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It is widely known that the rise of online gaming, the 2020 lockdowns, and the release of games with incredible graphics are what made eSports so popular over the last few years. As of 2021, the global eSports market size was $1.22 billion. According to the forecast, it will reach $ 5.48 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 21.0% – which is incredible for the entertainment industry! There is so much more to the industry than just developing great games – the prize pools for the enthusiasts, online and arena competitions, and eSports betting that skyrocketed during the outbreak of Coronavirus.

And as the world has slowly managed to recalibrate in 2022, so did the entertainment industries, such as the online casino industry, online sportsbooks, as well as eSports industry. Online casinos weren’t that affected by the pandemic, and gamers continued playing casino games such as eSports-themed slots. Namely, according to the Cosmo Casino review, some of the most eSports-themed slots included CS:GO Slot Game developed by Ninjas in Pyjamas, TC Slots PUBG, and Dota Slot by Smartsoft Gaming.

We cannot say the same for the sports betting industry and eSports – as some of the events ended up being postponed or even canceled. Luckily, 2022 brought several eSports tournaments around the globe and triggered an even larger growth in popularity. The industry exceeded expectations, establishing some of the world’s most profitable events in 2022 with multi-million prize pools. So if you’re wondering which Esports events are likely to pay out the most in 2023, read this review from TerraCasino’s casino review experts.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

In 2017, a popular battle royale game that revolutionized the world of eSports launched – PUBG. PUBG Studios developed their first game in the PUBG Universe series based on the Japanese film Battle Royale (2000). The Coronavirus pandemic boosted both downloads and revenue for PUBG, a game with already steady revenue over its first two years of existence. Bizarrely, the game made $270 million in the first month of the Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. In the following two years, this eSports title reached new heights.

So to move on to the actual subject, in 2022, PUBG had one of the highest eSports prize pools in a single event – a whopping $4.4 million! That’s nearly as much as some slot and poker tournaments you can find at online casinos reviewed at TerraCasino and other similar websites. So, looking forward to the rest of 2023, gamers will have the opportunity to play this game in competitions such as the Nations Cup and the Global Championship. Those who are in it for the prize won’t be disappointed with the final quarter of this year.

CS: GO

Everybody who has ever had an interest in playing games since the year 2000 must be familiar with Counter-Strike. And around twelve years after the initial release, CS:GO debuted. After regular updates and patches by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment, Counter Strike: Global Offensive got a battle-royale game mode in 2018. As a result, the “Danger Zone” was created. The prize pool for this multiplayer tactical first-person shooter in 2022 was around $ 3.2 million for just one of the events.

This is precisely why it is one of the leading titles in the world of eSports. Gaming experts claim that the video game has yet to show its full potential and that there is still room for growth. Namely, CS:GO has a growing user base and impressive community on Twitch. In 2023 the game will be played in the ESL Pro League. A whopping $850k has been added to ESL Pro League’s prize pool since 2020, triple its previous $225k. In Season 17, the entire spectacle will take place between March 1st and April 2nd. This event will be an opportunity for gamers to qualify for IEM Katowice, Dallas, and Cologne and possibly win money prizes from its prize pool of $2.25 million.

Dota 2

This multiplayer online battle arena game was created by none other than Valve in 2013. A fun fact is that the game hit the number one spot on Steam as the most-played title only one month after its initial release. Dota 2 still holds the title as one of the most played and most lucrative eSports.

Apart from its enormous 455,000 players base, this video game also has a reputation for large prize pools at various gaming competitions. For example, the last year’s prize money at The International 2022 amounted to $19 million, putting it in the top 5 titles with the biggest prize pools. However, this was not so impressive compared to The International 2021 prize pool, which was double that amount! That year’s finalist Team Spirit won an astounding $18 million when the competition was over.

The International 2023 represents a tremendous opportunity for all the fellow gamers who love playing Dota 2 – which is why they should not miss it. This year, Dota 2 is the one and only Esports game to follow if you want to win big.

Fortnite

For the past few years, Fortnite has been one of the largest eSports ever. The game’s popularity led to its label as “the next Candy Crush,” however it goes far beyond that. Would it be enough just to mention that currently, the game has 350 registered users? With such a large audience, it’s only natural that Fortnite will continue to grow as an eSport with its own dedicated tournaments and leagues.

And while some might think that this eSport has reached its saturation point, experts predict that during 2023, we’ll see Fortnite become one of the biggest franchises ever created based on its cultural relevance alone—and it won’t be because of its battle royale gameplay! There will be tons of competition for Fortnite players in 2023. With a prize pool of $2m for every Major and $4m for the Global Championship, there will be a total of $10m available to all competitors.

Conclusion

These games have been dominating the eSports market for quite some time now, and they will surely continue to do so in the future. These highest-paid eSports can be quite a lucrative hobby (or a profession, for that matter) no matter if we are talking about participating in competitions as a gamer or maybe even placing a wager on eSports matches.