eSports
6 Highest-Paying Esports Games Of 2020 So Far
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.
—————————————————————————————————————————————–
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.”
—————————————————————————————————————————————–
** 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 |
eSports
Esports World Cup Foundation and Lenovo™ Partner to Power the Next Generation of Esports Champions
Lenovo’s Legion premium gaming brand joins the world’s largest esports event to fuel elite performance and elevate the fan experience through world-class hardware
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Lenovo, announced a partnership to make Lenovo’s Legion brand of gaming devices the Official PC & Gaming Hardware partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). Lenovo Legion is the one of the world’s leading gaming ecosystem brands, and will be bring its relentless commitment to innovation and performance to the global stage, empowering EWC athletes to compete at their highest level.
From training rooms to tournament zones, EWC athletes will be equipped with Lenovo Legion Towers, Lenovo Legion laptops, and peripherals – built for elite esports play with advanced thermal systems, high-performance silicon, high refresh-rate displays and low latency keyboards and mice that meet the demands of top-level competition.
Key models such as the Legion Tower 7i and Legion Tower 5i will feature across the event’s player infrastructure, delivering the reliability and power needed to perform under the intense pressure of elite competition. Designed for esports, both towers offer expansive I/O for a complete gaming setup and Legion Coldfront: Liquid cooling thermal solutions. The Legion Tower 7i boasts advanced cooling and an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Desktop GPU for the extreme performance that top-tier esports athletes rely on, while the Legion Tower 5i pairs intelligent cooling with the RTX 5070 Ti Desktop GPU to deliver focused, winning gameplay.
EWC will also feature Legion Pro 7i laptops to give attendees the full Lenovo Legion experience. Legion laptops untether elite-level gaming experiences from the desk, allowing gamers to win anywhere they find themselves in competition for the top spot with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs and Legion Coldfront: Vapor thermal systems, allowing the laptop to deliver up to 250W TDP that brings the most demanding games to life on the 16” PureSight OLED display.
“We’re building the Esports World Cup to set a new global standard — in both competition and the technology behind it,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation. “Lenovo’s Legion brand understands what elite players need: speed, efficiency, and reliability under pressure. These machines deliver the competitive edge required on the world’s biggest stage, and together we’re pushing the limits of performance — while delivering an experience that meets the expectations of athletes, fans, and the future of global esports.”
“Lenovo Legion equips gamers around the world with outstanding devices to help them achieve their goals and reach their impossible,” said Volker Düring, VP, PC Gaming Business, Lenovo. “The Esports World Cup is the ultimate forum for the world’s best gamers to showcase their mettle and emerge at the top of the world leaderboards, and when the best gamers compete on Lenovo Legion devices, anything is possible.”
As part of the partnership, Lenovo’s Legion branding will appear across EWC’s global broadcast, digital content, and onsite experiences, including fully equipped festival zones with PCs, gear, and laptops available for attendees to play on-site, helping drive deeper engagement with fans while highlighting the ecosystem that supports world-class gaming.
Fans can expect exclusive content, player-focused storytelling, and digital activations across Lenovo Legion’s social channels, offering an inside look at the road to victory – and the technology that powers it.
Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay, and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation and Lenovo™ Partner to Power the Next Generation of Esports Champions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
BETBY REDEFINES CHESS BETTING WITH EXPANDED MARKET OFFERING AHEAD OF ESPORTS WORLD CUP DEBUT
BETBY, the innovative sportsbook supplier, is redefining how chess is experienced in the betting world, launching an innovative suite of markets designed to deepen engagement and bring fresh energy to one of the world’s oldest strategy games.
Marking a new chapter for chess within the iGaming space, BETBY’s upgraded betting content portfolio goes far beyond traditional markets like outright winner or total moves. Bettors can now engage with detailed, event-specific outcomes including the first move made, the first piece captured, number of checks, castlings, and whether a game will feature a pawn promotion, an en passant, or end in stalemate. Several markets also focus on the timing of critical moments, such as whether a checkmate will occur before a certain move, offering more dynamic, real-time decision-making for players.
