eSports
25 Most Successful Esports Countries by Prize Money so far in 2020
– United States leads the way winning $7.2m
– Brazilian players most in form this year
– Bulgarian and Danish players win the most prize money per person on average
– Only 60% of tournaments played compared to this time last year
New Unikrn research shows players are winning MORE on average so far in 2020 than 2019 – despite pandemic
Esports players from the top 25 countries are earning more average prize money in 2020 so far than at the same point in 2019, new research shows.
Despite a number of tournaments being cancelled, professional gaming is still thriving during a global pandemic.
So much that despite playing 40% less tournaments than at this point last year, players are earning more money on average per tournament.
World-leading esports bookmakers Unikrn have revealed the finding after analysing the top 25 countries for prize money so far this year.
By the end of June last year, $67million had been won by more than 26,000 players from 2,715 tournaments across the esports circuit.
Whereas by the same time this year, only $38.8m was won by almost 11,000 players in 1,622 tournaments.
The average tournament prize pool was very similar each year – in 2019 it sat at $23,988, compared to $23,920 in 2020.
However, in the first half of 2019, players were only winning on average $2,492 compared to individuals taking home $3,652 in 2020.
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The research also found that like last year the United States leads the way at the halfway point of 2020 with players winning a massive $7.2m in prize money.
Identical to the first six months of 2019, China and Korea make up the top three.
Brazil are the biggest movers in 2020 rising from 9th to 4th in the rankings helped by Magic World Championship XXVI champion PVDDR’s $300k victory.
The highest prize money to player ratio sits with Bulgaria, maybe surprisingly. Their top 5 players including Complexity’s poiz0n are spread across CS:GO, DOTA2 and League of Legends.
The Danish also have a high turnover on prize money with 173 players averaging $9,564.
In 2019, the prize money across esports increased heavily from huge tournaments such as DOTA2’s The International setting a prize pot of $35million and the Fortnite World Cup Finals.
But with both of these tournaments cancelled and many others postponed, total prize money for 2020 is estimated to be considerably lower than 2019.
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Most Successful Countries By Prize Money Won (All Esports)
| 2019 (Jan-July) | 2020 (Jan-July) | |||||||||
| Country | Total Prize Money | Players | Average prize money | Country | Total Prize Money | Players | Average prize money | |||
| 1 | United States | $10,079,707.15 | 5902 | $1,707.85 | 1 | United States | $7,280,222.31 | 1999 | $3,641.93 | |
| 2 | Korea | $5,438,336.48 | 1377 | $3,949.41 | 2 | China | $3,093,705.23 | 379 | $8,162.81 | |
| 3 | China | $4,876,979.55 | 1027 | $4,748.76 | 3 | Korea | $2,356,078.82 | 573 | $4,111.83 | |
| 4 | France | $2,290,981.17 | 1378 | $1,662.54 | 4 | Brazil | $2,284,006.59 | 420 | $5,438.11 | |
| 5 | Denmark | $2,234,162.91 | 652 | $3,426.63 | 5 | Russian Federation | $1,718,361.31 | 454 | $3,784.94 | |
| 6 | Russia | $2,179,829.93 | 855 | $2,549.51 | 6 | France | $1,703,512.13 | 441 | $3,862.84 | |
| 7 | Canada | $2,011,038.76 | 884 | $2,274.93 | 7 | Denmark | $1,654,614.71 | 173 | $9,564.25 | |
| 8 | Sweden | $1,933,771.15 | 712 | $2,715.97 | 8 | United Kingdom | $1,327,882.15 | 348 | $3,815.75 | |
| 9 | Brazil | $1,861,949.00 | 989 | $1,882.66 | 9 | Canada | $1,307,092.60 | 319 | $4,097.47 | |
| 10 | Germany | $1,824,623.63 | 1032 | $1,768.05 | 10 | Germany | $1,304,784.38 | 500 | $2,609.57 | |
| 11 | Finland | $1,672,037.47 | 405 | $4,128.49 | 11 | Sweden | $1,176,960.10 | 215 | $5,474.23 | |
| 12 | United Kingdom | $1,438,156.76 | 915 | $1,571.76 | 12 | Australia | $891,602.63 | 359 | $2,483.57 | |
| 13 | Australia | $1,278,719.22 | 838 | $1,525.92 | 13 | Thailand | $826,835.23 | 314 | $2,633.23 | |
| 14 | Poland | $1,158,065.87 | 624 | $1,855.87 | 14 | Finland | $792,457.03 | 96 | $8,254.76 | |
| 15 | Philippines | $1,106,753.39 | 200 | $5,533.77 | 15 | Poland | $596,336.18 | 221 | $2,698.35 | |
| 16 | Japan | $973,735.09 | 406 | $2,398.36 | 16 | Ukraine | $574,589.16 | 112 | $5,130.26 | |
| 17 | Thailand | $882,805.98 | 350 | $2,522.30 | 17 | Norway | $439,630.18 | 67 | $6,561.64 | |
| 18 | Bulgaria | $860,229.50 | 118 | $7,290.08 | 18 | Netherlands | $399,067.54 | 150 | $2,660.45 | |
| 19 | Norway | $714,775.28 | 225 | $3,176.78 | 19 | Japan | $325,085.28 | 223 | $1,457.78 | |
| 20 | Spain | $625,412.64 | 392 | $1,595.44 | 20 | Bulgaria | $310,401.72 | 24 | $12,933.41 | |
| 21 | Ukraine | $623,458.01 | 278 | $2,242.65 | 21 | Philippines | $290,771.52 | 71 | $4,095.37 | |
| 22 | Taiwan | $600,532.10 | 211 | $2,846.12 | 22 | Turkey | $281,767.76 | 128 | $2,201.31 | |
| 23 | Netherlands | $519,272.80 | 451 | $1,151.38 | 23 | Malaysia | $252,612.81 | 43 | $5,874.72 | |
| 24 | Italy | $490,560.54 | 137 | $3,580.73 | 24 | Argentina | $251,784.40 | 79 | $3,187.14 | |
| 25 | Malaysia | $463,826.66 | 175 | $2,650.44 | 25 | Estonia | $240,863.04 | 37 | $6,509.81 |
Total Prize Money, Tournaments and Players (All Esports)
| 2019 (Jan-July) | 2020 (Jan – July) | |||
| Total Prize Money | $66,992,940.50 | Total Prize Money | $38,798,059.63 | |
| Total Tournaments | 2715 | Total Tournaments | 1622 | |
| Total Players | 26141 | Total Players | 10625 | |
| Average tournament prize pool | $23,987.94 | Average tournament prize pool | $23,919.89 | |
| Average player prize money | $2,492.18 | Average player prize money | $3,651.58 |
Best Countries By Average Player Prize Money
| Country | Average prize money per player |
| Bulgaria | $12,933.41 |
| Denmark | $9,564.25 |
| Finland | $8,254.76 |
| China | $8,162.81 |
| Norway | $6,561.64 |
| Estonia | $6,509.81 |
| Malaysia | $5,874.72 |
| Sweden | $5,474.23 |
| Brazil | $5,438.11 |
| Ukraine | $5,130.26 |
