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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eSports
Thunderpick Partners with Oddin.gg and Introduces BetPeek, First Fully Interactive Esports Viewing Platform
Thunderpick, the leading esports betting platform, in partnership with Oddin.gg, a provider of end-to-end esports betting solutions, today announced the exclusive launch of BetPeek, a first-of-its-kind interactive esports viewing experience available only on Thunderpick.io.
While most esports streams today limit fans to static broadcast feeds and pre-selected camera angles, BetPeek flips the script. For the first time, viewers can control how they watch the action—transforming every match into a personalized, immersive event.
BetPeek’s key features include:
- Follow Any Player – Switch instantly to the POV of any competitor on the server.
- Dynamic Camera Control – Place the camera anywhere on the map for a unique vantage point.
- X-Ray Vision – Unlock strategic insights by seeing what players can’t.
- Play, Pause & Rewind – Revisit every clutch play with DVR-style controls.
- Integrated Betting Tools – Access deeper context and analysis to inform smarter wagers.
“Traditional esports streams have barely evolved; they’re often one-size-fits-all broadcasts that leave fans wishing for more control,” said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick. “BetPeek completely changes that. By putting fans in the driver’s seat, we’re delivering an esports experience that’s not just more engaging, but truly revolutionary for bettors and spectators alike.”
Why It Matters
Until now, esports fans had little choice beyond passively watching standard tournament streams or fragmented co-streams. BetPeek represents the next era: an interactive, on-demand, and bet-integrated platform unlike anything else in the industry. For bettors, this means unprecedented visibility into momentum shifts, rotations, and player form. For fans, it’s a chance to experience the match exactly how they want.
Exclusive to Thunderpick
BetPeek is available only on Thunderpick.io, reinforcing Thunderpick’s position as the most innovative esports betting destination worldwide. In partnership with Oddin.gg, a global leader in esports betting solutions, Thunderpick continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in live, fan-first esports engagement.
The post Thunderpick Partners with Oddin.gg and Introduces BetPeek, First Fully Interactive Esports Viewing Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, is partnering with GeoGuessr, the world’s favourite geography‑guessing game, to deliver detailed analytics for its esports tournaments. The collaboration will give organizers clear insights into audience engagement and viewership patterns across events.
As part of the partnership, Esports Charts provides tournament dashboard data for the GeoGuessr competitions. Organizers can track engagement trends, compare performance across regions, and make data-driven decisions for future events.
“Esports Charts is thrilled to support GeoGuessr’s esports events. Our team even enjoys the game together during team activities, so it’s fun to combine that passion with our analytics expertise. By providing clear insights into viewership and engagement, we hope to help the organizers nurture and grow GeoGuessr’s competitive scene globally.” – Sergii Rudenko, CSO at Esports Charts
The recent GeoGuessr World Championship 2025 set new viewership records, reflecting the game’s growing presence in esports. In recent years, GeoGuessr has expanded its competitive offerings with larger prize pools, longer seasons, and more events.
“This year’s World Championship has been an incredible journey across four countries. We extend our gratitude to the passionate GeoGuessr community, talented players, and all of our partners who made this possible. Our partnership with Esports Charts plays a key role in helping us gain valuable audience insights, allowing us to continuously grow and elevate the GeoGuessr esports scene. – Mikael Falgard, Head of GeoGuessr Esports
The collaboration marks another step in the development of GeoGuessr’s esports scene and strengthens Esports Charts’ role as a leading provider of competitive gaming analytics.
The post Esports Charts to deliver comprehensive viewership data to GeoGuessr appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The Global Esports Federation at its 16th Board Meeting approved the draft program for the Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports Games, to be held in December 2026. This follows the earlier announcement of Los Angeles as host city at a major ceremony hosted by Los Angeles Times Media Group Executive Chairman & CEO Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel—now marking a significant milestone on the road to GEF’s flagship event in the United States.
The GEF Board also unanimously elected Paul J. Foster as President of the Global Esports Federation. Paul, who is GEF Chief Executive Officer, was appointed President ad interim following the resignation of founding President Chris Chan in July, and now assumes the role of President & CEO through December 2027.
In addition, the GEF Board approved the establishment of frameworks to develop the esports ecosystem in the United States, anchored in Los Angeles. This initiative will strengthen the GEF’s connections with stakeholders worldwide and reinforce its mission to elevate esports for all.
The outcomes of GEF 16th Board Meeting reaffirm the GEF’s role as a convening platform, uniting athletes, publishers, Member Federations, and partners to power the future of esports globally.
The post Global Esports Federation confirms program for Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports Games appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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