6 Highest-Paying Esports Games Of 2020 So Far

Published

5 years ago

June 4, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Despite the world grinding to a halt, esports continues to thrive.

In 2019, global revenue from esports topped $1billion and with the popularity of competitive increasing, gamers and sponsors continue to see the benefits.

But, what about during a pandemic?

Though many big tournaments have been cancelled, the gaming goes on at home and viewing figures are rising each month.

New research from esports betting company Unikrn has revealed the biggest esports of 2020 so far by prize money won**.

1. DOTA 2

Prize money (2020): $6,000,000

Tournaments: 54

Average prize: $111,111

Prize money (all-time): $224,300,000

The highest-paid game in esports continues to lead the way when it comes to prize money in 2020.

Last year, the game offloaded $52million in prize money with The International 2019 contributing to $34.3million of that.

Winning team OG picked up $15.6million between their five members, each taking home more than Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters ($2.07million)

2. CS:GO

Prize money (2020): $4,900,000

Tournaments: 96

Average prize: $51,042

Prize money (all-time): $96,200,000

The most active game in 2020, CS:GO has had tournaments going out almost every week.

Since the start of the year, the average number of Twitch viewers watching streamers and matches has almost tripled from 45,000 viewers in January to 120,000 viewers in April.

3. Rainbow Six Siege

Prize money (2020): $4,000,000

Tournaments: 18

Average prize: $222,222

Prize money (all-time): $12,100,000

This year’s Six Invitational 2020 in February saw a $3million prize pot, higher than any previous year.

Despite being released in 2015, Rainbow Six Siege’s popularity continues to grow.

As of this month, the game has surpassed 60 millions players worldwide.

4. League of Legends

Prize money (2020): $2,900,000

Tournaments: 26

Average prize: $111,538

Prize money (all-time): $75,600,000

The real-time strategy game developed by Riot Games is the fourth highest-paying game in history with over $75million in prize money.

The publisher announced last month that it was having to cancel this year’s Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), the game’s second largest international annual event.

However, fans will be excited for the start of the LPL that begins this weekend.

5. Rocket League

Prize money (2020): $1,500,000

Tournaments: 17

Average prize: $88,235

Prize money (all-time): $8,900,000

Rocket League has recently stepped into the mainstream with the BBC broadcasting the European Spring Series last month.

Previously, Season 9 of the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) saw almost $1million paid out across the tournament from February to April.

6. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)

Prize money (2020): $1,500,000

Tournaments: 21

Average prize: $71,429

Prize money (all-time): $22,000,000

Another esport that has had to cancel a big tournament. In PUBG’s case, the PGS 2020 in Berlin was set to go ahead in April.

The creators have since committed to hosting four events around the world in 2020 as long as it adheres to government advice.

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A spokesperson for Unikrn said: “Postponing The International 2020 was the responsible choice from Valve, and it is only making this event larger and more anticipated.

“In the first 24 hours, The International compendium earned $24,000,000 from fans supporting the event, putting it on pace to be the largest esports prize in history.

“This enthusiasm isn’t unique to DOTA 2. Esports are continuing to accelerate in popularity, especially during these unprecedented times.”

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** Statistics taken from www.esportsearnings.com (does not include charitable prize money, salaries, earning reductions)

HIGHEST-PAYING ESPORTS OF 2020 (BY PRIZE MONEY)

	2020 prize money	No. of tournaments	Average prize money
Game
DOTA2	$6,000,000	54	$111,111
CS:GO	$4,900,000	96	$51,042
Rainbow Six: Siege	$4,000,000	18	$222,222
League of Legends	$2,900,000	26	$111,538
Rocket League	$1,500,000	17	$88,235
PUBG	$1,500,000	21	$71,429
Hearthstone	$1,200,000	8	$150,000
Magic The Gathering	$1,100,000	1	$1,100,000
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	$1,100,000	19	$57,895
Arena of Valor	$827,000	2	$413,500

HIGHEST-PAYING ESPORTS OF ALL-TIME (BY PRIZE MONEY)

	Total Prize Money	2020 prize money	No. of tournaments	Average prize money
Game
DOTA2	$224,300,000	$6,000,000	54	$111,111
CS:GO	$96,200,000	$4,900,000	96	$51,042
Fortnite	$85,300,000	$600,000	3	$200,000
League of Legends	$75,600,000	$2,900,000	26	$111,538
Starcraft	$32,800,000	$500,000	46	$10,870
PLAYERUNKNOWN	$22,000,000	$1,500,000	21	$71,429
Overwatch	$21,700,000	$12,000	2	$6,000
Hearthstone	$21,200,000	$1,200,000	8	$150,000
Heroes of Storm	$18,100,000	$4,000	1	$4,000
Arena of Valor	$14,600,000	$827,000	2	$413,500

BETBY CONTINUES UPWARD TRAJECTORY WITH SOLID Q3 2025 PERFORMANCE RESULTS

Published

2 days ago

October 15, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

BETBY, a leading sportsbook supplier, has reported another strong quarter, with its Q3 2025 performance underlining consistent growth and sustained engagement across its global partner network. The results highlight the provider’s continued expansion, innovation, and ability to deliver competitive value to operators worldwide.

