How much do League of Legends esports players make in 2025?

TL;DR

The League of Legends professional calendar consists of occasions world wide, with the Worlds happening in October-November and that includes the most effective groups from all areas.

Distinguished groups embody T1, EDward Gaming, G2 Esports, and MAD Lions.

High gamers can earn as much as $500,000 as a base wage, with event winnings, sponsorship, and different income streams supplementing this.

Dota 2 has the very best common prize cash for The Worldwide, however the League of Legends Worlds may have $5 million up for grabs.

Esports gamers don’t simply play to win; they play to earn a residing. That is very true in video games like League of Legends (LoL), the place prize cash can go into the tens of millions for gamers and league groups. Up to now decade, prize swimming pools have jumped exponentially, spurring many tense and enjoyable competitions to seize the ultimate prize cash. Nonetheless, different elements are answerable for the massive earnings that esports gamers make within the business, resembling sponsorships and merchandise.

A number of LoL occasions are held yearly, such because the regional leagues, that are often held from the Spring season to the League of Legends World Championship in October. This occasion attracts all certified groups and gamers from world wide.

In 2024, the Championship had an enormous $2.25 million prize pool, however the 2025 occasion goes to double that quantity, with an unbelievable $5 million in prize cash up for grabs. With this in thoughts, we’re going to interrupt down a LoL esports participant’s earnings, the place a lot of this earnings comes from, in addition to look into the prize cash obtainable in different centralized and open esports tournaments.

How a lot do LoL gamers make?

The estimated earnings of esports gamers differ broadly on account of a number of elements — it’s not nearly prize cash. These embody:

Earnings (estimates)High gamers – world champions, high-tier proslower-tier, or improvement leaguesBase wage (workforce wage)$100,000 – $500,000+ per 12 months (for high gamers on distinguished groups like T1, G2, and so forth.)$25,000 – $75,000 per 12 months (relying on area and workforce)Match winnings$50,000 – $500,000+ per occasion (primarily based on efficiency, e.g., Worlds)$10,000 – $50,000 per 12 months (relying on area and event efficiency)Sponsorship and workforce income share$100,000 – $500,000+ from workforce and particular person sponsorship offers$5,000 – $50,000 per 12 months (lesser-known sponsorship offers)Streaming (Twitch, YouTube, and so forth.)$50,000 – $500,000+ yearly (from subs, adverts, donations, and sponsorships)$2,000 – $20,000 yearly (smaller streams or extra restricted presence)Content material creation/YouTube$50,000 – $200,000+ per 12 months (on account of excessive views, sponsored content material, or collaborations)$1,000 – $10,000 per 12 months (in the event that they create content material frequently)Model sponsorships/influencer offers$50,000 – $250,000+ per 12 months (for high-tier gamers with giant social media followings)$1,000 – $20,000 per 12 months (for lesser-known gamers)Merchandising (workforce/private)$10,000 – $100,000+ per 12 months (income share from private/workforce merchandise gross sales)$500 – $5,000 per 12 months (decrease gross sales or less-established model)Different (appearances, teaching, and so forth.)$20,000 – $100,000+ per 12 months (for appearances, teaching, or particular occasions)$1,000 – $10,000 per 12 months (from teaching or uncommon appearances)

How does this examine to different video games?

Completely different video games in esports can supply various prize swimming pools. That is depending on a number of elements, resembling the scale of the occasion, the sponsorships, merchandise, the recognition of the sport, and way more.

In 2025, the most well-liked esports video games have the next prize cash at their respective occasions:

GameMajor event(s)Common prize moneyHighest recorded prize moneyLeague of Legends (LoL)World Championship (Worlds)$3 million – $5 million$5 million (2025)Dota 2The Worldwide (TI)$30 million – $40 million$16 million (TI 2023)Counter-Strike 2CS2 Main Championships$1 million – $2 million$2 million (a number of occasions)FortniteFortnite World Cup$10 million – $40 million$30 million (2024)ValorantValorant Champions Tour (VCT)$1 million – $3 million$2.2 million (VCT 2024)OverwatchOverwatch Champions Sequence$2 million – $3 million$2.2 million (OCS 2024)Rocket LeagueRocket League Championship Sequence (RLCS)$3 million – $5 million$5 million (RLCS 2024)

Though League of Legends is broadly agreed to be the most well-liked esports recreation in 2025, it’s Valve’s Dota 2 that constantly gives essentially the most prize cash, with as a lot as $40 million being supplied to gamers and groups who find yourself successful at The Worldwide event, the sport’s annual esports occasion.

