Since its launch in 2009, League of Legends has grown to become one of the most popular computer games in the world. At the last count, it was estimated that there are more than 150 million players registered to the game across the globe, with around 117 million of them logging on each month and over 10 million actively playing on any given day.
However, League of Legends is not just a hugely entertaining pastime – it’s also a way to make serious money. According to its own published accounts, League of Legends makes between $1 billion and $2 billion each year. Meanwhile, its players and fans also have the opportunity to supplement their income through the game. Here are four ways in which you can do so, too.
Competing
Okay, so rising to the very top of the e-sports industry and winning the prize funds at major League of Legends competitions is the Holy Grail of gaming – and something they most people simply won’t achieve. It requires years of practice, training and dedication to pick up the skills necessary to excel in this manner – but the huge rewards show that it could all be worthwhile. For example, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok has pocketed over a million dollars from his League of Legends career, while several others have come close to that earning landmark amount.
Streaming
Even for those players who aren’t quite at the elite level, there’s still serious money to be made. Platforms like Twitch, which are specifically dedicated to streaming live videos of gameplay, are hugely popular among the gaming community. Streamers can earn a very respectable wage from videoing and commentating on their games, with many of them taking home tens of thousands of dollars per month. Of course, it helps if you have an engaging personality and real insight into the game’s workings to offer your audience, but the opportunity to earn through streaming is absolutely there.
Coaching
If a tennis player is serious about winning Grand Slams and dominating their competition, they must hire a coach who has been there and done that to offer them advice and identify weaknesses. The same is just as true for e-sports as it is for traditional sports, which is why many League of Legends players are able to make a decent living by coaching their younger or less experienced counterparts. Again, it will require a certain pedigree of gaming ability for you to qualify for this post, but imparting your wisdom to others can be as rewarding emotionally as it is financially.
Betting
Last but certainly not least, there is a method of making money from League of Legends which doesn’t actually require you to be able to play the game well at all. Instead, you could join the growing number of fans who place a wager via League of Legends betting, which not only gives you the opportunity to beat the odds, but also makes watching the competitions as they unfold that much more exciting.
Whether it be from competing, streaming, coaching or betting, there are a variety of ways in which you can earn money from the hugely popular e-sports game, League of Legends.