During the third quarter, BETBY’s sportsbook recorded a 56.07% year-on-year increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), a 24.92% rise in total bets placed, and a 19.45% increase in active players, aligning with the solid upward trend seen in the company’s H1 results.

Importantly, these results were achieved despite a non-idyllic September, which was marked by uncompetitive margins due to sporting outcomes. This resilience further underscores the company’s ability to maintain growth momentum even in unfavourable market conditions.

This performance further demonstrates the scalability and reliability of BETBY’s sportsbook solution, which continues to attract new partners and drive growth across regulated markets. The supplier’s investment in proprietary trading models, AI-powered tools, and tailored partner support remains central to its strategy.

Betby.Games, BETBY’s proprietary esports feed, also delivered a positive quarter, achieving an 8.43% year-on-year increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), a 6.18% rise in total bets placed, and an 11.85% growth in active players compared to the same period last year.

Leonid Pertsovskiy, Chief Executive Officer at BETBY, commented: “Q3 once again demonstrates the strength of our products and the trust we’ve built with our partners. We continue to deliver solid results across both sportsbook and esports verticals, driven by innovation, user-centric solutions, and our commitment to excellence. As we approach the end of the year, our focus remains on accelerating growth and reinforcing our position as a Tier-1 provider in the iGaming industry.”

To find out more about BETBY’s cutting-edge sportsbook solution visit booth 4045 during SiGMA Central Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with BETBY’s team, and discover how the company’s solutions and services can be their winning aspect for their iGaming project.

The post BETBY CONTINUES UPWARD TRAJECTORY WITH SOLID Q3 2025 PERFORMANCE RESULTS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Beşiktaş Esports

HAVIT Partners with Three Top International Esports Teams to Expand Global Presence

Published

3 days ago

October 14, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

HAVIT, a leading global consumer tech brand, officially announced strategic partnerships with three internationally renowned esports teams: Brazil’s Vivo Keyd Stars, Turkiye’s Galatasaray Esports and Beşiktaş Esports. This marks a new stage in HAVIT’s global esports expansion, further strengthening its influence in the global esports ecosystem.

HAVIT has achieved remarkable results in the esports sector across both the Turkish and Latin American markets.

In Turkiye, HAVIT’s gaming headsets consistently rank No.1 on the leading platform Trendyol. To further integrate into the local esports ecosystem, HAVIT partners with Galatasaray Esports and Beşiktaş Esports, celebrated for their prestigious legacy and youthful energy, each with a massive fan base. This collaboration not only reinforces HAVIT’s market leadership but also deepens its connection with the local esports community.

Moreover, HAVIT enters the second year of its partnership with Vivo Keyd Stars, Brazil’s leading esports team, providing high-performance gaming gear to support the team’s play. With HAVIT’s gear and their own relentless drive, VKS won the championship in LTA South 2025 Split 3 and will represent Brazil at the 2025 League of Legends World Championship. This partnership underscores both the team’s strength and HAVIT’s commitment to empowering Brazil’s esports development.

Brand Vision: Build a Global Esports Network

This strategic partnership across Brazil and Turkiye is a key step in HAVIT’s regional market expansion and lays a solid foundation for HAVIT’s future presence in wider esports ecosystems of Europe, the Americas and beyond.

“Partnering with these teams is a crucial implementation of HAVIT’s ‘For Fun. For Games. For Champions’ vision. By merging technology with esports, we aim to inspire gamers worldwide to break boundaries and shape the future of gaming,” Doug Pollard said.

The post HAVIT Partners with Three Top International Esports Teams to Expand Global Presence appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

2XKO

DATA.BET the First to Launch 2XKO Offering

Published

1 week ago

October 10, 2025

George Miller

data.bet-the-first-to-launch-2xko-offering

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Introducing Riot Games’ newest title to the esports landscape

DATA.BET, the award-winning sports betting solution supplier, has pioneered the betting market by launching 2XKO, a new dynamic competitive format.

2XKO marks a new addition to the global esports scene. With its fast-paced, double-elimination structure, it brings a distinctive rhythm of short yet high-stakes matches — a setup that potentially opens new avenues for betting engagement and audience retention as the format evolves.

At this stage, DATA.BET’s coverage focuses on key pre-match markets, including Winner and To Reach the Final for overall tournament outcomes, as well as Winner within individual matches. During the final stages of the competition, the company also plans to expand its offering with Map Winner markets for each map.

What makes 2XKO unique is the combination of short-form, high-intensity gameplay. This setup maximizes player engagement, mirroring the popularity of competitive fighting games worldwide while translating seamlessly into a betting environment.

DATA.BET debuted its 2XKO betting coverage at the upcoming 2 NICE KO tournament in Nice, France (Oct 10–12, 2025), featuring nearly 300 players across top fighting titles.

Bogdan Holovnov, Head of Esports at DATA.BET, said: “Esports thrives on creativity and innovation, and 2XKO is the perfect example of how new formats can drive excitement for players and bettors alike. At DATA.BET, we’re proud to be the first to bring this to market — giving our partners exclusive access to content that captures the speed, intensity, and global appeal of fighting games. This launch reinforces our commitment to expanding esports betting with fresh, high-impact experiences.”

The post DATA.BET the First to Launch 2XKO Offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.