When it comes to esports, a lot of people question how the experts make their money. Particularly the younger generation, who are often interested in combining the idea of turning their gaming habits into a full-blown career.
Take the rise of Twitch, for example. People as young as 13 can join the platform to begin a possible career, with the chance to start making money when you reach at least 50 followers and an average of 3 concurrent viewers. Not to mention the rise of CSGO betting markets in correlation to the popularity of esports, making it possible to bet on worldwide events at the tap of a button, raising the stakes between teams and players.
With so many eyebrows being raised over just how much can be learned and how much money is in the esports industry, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to debunk the not-so-obvious ways esports pros make their coin.
Sponsorship
Without stating the obvious, sponsorship is one of the biggest ways esports pros make their money. Players, particularly with a large following, are often sponsored by brands which can be anywhere from sportswear brands to gaming giants themselves. Often, the players are paid a fee to wear a certain logo on their clothing which can range from a baseball cap, hoodie, or t-shirt, or simply drop them into conversations while playing. Where can we sign up?
Merchandise
In the same way, esports pros may also have their merchandise available to sell, particularly if they have a large following interested in supporting their favorite player or team. It’s not unusual for influencers to bring out their own merchandise range, with items varying from clothing such as team jerseys and hoodies, to t-shirts and polo tops.
Prize Money
There’s nothing like winning, and even though esports ‘pros’ have made it halfway, their always keen to win the prize money at the end of a tournament. According to Gambling Insider, esports prize money increased by an eyewatering 60% in 2021, taking the total amount of prize money won by esports players up to a staggering 201m.
Live Streaming
Esports pros don’t necessarily have to play a tournament to make money. There are several other options available such as live streaming. Twitch is just one of several live-streaming platforms that allow esports players to play live to an audience for a fee. Once said content has been monetized, fans can reward players with “Bits” which is worth $0.01.
Video Content
Esports pros don’t necessarily have to stream their games live to make money, either. The rise of YouTube and other platforms are making it possible for players, small and big, to earn their coins through uploading a pre-recorded video. With the right distribution, gamers can earn anywhere between £2.50 to £4.10 per 1,000 views meaning that a video with over a million views can generate anywhere between $3,000 to $5,000, which is the equivalent of up to £4,100.
Knowing how esports pros make their money, it’s no surprise that so many budding players want to make it big in the industry – and we don’t blame them!
