The size of the prize pool is a crucial indicator of a tournament’s prestige in esports. Outsiders in the industry often focus on the staggering amounts of money at stake, which also attract non-endemic brands that later become sponsors for professional esports players and teams.
The year 2024 features some of the largest events and event series, distinguished by their substantial prize pools across various disciplines. Certain details of these events are yet undisclosed, and the article will be updated as new information is revealed.
Top-tier esports teams and players now earn more than some professional athletes. You can verify this by exploring the Earnings page of key esports prize money statistics. Using filters, you can easily identify the largest tournaments in the entire industry and individual disciplines, as well as the teams and players earning the most at these events. Additionally, you can categorize tournaments by prize pool size to generate desired lists. Furthermore, you can find overall ratings of teams and players based on earned prize money and discover upcoming events with notable prize pools.
Esports Events of 2024 with the Biggest Prize Pools:
Million-dollar tournaments were rare just a decade ago, primarily limited to key championships concluding gaming seasons. However, today, almost every discipline boasts multiple million-dollar tournaments. For example, in 2024 alone, Counter-Strike has five such tournaments planned, and Dota 2 has four announced events, with expectations of more to be revealed by the end of the year, particularly for The International 2024 and Riyadh Masters 2024.
Plans also exist for even larger tournaments with prize pools surpassing $3 million. The PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2024, PUBG Mid Season Tournament 2024, and MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024 all offer stakes of $3 million, making the latter the largest prize pool in the history of the discipline.
The February tournament Six Invitational 2024 and the Honor of Kings Mid-Season Invitational 2024, part of the Esports World Cup in August, also boast $3 million prize pools, establishing a new standard in esports.
Intel Grand Slam — $4,250,000 (+ $1,000,000 for winners):
The Intel Grand Slam is not a standalone event but a series of tournaments for Counter-Strike 2. The fifth season, concluding in October 2024, features a total prize pool of $4.25 million. Six additional tournaments are scheduled, with IEM Katowice 2024 and IEM Cologne 2024 being the largest. In addition to regular prizes, a separate reward is offered for a series of victories, with only four teams – Astralis, Team Liquid, Natus Vincere, and FaZe Clan – achieving this feat so far. The current season has six teams competing for the top prize.
The International 2024 — ?
Dota 2 has historically stood out in the esports landscape, particularly with The International series offering the largest prize pools. While The International 2021 set a record of $40 million, there was a decline in 2023 with a $3.3 million prize pool. Expectations are high for The International 2024, with fans anticipating a stabilization, although it may not reach the heights of previous years.
Fortnite Champion Series 2024 — $7,675,000:
The organizers of the Fortnite Champion Series have declared a total prize pool of over $7.6 million for events in 2024. This includes three major stages in different regions and the grand final tournament, FNCS 2024 Global Championship, with a $2 million prize pool. Surpassing the total prize money of series like Intel Extreme Masters, BLAST Premier, ESL Pro Tour, and DreamLeague, the FNCS series remains accessible to ordinary gamers, with open qualifiers determining participants. The FNCS 2024 Global Championship is scheduled for September 7-8.
Honor of Kings Invitational Championship 2024 — $10,000,000:
The Honor of Kings Invitational Championship has been the leading tournament in mobile esports, with a prize pool that has grown from $4.5 million in 2019 to $10 million in 2023. With the global release of Honor of Kings in 2024, the tournament is set to maintain its status. The championship is scheduled for October, with details about the prize pool yet to be announced.
Esports World Cup — $45,000,000:
In 2023, Riyadh hosted the Gamers8 The Land of Heroes esports festival, featuring tournaments with a total prize pool of $45 million. The Dota 2 tournament alone offered $15 million, making it the largest tournament of 2023. In 2024, Saudi Arabia plans to reformat the Gamers8 series into the global championship Esports World Cup. Although details are limited, organizers have promised the largest prize pool in esports history. Expectations are that top international clubs will compete across various esports disciplines, and if the announced prize pool exceeds $45 million, the Esports World Cup will be a highlight event of 2024.