The below list shows the world’s highest earning CS:GO players of 2021. However, note that the list includes only earnings from professional eSports tournaments.
CS:GO has the highest number of eSports events. Since the game’s launch, more than 69 million dollars has been awarded to skilled players across 3,858 tournaments. Additionally, the previous versions of the game (Counter-Strike: Source and Counter-Strike: 1.6) awarded gamers more than 15 million dollars across 1,200 tournaments between 2000 and 2013.
Each year, the best professional players worldwide participate in the CS:GO Major Championships, which are Valve-sponsored events with a prize pool worth USD 1,000,000. On the other hand, the Minor Championships have a $50,000 monetary prize and serve as qualifiers for the Majors. The four regions where the Minors are popular include the Americas, Europe, Asia, and CIS.
The Majors prize pool is not comparable to The International (a Valve-sponsored Dota 2 event). However, the Majors are an excellent way for CS:GO teams and players to make an additional income by selling tournament stickers (sold in-game during Majors).
Highest Earning CS:GO Players: How Does The Game Work?
Because of the significant number of organizations involved, CS:GO offers the most opportunities for aspiring professional players. There are hundreds of tournaments throughout the year with prize money that ranges from a few thousand to millions of dollars. These tournaments feature sponsorships from influential eSports organizations and betting companies.
Many online competitions and professional leagues offer weekly prizes for players of different professional tiers and LAN events. Newcomers and veterans both have the opportunity to improve their game and earn a steady income.
However, we’ve only included revenues from eSports tournaments in this article. We don’t have any information on the player income via team wages, direct sponsorships, or stickers.
Keep in mind that CS:GO is a historical eSport with a loyal fanbase. Tier 1 players receive star treatment from their teams and can quickly get sponsorship deals. On the other hand, eSport’s popularity has also developed a secondary betting market. eSports wagers, as well as traditional sports betting opportunities, are available in countless online sportsbooks. For example, Unkirn eSports betting is one of the most reputable names in the game.
The Turbulent Potential of CS:GO
Almost every Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fan knows that Denmark’s Astralis roster takes the top spots when it comes to the highest earning CS:GO players. Five Danish players have been dominating the competitive circuit for many years, and they are reportedly earning a substantial annual salary.
They have won the last three CS:GO Majors – FACEIT Major: London 2018, StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, and IEM Katowice Major 2019. These tournaments brought them USD 1,500,000, not including the $1 million guaranteed prize for winning the Intel Grand Slam 2018.
Numerous CS:GO players have crossed the $1 million threshold in the past few years. According to tournament winnings, 11 CS:GO players have become millionaires. Revealing this information publicly is not yet an industry standard in eSports and does not include player salaries or the amount they make through sponsorships. It also doesn’t include information about other sources of income, except tournament winnings, which are transparent by default.
CS: GO has had a long history of legends coming and going over its eight-year turbulent history. However, some of these players will remain remembered for their extraordinary success in one of the most popular eSports worldwide.
Additionally, many legends of Counter-Strike left the scene in the past year. Pashabiceps has retired, but other legends like s0m, nitr0, and GeT_RiGht transitioned to Valorant.
Consequently, although success in CS:GO may seem fleeting, the players below have established their position in the sport as some of the highest earning CS:GO players of 2021 and all-time.
The Highest Earning Players of CS:GO
As of January 2021, the top five highest-earning CS GO players were:
5. Emil “Magisk” Reif
Emil “Magisk” Reif, Astralis’ rifleman, is the 5th highest-earning player in CS:GO history. Magisk arrived at Astralis after Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjaerbye left for North in February 2018. Magisk quickly won 3 major titles and 1 major MVP, and his career totals $1,449 781.
4. Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander
Lukas Rossander, Astralis’ in-game leader, is well-known for pioneering the modern style of CS:GO with Zonic. His team has won numerous LAN and online victories, including 4 Major titles. He was even ranked #8 on HLTV’s 2018 Top 20 Players, earning $1,690,000.
3. Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz
Nicolai Reedtz, who describes himself as a “Digital precision shooter with the big zoom machine” on Twitter, is undoubtedly one of the best snipers of all time in the game. Dev1ce is proficient with both rifles and the AWP. He has won 4 Major victories for his team, including the title of Major MVP. His prize winnings total $1,821,945.
2. Andreas “Xyp9x” Hojsleth
As expected, Andreas “Xyp9x”, one of Astralis’ longest-standing members, is ranked 2nd on the list for highest-earning CS:GO players. Hojsleth’s $1,834,291 make him one of the highest earning CS:GO players in 2021, including winning four majors and 24 titles on LAN during his 1,794-day tenure as a team member.
1. Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen
Peter Rasmussen, the king of consistency, is featured in 6 of 8 HLTV’s top-20 players of the year. He also holds the #1 spot on the all-time list of highest-earning CS:GO gamers. Dupreeh is a legend in the sport with 24 titles, four majors, and 6 HLTV Top 20 rankings. He also boasts $1,856,322 in CS:GO earnings during his career.
Interesting CS:GO Facts
Here are some interesting facts about iconic CS:GO players. For example, Astralis’ trio of Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, and Andreas” Xyp9x” Hojsleth were the first three CS:GO players to break the $1,000,000 threshold in prize money by competing in tournaments.
Jacky “Stewie2K” Yip, Team Liquid’s entry fragger, was the first CS:GO player in North America to win a million dollars through prize money in December 2019.
Keith “NAF” another Team Liquid player, was the latest player to reach this milestone. He was the 11th CS:GO player to surpass the $1,000,000 barrier.
Astralis players are Europe’s only players in the top 12 highest-earning CS:GO gamers category. The next player from this region is Finn “karrigan” Andersen, FaZe Clan’s captain.
Nicholas Cannella, a retired CSGO player, and ex-Team Liquid member, is still ranked 14th in CS:GO earnings, even though he switched to Valorant in August 2020. When it comes to the highest earning CS:GO players of 2021, one thing is sure: the list will continue to change in the future.