The first esports competition, or what we could consider esports, was held at Stanford University in 1972. Despite the free beer incentive, only a few dozen people attended.

Starting in the late 2010s, however, esports took a massive shift, attracting millions of spectators worldwide. For some professionals, it is more than just a hobby; it’s a full-fledged source of income.

 In exchange for their participation, players in the competition are paid handsomely by the game operators, who generate millions of US dollars from distributors like ESPN paying for the right to broadcast the games and the audience paying for the right to watch.

 Aside from this, esports players receive massive publicity by participating in the games. This opens them to lucrative sponsorship deals and a gigantic online Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram followership. This article will look into 13 of the highest paid esports players ever.

Let’s get started!

1. Johan “N0tail” Sundstein – $7.2 million (Denmark)

Johan Sundstein, better known by his Gamertag N0tail, is arguably the most successful esports player in the world, boasting the highest paid esports player salary. His MOBA story began at 15, playing Heroes of Newerth (HoN) with his longtime teammate Tal “Fly” Aizik. Their dominance in HoN landed them a sponsorship with Fnatic.

Fnatic’s N0tail continued his reign, winning several DreamHack events. However, with HoN’s decline, Fly and N0tail transitioned to Dota 2 in 2012, quickly becoming proficient. By 2013, their team was invited to The International (TI), the premier Dota 2 tournament.

Unfortunately, early exits from TI 2013, 2014, and 2015 led N0tail and Fly to form their team, OG. 2016 saw them nearly win $3 million in prize pool winnings, solidifying their status as TI 2016 favorites. However, N0tail’s early elimination left fans disappointed.

N0tail’s legacy was cemented when he captained OG to victory at TI in 2018 and 2019, the only team to achieve this feat. He’s also secured ambassadorial deals with brands like Red Bull.

Beyond his competitive esports career, N0tail boasts 270k Instagram followers and recently released his autobiography, “Character Beats Talent,” in April 2024.

2. Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka – $6.5 million (Finland)

JerAx is widely considered the best position-four player in the history of Dota 2. In that position, he has clinched the top rank 12 times, came close to winning on seven occasions, and secured a third-place finish 13 times. Little wonder why he’s one of the highest paid esports players in the world.

Jesse Vainikka’s journey into esports began when he got himself a name in Heroes of Newerth, a popular MOBA. After years of searching for his dream team, JerAx finally found Team Liquid, where he proved to be a player with fantastic potential.

However, after joining Team OG, JerAx went into the limelight. He won two Dota 2 world championships with the team in 2018 (with n0tail) and in 2019, setting a world record.

In 2020, he temporarily retired from the OG team’s active roster, saying, “I honestly haven’t felt like playing. Taking distance from Dota 2 was for sure the best decision.”

Currently, JerAx makes most of his income from full-time coaching on Metafy for all games. He is followed by 167K game enthusiasts on Twitter.

3. Anathan “Ana” Pham – $6 million (Australia)

At barely 21, ‘Ana’ Pham had already made six figures from 24 Dota 2 tournaments. His Vietnamese and Chinese parents did not add being an elite Data 2 player to their son’s potential occupations, but fate would make it so.

A boy at 15 who already knew his direction, Ana moved to Shanghai to have access to a community of pro players. He was also part of the OG team, the first to win the TI Championships in 2018 and 2019. Ana has over 6 million to his name making him the 3rd highest paid esports player of all time.

4. Sébastien “Ceb” Debs – $5.9 million (France)

With his Dota 2 earnings pegged at nearly $6 million, Ceb was also part of the 2018/19 award-winning OG team. Having started his career in 2011, Ceb bounced around various teams before finding success as OG’s coach in 2016.

After coaching the team to victory at the Majors, he returned as a player in 2018 and achieved legendary status by winning two consecutive TIs (The International) with OG. Despite retiring in 2021, Ceb has shown dedication to OG by returning as a stand-in player multiple times and officially rejoining the active roster in July 2023.

5. Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen – $5.7 million (Finland)

Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen is a Finnish Dota 2 prodigy who started playing professionally in 2017. After a meteoric rise to stardom, he joined OG in 2018 and defied expectations by winning The International (TI) that year and the next. Currently playing for Tundra Esports, Topson is known for his high-skill games and unique hero pool.

6. Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov – $5.6 million (Russian Federation)

Miposhka is a Dota 2 player with a remarkable turnaround. After a slow start to his career, he captained Team Spirit to victory at The International (TI) 2021 and repeated the feat in 2023!

Despite being Russia’s most successful esports player, Yaroslav Naidenov is known for his easy-going lifestyle; he does not share most of his personal life on social media.

7. Ilya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk – $5.4 million (Ukraine)

Yatoro was a star player for Team Spirit. He is famous for his massive hero pool and bold in-game decisions. During Team Spirit’s victory at TI10, he played with 14 heroes throughout the main event. This versatility and his signature “Yatoro buff” (shaving his head for good luck) make him a fan favorite.

8. Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov – $5.4 million (Russian Federation)

Collapse’s journey to Dota 2 glory wasn’t easy. Despite facing initial resistance from his parents, he honed his skills in cafes, eventually reaching the top 0.1% of Dota 2 players in the world. Now a star Offlaner for Team Spirit, he’s won The International twice. His story is one of the most motivating in esports careers.

9. Miroslaw “Mira” Kolpakov – $5.4 million (Ukraine)

The Ukrainian Dota 2 player for Team Spirit is a two-time TI champion (2021, 2023). He boasts an impressive $5.4 million in total career earnings. In April’s Elite League, the team finished 14th but still secured $20,000

Despite his achievements, Mira recently admitted to battling imposter syndrome, saying, “The imposter syndrome will follow me forever.”

10. Kuro “KuroKy” Takhasomi – $5.3 million (Germany)

The German Data 2 pro sits at number 10 on the esports earnings list. KuroKy is the only top earner playing for a team other than OG or Team Spirit in 2024. He started playing Dota 2 in 2011 and earned most of his $5.2 million winnings by leading Team Liquid to victory at The International in 2017 and 2019.

Currently, Kuroky has amassed 233K followers on Twitter.

11. Amer “Miracle” Al-Barkawi – $4.9 million (Jordan)

Miracle- rose to fame through exceptional pub play, eventually becoming the #1 ranked player in the world. This led him to prominent teams like OG and Team Liquid, where he secured victories at The International (TI) in 2017 and 2019. These wins undoubtedly contributed significantly to his overall Dota 2 earnings.

Beyond just playing, Miracle co-founded Nigma Galaxy, an Emirati esports organization.

12. Lasse “Matumbaman” Urpalainen – $4.9 million (Finland)

This Finnish Dota 2 Legend boasts $4.9 million in esports earnings. A champion at The International 7 with Team Liquid, Matumbaman’s skills with heroes like Lone Druid helped him secure a hefty chunk of the $10.8 million first-place prize.

Lasse Urpalainen has garnered 115K esports enthusiasts on his Twitter and earns from indirect sponsorship deals with Honda, Twitch, Coinbase, and other reputable brands.

 13. Ivan “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov – $4.7 million (Bulgaria)

Ivanov is another Dota 2 star who amassed a significant chunk of his esports earnings with Team Liquid (now Nigma Galaxy). Since 2014, he’s been a key player, contributing to victories at The International 2017 and placing second in 2019. These achievements contributed significantly to his Dota 2 earnings potential.

The highest paid esports players have significantly impacted the global esports market, with a combined total of over $60 million in earnings. These players, including N0tail, JerAx, Ana, and others, have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication to their craft, earning them millions of dollars in prize pools and sponsorship deals.

What was once a niche hobby has become a global attraction, with professional teams, leagues, and tournaments sprouting up. As the esports careers continue to grow, we’ll see even more players earning significant amounts of money. Want to learn about the highest paying esports? Click on the link to see which tournaments break the bank.