Nonetheless, LoL esports gamers’ earnings are excessive because the tournaments constantly supply vital prize cash regardless. This is because of a number of income streams, resembling sponsorships and unique broadcasting rights for streamers and TV networks to showcase the championships world wide.

Finally, there’s a lot of cash to be made in any of the most well-liked esports video games in 2025, however if you wish to try to make as a lot as you possibly can, it gained’t be in LoL.

What does the aggressive LoL scene appear like?

In relation to the League of Legends aggressive scene in esports, there are many tournaments held yearly that gamers and viewers participate in. These embody:

LOL eventDescriptionFrequencyKey dates (2025)LCS (North America)The North American regional league consists of Spring and Summer season Splits.Spring & Summer season seasonsJan 2025 – Aug 2025 (Spring)LEC (Europe)Europe’s premier regional league, with Spring and Summer season Splits.Spring & Summer season seasonsJan 2025 – Aug 2025 (Spring)LCK (Korea)South Korea’s high regional league, with Spring and Summer season Splits.Spring & Summer season seasonsJan 2025 – Apr 2025 (Spring)LPL (China)China’s regional league, with Spring and Summer season Splits.Spring & Summer season seasonsJan 2025 – Apr 2025 (Spring)PCS (Pacific)The regional league for Southeast Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asia).Spring & Summer season seasonsJan 2025 – Apr 2025 (Spring)MSI (Mid-Season Invitational)A world event that includes the most effective groups from every area, following Spring Splits.AnnuallyMay 2025World Championship (Worlds)The largest LoL occasion of the 12 months, that includes the most effective groups from all areas.AnnuallyOct-Nov 2025Regional FinalsRegional tournaments that decide qualification for Worlds (in some areas).AnnuallyAug 2025 (varies by area)Demacia Cup (China)A serious low season occasion in China with a mixture of high groups and new expertise.AnnuallyDec 2025All-Star EventAn exhibition occasion that includes a mixture of skilled gamers, streamers, and celebrities.Yearly (Offseason)Dec 2025LOL Challengers Sequence (LCS, LEC, and so forth.)Tier under the principle leagues, usually that includes up-and-coming gamers and groups.OngoingAll 12 months spherical

Key esports groups and gamers

There are a number of gamers and groups in LoL that herald a lot of viewers and followers to a number of esports tournaments world wide.

Groups

A number of groups have established themselves within the aggressive panorama, resembling T1, recognized for dominating championships like Worlds and LCK, particularly with Faker main the group. EDward Gaming, G2 Esports, and MAD Lions are additionally a number of the most influential groups for LoL, constantly bringing in excessive viewership at a number of tournaments.

Gamers

League of Legends is thought for harboring a number of influential gamers, resembling Faker, who remains to be considered certainly one of its finest gamers of all time. ShowMaker and Canyon from DAMWON KIA have additionally impacted a number of matches with their skills and showmanship. Caps of G2 Esports can be well-known for his respectful management, bringing the workforce to a number of wins through the years.

Established execs

Established Professionals like Faker and Uzi are well-known in LoL for shaping how the sport got here to be established in a number of esports tournaments world wide. Faker is a three-time world champion, whereas ShowMaker and Canyon attract tens of millions of viewers by way of Twitch and different streaming platforms.

Rising gamers

With any recreation within the esports scene, there’ll all the time be rising gamers who’re making their mark within the business. Mun “Oner“ Hyeon-ju is a good instance, having been primarily answerable for taking the T1 workforce to a number of wins in earlier years, such because the LCK Cup in March 2025. One other is Juice, a part of Royal Membership, who joined the principle roster in December 2024. He’s already making an impression with some notable wins in latest matches, resembling within the League of Legends Growth League (LDL) Cut up in February 2025.

Conclusion

A League of Legends gamers wage isn’t nearly incomes prize cash as soon as an esports event is over. Different elements, resembling sponsorships and merchandise, additionally play their half in driving income for established gamers and groups alike.

With esports set to develop much more in 2025 by means of developments like cell gaming, new video games showing at occasions, and way more, there’s loads of potential for incomes extra earnings. This, and lots of different elements, is why all gamers, not simply League of Legends professional gamers, see loads of alternative within the business. Though gamers like Duke and Bang have revamped $300,000, it’s not an impossibility for that determine to triple inside the subsequent few years.