Prize money in CS:GO is not considered a record in eSports, but they make up a significant part of players' income. And teams that win event after event receive a lot of money only from tournaments. However, this material will not be about the teams but the players. Who has already earned more than a million dollars?
Peter dupreeh Rasmussen ($2,019,831)
It would be strange if the player who visited all the Majors in the entire history of CS:GO was not the first on this list. Dupreeh is the first in the number of prize money earned and the first player who earned more than $2 million.
The most striking achievements of the Dane are championships at four Majors and the Intel Grand Slam, which he won as part of Astralis. Dupreeh currently plays for Vitality, which is much more successful than his previous Danish team, and therefore he has overtaken his former teammates in terms of prize money.
Andreas Xyp9x Hoyslet ($1,980,050)
Another member of the Astralis golden squad is second in terms of prize money earned. Xyp9x, like dupreeh, won four Majors and the Intel Grand Slam, the biggest achievements they made in one lineup. Unfortunately, the Dane has not won a single tournament in the last two years, but he still performs on the tier-1 scene.
Nikolai device Rydtz ($1,921,331)
A sniper of the golden Astralis squad and one of the best players in the history of professional CS:GO. According to ESL, the Dane takes second place in the ranking of the best players of the decade. Primary achievements, which device also earned in Astralis, he won four Majors, got two MVPs of Majors and the Intel Grand Slam.
Unfortunately, he has reduced turnover for earning prize money due to the annual inactive period, which began at the end of 2021 and will end only next year. However, he can still reach the $2 million mark after returning to Astralis.
Lucas gla1ve Rossander ($1,830,542)
Gla1ve is another member of the golden Astralis team and their captain. Again, the most significant achievements of gla1ve are four Majors won and the Intel Grand Slam. The Dane still plays for Astralis and has not won a single tournament in the last two years.
Alexander s1mple Kostylev ($1,672,721)
S1mple's most successful year was 2021. That year, NAVI won seven tier-1 events, one of which was a major (at this tournament, s1mple received the MVP) and the Intel Grand Slam. During 2021 the NAVI sniper earned $832,750. S1mple continues to perform at the highest level and confidently moves to first place in terms of prize money earned.
Emil Magisk Rafe ($1,613,290)
He's the fifth and last member of the golden Astralis team. Magisk joined the club a little later, earning less prize money and winning one Major less than the other four players in the gold squad. But at the same time, Magisk earned an MVP on one of them. And, of course, the most significant achievement for the Dane in terms of prize money is the Intel Grand Slam. Now Magisk plays for Vitality.
Denis electroNic Sharypov ($1,526,458)
ElectroNic earned all his major prizes as part of the roster with s1mple, so the Russian's achievements are the same as those of the NAVI sniper. The difference in the money earned results from electroNic joining NAVI later than s1mple.
Finn Karrigan Andersen ($1,332,752)
Karrigan has been performing professionally since 2006, so it would be strange if he didn't make the list of millionaires by prize money. But the most interesting fact about the captain is that the current year was the most successful in terms of prizes for him. And taking into account the fact that he has already turned 32, it's surprising. Karrigan has won a Major and three other tier-1 tournaments this year and earned $324,016.
Russell Twistzz Van Dalken ($1,230,293)
Twistzz is one of the few successful players from North America and one of the few who has two separate and long successful periods in his career. In 2019, the Canadian played for Liquid, and then the team won five tier-1 tournaments in a row, six in total, and the Intel Grand Slam. In 2019, Twistzz earned $477,850. Canadian's second successful period was in 2022, which fully matched Karrigan's successes.
Jake Stewie2k Yip ($1,186,573)
Jake is the Major champion won by Cloud9 and a member of Liquid's 2019 gold squad. Stewie2k was a star player in 2019 as part of Twistzz, where he earned most of his prize money. Also, American made a significant part of the prizes in 2018. Cloud9 won the Major this year, and Stewie participated in many other tournaments.
Gabriel FalleN Toledo ($1,150,586)
The legendary sniper from Brazil, a two-time Major champion with Luminosity and SK, is one of those who helped his country dominate the pro scene in 2016 and 2017. FalleN has been performing on the pro scene since 2005. Unfortunately, his results are not as impressive as before, but the "professor" will forever remain in the CS:GO Hall of Fame.
Havaard rain Nygard ($1,130,716)
The only Norwegian on the list spent most of his career with FaZe Clan. As part of this club, rain spent a good season in 2017, but the first half of 2022 was much better for him. He earned his first Major champion title and won some other tournaments, stopping within a step of victory in the current season Intel Grand Slam.
Kit NAF Markovych ($1,126,648)
For the first time, NAF announced himself in 2016 when he beat the Danes from Astralis in the grand final of ELEAGUE Season 2 as part of Optic Gaming. But Keith achieved his most tremendous success in 2019, when Liquid had an almost flawless season and won the Intel Grand Slam, but failed at both Majors and did not establish an era as Astralis did.
Ilya Perfecto Zalutsky ($1,124,370)
Before moving to NAVI, Ilya was a player in the Syman team, which played at the tier-2 level. But he breathed new life into the "yellow and black" team, which looked faded in 2019. He and b1t became players, thanks to which the Ukrainian club spent a brilliant season in 2021 and became the champion of the Major and IGS.
Epitacio TACO de Melo ($1,095,686)
Kirill Boombl4 Mykhaylov ($1,078,333)
Unlike Perfecto, the former scandalous captain of Natus Vincere had already attracted attention before joining the Ukrainian club. Boombl4, as part of Quantum Bellator Fire, took 5-8th place at ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018 and won in many famous clubs. But, of course, the lion's share of Kirill's success falls during his stay in NAVI, and now he participates in various media projects and streamer tournaments without coming close to getting into the second top team.
Fernando fer Alvarenga ($1,077,986)
FalleN's 31-year-old Imperial teammate and another member of the famous Luminosity and SK squads earned almost as much as TACO since the end of 2017. But still, as a part of MIBR, fer earned the title of ZOTAC Cup Masters 2018 champion with $200,000 in prize money for first place.
Jonathan ELiGE Jablonowski ($1,074,579)
The possessor of a phenomenal smile and the second American on the list can boast the same successes as NAF because they have been teammates for a long time. But unlike the Canadian, ELiGE has been continuously playing for the club since 2015. The funniest thing is that he just replaced NAF in the very first lineup of the American club.
Marcelo coldzera David ($1,041,901)
The two-time major champion as part of Brazilian teams and the second player with his graffiti along with s1mple could not fail to enter this top. Still, in recent years his results could be more encouraging. Last year he lost for the sixth time in his professional career official match with a score of 0:16. Nevertheless, coldzera will be remembered by fans of CS:GO as one of the most phenomenal players in history. Because in 2016 and 2017, he became the best esportsman of the year in Valve's shooter.
Dan apEX Madesclair ($1,030,285)
Magisk and dupreeh are not the only Major champions in the current Vitality lineup. Their captain, apEX, also has one similar title, which he got back in 2015 at DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015, where he beat NAVI as part of Envy. He also won at WESG 2016 for the same club, and they won $800,000.
Valery b1t Vakhovsky ($1,003,324)
The youngest millionaire on this list, a graduate of the NAVI Academy, firmly established in the foundation at the age of 19. By 30, b1t will be able to climb higher in terms of prizes won and try to win at least one more Major and other big tournaments. It's all just beginning for him.
Comments