Professional Video Game Player Salaries and Career

Becoming a professional video game player is one of the best careers in the esports and gaming scene.

00:48 07 March 2023

Becoming a professional video game player is one of the best careers in the esports and gaming scene. Pro gaming means job-related to playing video games competitively or for money, ranging from Streaming revenue from platforms like Twitch to winning part of the prize money in esports competitions. However, even if millions of video game enthusiasts hope to get a shot at the pro gaming scene, is it a viable way to make a living?

Here’s how much professional video game players earn and their career statistics.

Average esports pro salary

Whether you’re playing gambling games on recommended live dealer casino sites or playing competitive video gaming, there are dozens of ways that gamers can make money. On average, a professional player’s salary will wildly vary depending on their teams and the video games they’re playing.

While there are varying accounts from different sources, the average salary for esports players roughly stands from $12,000 to $60,000 annually. That shows how different the salary can vary depending on the situation, with some players even minting $100,000+ every year.

Indeed, the team’s pay will depend on the number of tournaments they win. While the players might be paid a specific amount as stipulated in their contracts, the number doesn’t go up unless their organization's investors or managers see results. Keep in mind that the overall winning for video game players can exceed the tournament prize money and salary, depending on how their contracts are designed.

Top esports players can earn more than that. In fact, top pro players enjoy playing video games to earn a living, while some play games for less than the average minimum wage.

How can you earn money as a professional video game player?

Most professional video game players earn a living by combining two or more revenue streams of income. These sources of income include:

Prize money

Top video game tournaments in the US, UK, and Australia can reach up to $250,000 for a single victory. In some international esports tournaments, the prize pool will often reach over a million dollars for the winner. The huge amount gets divided among the members of the winning team, normally comprising 5-6 players.

Regular salaries

While not every professional esports team will offer the players a salary, the number of gaming franchises offering monthly salaries is on the rise. According to the latest survey on the esports market, professional gamers earn about $1000 to $5,000 monthly. The highest-earning pro gamers earn over $15,000 every month, without including cash from other activities like sponsorships and prize money.

Sponsorships

There are dozens of companies that sign sponsorship deals with professional games. Companies dealing with computer accessories and energy drinks are often willing to commit big bucks in sponsorship deals with esports teams and players. The players then need to only use these products whenever they’re playing or appearing in public. That’s also the main reason why players wear shirts and jackets with the names of their sponsors whenever they’re playing.

Streaming

Streaming is a huge revenue stream for professional gamers. Some professional players earn north of $5,000 in additional revenue every month from streaming their gameplay on platforms like Twitch, Youtube, and others. Video game streaming also helps professional players to rally their fans behind their efforts, which also helps them in landing sponsorship deals.