This launch follows six months of dedicated product development across BETBY’s chess vertical and reflects the company’s long-term vision for the game as a core part of its sportsbook strategy. With chess now officially included in the Esports World Cup, the timing marks a natural convergence of two verticals where BETBY continues to strengthen its position: esports and traditional chess.
As part of this expansion, BETBY is also introducing another exclusive: live betting on the Top Chess Engine Championship (TCEC), a prestigious AI-based tournament. While the event follows a defined schedule, it opens up a new betting experience through intense matchups between powerful engines, enriching the overall chess offering.
Currently, BETBY offers pre-match coverage for around 20 chess tournaments per month, totaling approximately 400 matches. The addition of these expanded markets marks a strategic leap forward in delivering a modern, high-engagement chess product to sportsbook partners and players.
“Chess has always been a passion of ours, and today we’re proud to announce the launch of a truly comprehensive chess offering,” said Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Sportsbook Product at BETBY. “By expanding our market depth and introducing innovative tournaments, including both traditional and AI-driven formats, we’re giving our partners and players a completely new way to engage with the game. Our vision is ambitious: we want chess and betting to become synonymous, to the point where no modern sportsbook feels complete without chess markets. We’ve already done this with Betby.Games and esports, now it’s time to do the same with chess.”
BETBY’s long-term global brand ambassador, five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, will represent Team Liquid at the Esports World Cup. His participation in the tournament, which begins on July 7th, reinforces chess’s growing presence in global esports and its potential as a premium betting vertical.
The post BETBY REDEFINES CHESS BETTING WITH EXPANDED MARKET OFFERING AHEAD OF ESPORTS WORLD CUP DEBUT appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esportes da Sorte
Esportes da Sorte celebrates Brazilian culture with Parintins and São João Sponsorships
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, is making its debut at the 58th Parintins Folklore Festival with an interactive project that blends cultural promotion, economic development, and social responsibility.
The brand becomes the first regulated betting operator to offer institutional support to the event, which welcomes around 120,000 visitors and generates BRL 184 million in local economic activity, according to the Amazonas State Government.
This cultural commitment comes on the back of Esportes Gaming Brasil sponsoring 31 São João festivals during June in 27 cities across the Northeast and Southeast regions. This initiative strengthens the brand’s strategy of connecting with the public through the appreciation of Brazilian cultural expressions.
Esportes da Sorte’s focus was creating memorable experiences as each event featured scenography by Pernambucan artist Perron Ramos. Another notable element was the Vila Junina (June Village), a themed area blending traditional elements with interactive experiences. Classic games such as Pescaria da Sorte (Fishing of Fortune), Barraca do Beijo (Kissing Booth), and Argola da Sorte (Ring Toss) bring nostalgia to the festivities.
For the three-day Parintins Folklore Festival starting today, the brand will be energising Parintins with a series of experiences celebrating local culture. These include a panoramic lounge with a special view of the Bumbódromo, the Truck da Sorte — a space combining karaoke and free hydration — as well as a Social Arena installed in the Garantido and Caprichoso neighborhoods, featuring artistic performances, rest areas, free water distribution, and Instagram-worthy spots. Festivalgoers will also be able to get their hands on custom giveaways throughout the festival. All elements of the visual project are inspired by Amazonian art. The graphics feature illustrations by Curumiz, a Parintins-based duo formed by Alziney Pereira and Kemerson Freitas.
Sofia Aldin, CMO of Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind the brand commented: “Esportes Gaming Brasil cares passionately about regional values and strengthening Brazilian popular culture. It’s more than simply showcasing our brand, we want to create value for the people who live for events like the Parintins Folklore Festival and the São João festivals. Being part of these events backs our strategy of supporting traditions that drive local economies and celebrate regional identities.”
The post Esportes da Sorte celebrates Brazilian culture with Parintins and São João Sponsorships appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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