Modern gaming has taken new dimensions after the introduction of eSports. Competitive gaming is getting better with technology, and in recent years, more and more players are enrolling into professional eSports teams motivated by the outrageous prize pools for different tournaments. Today, we have international tournaments for popular video games like DOTA 2, Fortnite, League of Legends etc. These are the world cup or Olympics for expert gamers, bringing together globally-renowned teams to battle it out for a fortune worth millions. The cash prizes in popular eSports tournaments are enough to make a player retire after a few wins. Interesting career, right? The jackpots for eSports contests keep swelling with every passing event due to the crowdfunding concept applied by developers. In-game markets are also available as competitions go on, thus adding up to the total prize pool. For the eSports fans across the world, they are not left out as big tournaments are broadcasted live on different online platforms with betting markets available in online casinos. The best online casinos to follow such events have a comprehensive guide on the best betting strategies on eSports. Let us review some of the most recent jackpots inspiring the new generation of professional gamers.
The International Dota 2 Championship 2019 – Shanghai, China
The 2019 Dota 2 Championship is by far the biggest jackpot in the history of competitive gaming with a whopping cash prize of $34,330,068. For the first time, this event was held in Shanghai, China. Twelve teams got a direct ticket to the tournament while six others qualified after the knock-out regional stage held in July. Twitch recorded more than a million live viewers globally for the event. The 2017 champions lost to the 2018 victors, the OG team, who walked away with a $15.6 million cash prize. The first runners up were rewarded $4.4 million after losing 1:3 to the champions. Dota 2 has set a legendary record in eSports outdoing all other gaming competitions. However, considering the rapidly growing eSports market, it is hard to predict which games will top in the coming years.
The 2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals – Ashe Stadium, New York City
The Fortnite World Cup finals of 2019 rank second in our list. The tournament gained its popularity in 2018 and subsequently in 2019, owing to a couple of factors. It was amazing to witness Bugha’s victory in the Fortnite Solo finals. Bugha is the avatar name of Kyle Giersdorf, a 16-year old American kid who outclassed every competitor for the major part of the competition. The 2019’s Fortnite World Cup Finals had a prize pool of $30 million to be shared for the duos and solos categories. The game’s developer, Epic Games, pledged to invest $100 million on future tournaments, considering the massive fanbase the game has acquired in a limited time frame.
The International Dota 2 Championship 2018 – Rogers Arena, British Columbia
For the first time, the International Dota 2 event was held outside the United States. The 2018 championships were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Rogers Arena. Having kicked off on 14th June, the major matches were played from the 20th to 25th August. Valve Corporation offered several in-game items that contributed to the final prize pool. Surprisingly, the OG team, which was the competition’s underdog, took home the premier prize of $11.23 million. The Dota 2 finals of 2017 were the first to feature five games since 2013.
The International Dota 2 Championship 2017 – Seattle
Following the successful 2016 competition, the 2017 Dota 2 championship further raised the prize pool record to a total of $24,687,919. The event was hosted in Seattle from 22nd June to 12th August. During the competition, six teams were directly invited, while 12 others contested for qualification. Team Liquid from the Netherlands dominated the game, taking home gold medals and a $10.86 million cash prize. Newbee took the second place and were awarded a $3.95 million cash prize. Newbee was a former champion in the 2014 event.
The International Dota 2 Championship 2016 – Seattle
In 2016, Dota 2 became the first eSports tournament to exceed a $20 million prize pool. The Valve sponsored competition was successful due to a nexus of strategic moves, which contributed to the final prize pool of $20,770,460. Valve Corporation decided to rebrand their entire collection before selling to the massive fan-base in attendance. A challenge pass was organized to cover some of the expenses, and 25% of the collected amount was used to top the championship’s prize pool. A round-robin challenge was held to determine the top four teams from the two groups that participated. The victors then proceeded to the next level where Digital Chaos and Wings Gaming battled in the grand finale. Wings gaming won 3:1 taking home $9.1 million while the first runners up got a $3.4 million prize.
Considering that eSports is still an infant industry setting its foundations in the world of competitive sports, such cash prizes are projected to grow exponentially in the next decade.