If your parents or partner has ever moaned at you for spending too much time playing video games, then this is the article you need to point them towards. The video game industry is massive $180 million worldwide, with the competitive gaming market, known as esports, generating revenues in excess of $3.5 billion.
Of course, like all professional sports, be they basketball, snooker, or soccer, it takes a lot of dedication and natural talent to become one of the industry’s best. However, the grind is most definitely worth it when you consider the five biggest esports events of 2021 paid their players a combined $62,427,302.
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The International 2021 – $40,018,400
The International 2021 broke the record for the largest-ever prize pool in esports history. Eighteen of the best Dota 2 players descended on Bucharest, Romania, between October 7 and October 17 to battle it out for a slice of the gargantuan $40,018,400 prize pool. Team Spirit denied the esports odds at online bookmaker betnow to get their hands on the trophy and an incredible $18,208,300. That equates to $3,641,660 for each of the five team members.
Team Spirit did not have an easy ride to the final because they had to fight their way through the qualifying rounds before defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3:2 in the final.
Honor of Kings World Champion Cup 2021 – $7,728,000
Honor of Kings World Champion Cup 2021 took place across Chongqing, Shanghai, and Beijing in China from July 28 through August 28. Its prize pool tipped the scales at 50 million Chinese Yuan, the equivalent of $7,728,000.
This tournament sees the best players of Arena of Valor take to the stage to showcase their skills. Arena of Valor is a game in the same vein as League of Legends, except players compete on mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch. Whoever said mobile gaming is a waste of time needs to eat their words.
PUBG Global Invitational.S 2021 Main Event – $7,068,071
PUBG: Battlegrounds’ popularity in the gaming world may be waning somewhat, but it is most definitely alive and kicking in the competitive gaming world. The PUBG Global Invitational.S 2021 Main Event awarded $7,068,071 to the 32 teams that traveled to Incheon, South Korea, in February.
Both teams that reached the final walked away with more than $1 million each. American outfit Zenith E-Sports finished in second place for $1,009,822, leaving Susquehanna Soniqs to walk away with the title and $1,296,189 in cold hard cash.
PUBG Global Championship 2021 – $4,412,831
Amazingly, PUGB: Battlegrounds has two entries on our list because the PUBG Global Championship 2021 tournament ran late in the year, doing so from November 19 through December 19. It dished out an impressive $4,412,831.
It was the all-Chinese NewHappy that scooped the victory and the lion’s share of the prize pool, namely $1,378,264, which resulted in a $344,566 payday for each of its five members. Runners-up Heroic padded their bank accounts with $666,209.
Overwatch League 2021 – Playoffs – $3,200,000
Placing fifth with a prize pool weighing in at $3,200,000 is the Overwatch League 2021 – Playoffs. This happened online in late September and saw eight of the best Overwatch players on the planet lock horns for some monster-sized prizes.
Shanghai Dragons emerged victoriously after defeating Atlanta Reign in the final. The Dragons took home $1,500,000 for their victory, leaving the Reign to scoop up the $700,000 second-place prize.
