.1 million

From humble beginnings playing in his parents’ basement in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, 16-year-old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf emerged as the first ever Fortnite World Cup Solo Champion, earning himself a cool $3 million.

The prize money was just part of what made this such a historic moment – not only for Bugha, but for competitive gaming as a whole. Not only did he walk away with the most money ever earned by an esports player in a single event, but he also became the youngest person ever to win a major esports tournament.

Johan “N0tail” Sundstein – $3 million

Johan “N0tail” Sundstein is a Danish professional Dota 2 player who is currently the offlaner and captain for OG. He is the most successful Dota 2 player of all time, having won five Major tournaments—more than anyone else in the history of the game—and two consecutive Internationals, earning over $3 million in prize money. N0tail was previously a competitive Heroes of Newerth and League of Legends player.

Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka – $2.6 million

Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka is a Finnish professional Dota 2 player who is currently the offlaner for Team Liquid. He is considered to be one of the best offlaners in the world. In August 2018, he became a millionaire after his team, OG, won The International 2018, earning himself over $2.6 million.

Highest Paid Esports Teams

Evil Geniuses – $8.6 million

Founded in 1999, Evil Geniuses is one of the original North American esports organisations. Based in Seattle, Washington, the organisation originally specialised in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 before expanding into other games. In June 2019, Evil Geniuses was acquired by NRG Esports for $40 million.

Under the NRG banner, Evil Geniuses compete in a number of different games including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Rocket League and Fortnite. The organisation also has a number of high-profile partnerships with brands such as Logitech, Monster Energy and Secretlab.

In terms of prize money won, Evil Geniuses is the most successful esports organisation in North America with over $25 million in earnings. The majority of this prize money has come from the organisation’s success in Dota 2 tournaments with its most successful year being 2015 when it won over $6 million.

Team Liquid – $7.6 million

Team Liquid’s Dota 2 squad is the most paid esports team in the world, with each of its five members earning an average of $1.52 million. That’s according to a report from espn.com, which used data from public sources and player contracts to compile the list.

Fnatic is in second place, with an average salary of $1.37 million per player. Evil Geniuses round out the top three, with a team-wide average salary of $1.26 million.

The rest of the top 10 is made up of Chinese teams: PSG.LGD (#4, $964k), Vici Gaming (#5, $856k), Newbee (#6, $752k), EHOME (#8, $704k) and Invictus Gaming (#9, $672k). Rounding out the list at #10 is North American organization Cloud9, with an average player salary of $630 thousand.

Fnatic – $6.6 million

Fnatic is a professional esports organization headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 2004, the company has fielded players in numerous esports titles over the years. Notable games include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Heroes of the Storm, League of Legends and Overwatch. As of 2019, Fnatic has an estimated worth of $6.6 million.

Fnatic is one of the oldest and most successful esports organizations in the world. The team has won numerous championships over the years, including three world championships in League of Legends. In addition to their competitive success, Fnatic is also well-known for their vibrant and passionate fanbase.

Esports Tournaments with the Highest Prize Pools

The International is an annual Dota 2 tournament hosted by Valve. It is the most prestigious and most watched tournament in the Dota 2 community. The tournament is held at Seattle’s KeyArena, with the main event being broadcast live on ESPN. The prize pool for The International 2019 was $34.3 million, making it the largest prize pool for any esports tournament.

The International 2019 – $34.3 million

The International is an annual Dota 2 esports tournament hosted by Valve Corporation, the game’s developer. The tournament began in 2011, and is the biggest annual Dota 2 event.

The 2019 tournament had a prize pool of over 34 million dollars, making it the largest ever for an esports event. The first prize went to the team OG, who took home over 15 million dollars. This was the first time a team had won The International twice.

Fortnite World Cup 2019 – $30 million

The Fortnite World Cup 2019 is an upcoming event organized by Epic Games. It will be the first ever Fortnite World Cup. The event will take place over the course of ten weeks, from April 13 to July 28. The grand finals will be held at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City on July 26-28. The prize pool for the event is $30 million, which is the largest ever for an esports tournament.

Epic Games has also announced that there will be a Fortnite Pro-Am tournament held during the E3 convention in June. This tournament will have a prize pool of $3 million.

Dota 2 Asia Championships 2018 – $25 million

The Dota 2 Asia Championships 2018 had the largest prize pool of any esports tournament to date, with a massive $25 million up for grabs. The event was held in Shanghai, China, and featured teams from all over the world battling it out for a share of the prize money. Notable teams that took part in the tournament included Team Liquid, Newbee, and OG.