- More and more esports tournaments are emerging, with research revealing the highest grossing tournaments of all time based on data from 2010.
- Dota 2 is the highest prize pool game with 59 matches and a total prize pool of more than £214 million, 65% higher than the next highest.
- It was followed by “Fortnite” and “Battlegrounds: Battlegrounds” in second and third place, respectively.
A new study has revealed the highest-paid esports games, with Dota 2 having the highest-paid tournament. The study, conducted by CSGO betting site CSGOLuck, looked at data from the top 500 individual esports competitions, which have the largest prize pools ever.
TOP 10
- #1：Dota 2 took the top spot with an estimated total prize money of £214,124,431.The game has hosted 59 matches and over 3,790 players have competed.The average revenue per match is around £3629,244, making it the highest-earning esports tournament in the world. Moreover, it is one of the most played games in the world, with around 435,000 monthly players as of December 2023.l
- #2：Second place went to Fortnite with 74,682,559 pounds.The game, which was only released in 2017, has already hosted 63 tournaments specifically for the sport, with more than 6,800 players participating in those tournaments. On average, the winner of a Fortnite tournament can expect to rake in around £1,185,437 – and while that’s still a huge sum, it’s more than 65% below the Dota 2 average.
- #3：PUBG ranked third with an average prize money of £1,592,590 across 40 matches.The total prize money for the tournament totalled £63,703,610, making it the third highest paid tournament of all time.
#4 to#10
Arena of Valor came in fourth, with £56,384,262 handed out to participants. On average, teams are expected to take home the top prize of £1,762,008.
Counter-strike: Global Offensive, in fifth place, took home £47,592,035 from 70 matches. The game has the highest total number of matches compared to any other game, with the average prize money for the top teams totalling £679,886.
League of Legends, one of the most iconic games of the last decade, came in second at number six. According to the latest statistics, the game has more than 140 million monthly players, with an average prize pool of around £1194,614 and a total prize pool of £41,811,491, making it the fifth largest paid tournament game.
Call of Duty has awarded more than £31,288,976 to top teams across 36 different competitions, placing it seventh on the list.
The Overwatch tournament came eighth, paying £16,727,550 for the top teams in the competition. Since its release in 2016, the game has more than 20 million monthly players worldwide, which means its 13 matches so far are highly competitive.
Rainbow Six: Siege had only 11 games and ranked ninth in revenue.The game has a total tournament prize pool of £16,024,076, with an average prize pool of £1,456,734 per match.
In the end, CrossFire took home £9,661,792 in prize money from 17 matches, placing tenth.The game, which is mostly popular with Asian players, has an average prize pool of £568,340.
Fully integrated Esports game system
Commenting on the popularity of esports tournaments, a CSGOLuck spokesperson commented: “Online gaming tournaments have exploded in popularity over the last decade due to their perfect blend of strategy, skill and entertainment.”Esports has successfully attracted a global audience through accessible online platforms and high-stakes tournaments.The convergence of technology and competitive gaming has elevated gamers to the status of celebrities and attracted huge audiences.
Also read: Amazon is trying to eat everything, even your sports games
