Earn money playfully: how to become an esportsman

As a child, you were probably told (more than once) that computer games are a waste of time. Could anyone then imagine that over time video games would become an official sport and would bring money not only to those who create them, but also to those who play them? Today, thousands of people make a living and build a career playing computer games.

 

The share of bets on eSports is steadily growing from year to year for all bookmakers. This type of entertainment has become incredibly popular all over the world, and the prize pools of some cyber tournaments exceed many sports tournaments. If you are looking for a reliable bookmaker in this field, which also offers great promos for new players, then follow the review of BetAndYou. Betandyou provides various essential services.  

 

Cybersport – what is it?

 

Esports are video game competitions followed by fans. The esports audience is steadily growing and, according to Newzoo, will reach 577 million people in 2024. PC games such as Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) are the most popular among Ukrainian fans, although many also play on consoles and mobile devices.

 

Who is a professional esportsman

 

Professional esports players are usually referred to as players who make money from video game tournaments. Everyone can just start competing – all you need to do is download the game client and launch the appropriate mode. And to become an esportsman, you need to participate in official tournaments that are broadcast to a wide audience.

 

Players can get the status of professionals by joining a well-known eSports team (organization). A contract with such an organization gives the athlete:

 

• regular monetary compensation (salary);
• providing conditions for training at home and away (in eSports, away training with a team is called bootcamp);
• accompaniment and support during away competitions;
• services of psychologists, trainers and other specialists.

 

In turn, the cybersportsman undertakes to wear the team uniform and participate in its media activities.

 

Age in esports is not as big of a factor as it is in most other sports. For example, some participants in the current Dota 2 competition – The International 10 with a prize pool of $40 million – are over 30 years old. Probably soon there will be esportsmen whose professional careers will last most of their adult lives. After the end of a career in eSports, a player can stay in gaming, for example, become a streamer or a professional analyst.

 

How is an eSportsman different from a regular player?

 

Unlike ordinary players, professional esportsmen are constantly improving their skills on an individual level, improving interaction with a team, working with a coach, and so on. High-level esports athletes regularly train for at least 40 hours a week. Before important competitions, the intensity of training can increase and reach 60 hours a week or more.

 

In addition, a professional cybersportsman regularly exercises and monitors nutrition. This is necessary to be able to perform several days in a row for many hours and at the same time remain in optimal shape.

 

How to become an esportsman: step-by-step recommendations

 

Becoming an esportsman is not easy – it takes a lot of discipline, a desire to win, and a love of the game. The path to esports is different depending on the game: for example, in a team discipline it is important to find who to fight together, while in individual games it is enough to have good partners for training.

 

Choice of discipline

 

The most popular disciplines among viewers, according to statistics from the Twitch video streaming service:

 

• League of Legends
• VALORANT
• Apex Legends
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• FIFA 22
• Fortnite
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Dota 2
• Hearthstone
• World of Warcraft

 

Training sessions

 

For those who want to achieve high results in eSports, it is not enough just to play. Successful players usually set certain intermediate goals for themselves, improving one aspect of the game after another. For example, you can set yourself the goal of developing the habit of looking over the minimap every N seconds. In a few gaming sessions, when you already have this habit, you can move on to another task.

 

The process of training e-sportsmen usually also includes watching records of past matches and working on mistakes.

 

Goals and perseverance

 

Innate ability plays an important role in esports, but hard work and a willingness to go all the way are more important. Professionals are often asked: «What is the secret of your skill with this character (this strategy, this combination)?». And usually they answer: «It’s simple – I practiced this for 1000 hours.»

 

How much do esportsmen earn

 

The main, but not the only sources of income for professional players are salary and prize money won. For example, this year the WePlay AniMajor esports tournament had a prize pool of $500,000, of which $200,000 went to the team that won first place. Even if this prize is divided among all team members, the amount is quite impressive. And if you remember that they earned this reward in just a few days, then this generally seems unrealistic. True, the teams have been preparing for these few days for more than one year.

 

Conclusion

 

There is no formal sustainable path to professional esports yet. Therefore, when deciding whether to go into eSports, you should ask yourself: «Would I do it if it didn’t promise fame and big profits?». Because an esportsman is not only a profession, but also a way of life.