Esports is becoming an increasingly popular event that is now taken seriously as a sport. Playing esports has never been as competitive with players training over ten hours a day to win competitions. In fact, some players quit in their 20s due to the stress associated with esports.
Plenty of work can mean a huge payoff. Some gamers earn six figures in a year from tournaments, and others make money through sponsors and fan support. Signing with the right team is also a contributor to an esports player's success. The following players are some of the most talented players who attained their wealth by doing what they do best—playing video games. These are 10 esports players who got rich playing video games.
10 Tyler "Ninja" Blevins
He's considered to be one of Fortnite's most talented players. Tyler "Ninja" Blevins may be rich, but the main source of his income is not from esports. He makes an estimated 70% of his income from YouTube and streaming on Twitch.
One of his most memorable displays of talent was during a celebrity tournament in which he played alongside American DJ Marshmello. The fans who have supported him these years have an unwavering appreciation for his Fortnite talent and personality. Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is one of the wealthiest esports players we've seen yet.
9 Kuro "KuroKy" Takhasomi
When Kuro Takhasomi started out as a professional gamer, it was a disability that led him to play. Kuro "KuroKy" Takhasomi is 26 years old and one of the world's most talented Dota 2 players.
Born in Germany, Kuro Takhasomi is the highest paid player in esports. His dedication to Dota 2 had paid off since he has earned an estimated $4.2 million from 97 esports tournaments. His substantially larger earnings compared to other top earners lead many to believe is the best esports player period.
8 Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barkawi
Not far behind Kuroky in terms of wealth, Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barkawi is one of the most dominant forces in esports. His passion for Dota 2 has led to him becoming one of the most elite players in the game.
Amer became engrossed in video games when he was 12. He and his brother would frequent a cyber cafe where they would play Dota 1 together. Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barkawi has earned almost $4 million playing Dota 2 and is the second-highest paid player in the world.
7 Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth
He is currently the highest paid Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player in the world. It's not easy to be a skilled CS: GO player with so much fierce competition in esports. Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth understands that in CS: GO, overconfidence is a major setback.
Even worse, hesitation can be costly in CS: GO. Andreas Højsleth is someone who knows the fundamentals of CS: GO and has embraced them as his dogma. This is why he has earned more than $1 million in esports.
6 Johan "N0tail" Sundstein
The third-highest paid player in esports certainly deserves a spot in this listicle. Johan "Notail" Sundstein plays for team OG and is undoubtedly their most valuable player. Johan was the leading force behind his teams Dota 2 victory at the International 8 competition.
Sponsored by Red Bull, team OG was an unexpected winner in the International 8 competition. As the co-founder of the team, Johan "Notail" Sundstein has earned almost $4 million from playing Dota 2. We can only observe the spectacle that is Jhoan Sunstein's Dota 2 talent.
5 Lasse "Matumbaman" Urpalainen
Lasse "Matumbaman" Urplainen got rich by playing Dota 2. The highest paid professional video game players overwhelmingly play Dota 2. Matumbaman's highest earning year was in 2017 when he earned more than $2 million! Lasse "Matumbaman Urpalainen has grossed over $3.5 million throughout of 61 tournaments.
According to dotesports.com, in June 2019, Lasse "Matumbaman" Urpalainen left Team Liquid as part of a mutual agreement. Although he is no longer a part of the team that he has been a part of for more than two seasons, the future looks promising for Lasse "Matumbaman" Urpalainen.
4 Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan
Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan is a Dota 2 player of Pakistani origin who plays mid for team Evil Geniuses. In Pakistan where Sumail Hassan used to live, he and his cousin would travel to an internet cafe to play video games. Sumail didn't own a computer, so the internet cafe was his only option.
When he and his family moved to the United States, Sumail Hassan joined the professional North American Elite League. Since starting as a Dota 2 player, Sumail Hassan has earned more than $3 million in prize money from 62 tournaments.
3 Sang Hyeok "Faker" Lee
Sang Hyeko "Faker" Lee is widely regarded as the best League of Legends player in the world; he is undoubtedly the highest paid LOL player in esports. He is particularly known in gaming circles for his more aggressive style of playing.
Fans can't get enough of Faker's playstyle. From the 46 tournaments he's played so far, he has earned more than $1 million, and this number continues to grow.
2 Emil "Magisk" Reif
Learning from the best is a sure way to improve your gaming skill. Watching Danish player Emil "Magisk" Reif is watching one of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's best (if not the best) player in esports today.
Magisk uses a mouse DPI of 800, which means that his mouse is going to be moving a bit faster than most professional players are used to. In culmination, Magisk has earned more than $1 million playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive exclusively. Magisk credits team Astralis for most of his success.
1 Cho "Maru" Sung Choo
Born in the country of Korea, Maru is well-known in the Starcraft community for his Starcraft II prowess. This professional Starcraft II player is among the richest gamers players in the world.
In 2018, Cho "Maru" Sung Choo won all three Global StarCraft League championships. From his championship wins he has become the 95th highest earner in esports. He is currently the most talented Starcraft II player in the world.