Who is the richest eSports player in the world in 2023
Evolved from a mere pastime and hobby, eSports has come a long way and with the introduction of professional tournaments players have earned tons of prize money.
Follow Us
Who is the richest esports player in 2023
To be the richest esports player, one must grind for hours on end and win tournaments to get sponsorship deals, ad revenue and many more. Esports has come a long way, evolved from a mere pastime to a viable career option for talented players. Players can now earn millions and secure lucrative sponsorship deals. This has led to a surge in the popularity of esports, with 261 million enthusiasts regularly following the industry in 2022. This number is expected to grow to almost 650 million by 2025.
Today, it is not uncommon to come across an esports champion with millions in winnings to their name. However, the richest esports players in 2023 are a select few. Their wealth is sure to impress and inspire those aspiring to follow in their footsteps. In 2023, the top earners in the Esports industry are listed based on their wealth. The professionalization of video gaming has transformed it into a lucrative career for talented players to earn millions and sign lucrative sponsorship deals.
Related: Can you buy World of Warcraft (WoW) permanently?
Top eSports earners in 2023
The worldwide revenues generated in the Esports market amounted to an estimated 1.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Overwhelming revenue comes from sponsorships around 837 million U.S. dollars. The largest market for Esports is China, which generated an estimated 360.1 million U.S. dollars within the industry. Esports helped pave the way for countless gamers. Notably Dota 2 users, who have developed the game’s reputation as one of the best PvP IPs worldwide. The richest Esports players can earn up to millions of dollars’ worth of prizes during events. The International Dota’s prime tournament boasts some of the highest paying prize pools in gaming. The highest prize pool for The International was around 40 million dollars back in 2021.
Apart from Dota 2’s massive prize pool, other esports like PUBG (Player Unknown Battle Grounds), League of Legends, CSGO and Fortnite, too make millions from each tournament. With gaming becoming even more mains stream with various awards and attractive prize money it’s safe to say that new gamers who want to make it big in the industry can follow the footsteps of these players.
5. Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen
Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, a successful OG player, has accumulated $5.7 million through Dota 2. While a joint venture contributed to his earnings, the Finnish player is one of the best and richest gamers in Esports. Taavitsainen has participated in 33 tournaments and won The International 2019. He is currently on OG’s inactive roster.
4. Sébastien “Ceb” Debs
Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, a former OG member and coach, ranks fourth on the list of richest Esports players. He participated in 67 tournaments. His largest winnings came from The International 2018 and 2019, where OG won first place. Despite retiring in 2021, Ceb is still considered one of the best Dota 2 players and has accumulated $5.8 million in earnings.
3. Anathan “ana” Pham
One of the top Dota 2 champions and former OG member, Anathan “ana” Pham, has earned a whopping $6 million. He appeared in 26 tournaments, mostly with OG. He became champion with them in The International 2018 and 2019. Although he briefly retired in 2021, he returned as a champion under T1. His future remains unclear for now. Competitors will undoubtedly try to surpass Pham’s third position on the list of richest Esports players.
2. Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka
Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka, a Finnish Dota 2 veteran, won The International 2019 with OG and has also played for top teams like Team Liquid and Evil Geniuses. With almost $6.5 million in earnings from 68 paying tournaments, he is the world’s second richest Esports player. Despite a brief retirement, he remains active as a champion and coach under Team Liquid. His future plans are uncertain, but it’s unlikely that his title as the second richest gamer will be easily taken away.
1.Johan “N0tail” Sundstein
According to Statista, N0tail, also known as Johan Sundstein, reigns supreme as the richest Esports player in the world, amassing over $7.2 million in winnings since 2012, mainly from Dota 2 tournaments where he participated in 130 competitions. With a victory at The International 2019, he earned a whopping $3 million. While the future remains uncertain, the seasoned pro’s title and earnings are unmatched for now.
Most successful esports organization
Dota 2 OG roster has some of the highest earners in esports. But when it comes to total amount won in various tournaments by a single organization only Team Liquid stands at the top. Created in 2000 by StarCraft player Victor “Nazgul” Goossens, Liquid has earned around $43,345,894.69 from 2440 tournaments. After the release of Starcraft 2 Wings of Liberty in 2010 Liquid acquired professional player for the first time. Two years later they entered the Dota 2 scene. Currently the org has branches in North America (CSGO), Brazil (Women’s Team) and Europe (Valorant Men’s team). January 2022 saw a big merger with as Limit Guild from World of Warcraft became part of Liquid. Liquid’s various teams have won tournaments in CSGO (Intel Grand Slam Season 2), Dota 2 (The International 2017) and LCS Splits in League of Legends.
With advent of new games almost every moth and the increasing popularity of the genre, the world has taken notice of Esports. Lucrative sponsorship deals and large sum of money entice the current and upcoming generations to take up gaming. From various consoles in the early 80s to VR (Virtual Reality) in the present gaming has evolved and will keep on evolving. Esports will definitely take the front seat in coming years.
In case you missed it:
- Best Grand Theft Auto trailers in the franchise history
- How to enter the Counter-Strike 2 Beta Limited Test
Stay Updated!
Ishan Misra
(3023 Articles Published)