**Stats from www.esportsearnings.com – does not include information about salaries, bonuses or sponsorships
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The Esports Awards is set to return in 2026, bringing together the global esports community for its annual celebration of excellence.
Scheduled to take place in North America later this year, the awards will honor the top players, teams, creators, and innovators who defined the past year in competitive gaming. Exact dates and venues will be revealed in the coming months.
Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of esports achievements at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony recognized industry icons such as Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed, and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while inducting six new members into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025. Earlier in 2025, the Esports Awards hosted the one-off Decade Awards, which drew a global audience of 36.25 million live viewers.
For the 2026 edition, fan-favorite categories such as Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year, and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving fans a direct voice in recognizing the standout moments and figures in esports over the past year. Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, which includes seasoned industry veterans, broadcasters, creators, and professional players, ensuring both credibility and integrity.
In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will make a comeback, offering a day of networking and friendly competition for industry leaders, creators, and esports competitors ahead of the awards.
Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, said: “The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026. Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognizing the individuals, teams, and moments that defined the past year in esports.”
Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ official X account for updates on venues, dates, nominees, and voting.
The post Esports Awards 2026 Returns for Global Honors appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
- The Esports Awards will return later this year for its 2026 edition, taking place in North America and honouring the outstanding players, teams, creators and innovators of the past year in esports
- Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of excellence at the HyperX Arena, alongside the one-off Decade Awards, which reached 36.25M live views globally
- The Esports Awards Golf Invitational will also return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the main ceremony
- Full details on the venue, date, nominees and voting will be revealed in the coming months
The Esports Awards has announced the return of its annual ceremony for 2026. Bringing together the global esports community under one roof, the Esports Awards will once again recognise the players, teams, creators and innovators who have defined the past year. The ceremony will take place in North America later this year, with exact dates and venue to be revealed in the coming months.
Last year’s edition of the Esports Awards marked a significant milestone, celebrating 10 years of esports excellence at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony honoured some of the industry’s most recognised figures, including Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while welcoming six new inductees into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025 award. Earlier in the year, the Esports Awards also hosted the one-off Decade Awards in August, presented by Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, Jessica “JessGOAT” Bolden and Barney Banks, reaching 36.25M live views globally.
For the 2026 edition, fan-favourite categories including Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving the community a voice in recognising the moments and individuals that shaped the past year in esports.
Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, a group of industry veterans, broadcasters, creators and players, ensuring the integrity and credibility of the awards.
In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the awards.
“The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards. “Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognising the individuals, teams and moments that defined the past year in esports.”
Further updates regarding the venue, date, nominees and voting will be announced in the coming months. Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ X account for the latest updates.
The post THE ESPORTS AWARDS RETURNS IN 2026 FOR A CELEBRATION OF ESPORTS EXCELLENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Team Vitality celebrated its first Age of Empires II LAN victory as Hamzah “Hera” El-Baher triumphed in the Red Bull Wololo: Londinium final, defeating teammate Kai “Liereyy” Kallinger 5-4. Held at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, the event drew a packed live audience and thousands of online viewers, transforming the historic venue into a competitive arena for the world’s best players.
Hera dominated the tournament, following up his recent win at the T90 Titans League 5: Platinum League, consolidating his status as one of the top players globally. Team Vitality’s depth was evident, with Liereyy finishing second and Hernan “Hearttt” Pizarro placing sixth.
“Winning at our first LAN on Age of Empires II, and at the Royal Albert Hall no less, is incredible,” said Danny Engels, Team Vitality’s Corporate Director of Global Operations. “A first and second place for our roster reflects our dedication, training, and the support of our fans worldwide.”
This win marks Team Vitality’s successful entry into Age of Empires II, strengthening the French club’s presence in competitive esports. The team will continue its momentum by co-hosting The Garrison 2026 LAN in Hamburg, Germany, from November 25–29, 2026, expected to draw up to 1,000 spectators and become a major fixture on the AoE2 circuit.
The post HERA WINS RED BULL WOLOLO: LONDINIUM AGE OF EMPIRES II appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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