Gone are the days when society measured someone’s level of success by traditional norms about well-respected jobs. Today, with the gig economy on the rise, niche specializations have become highly significant in attracting many people as viable career paths. In this article, we dive into how professional online gaming has become a major phenomenon and how digital technologies are supporting its growth.
Real Money Poker – High Stakes as a Career Path
Although poker is one of the most entertaining games out there, it’s also a very serious one when it comes to how people—or gamers—approach it. Of course, those who play just to train their strategic abilities or have fun with friends remain casual gamers, but there is a whole other world where people pursue a career in poker. They are quite different from those who play just for fun.
Let’s put it this way: After the emergence of digital gaming, lots of people play online poker real money games—and yes, the involvement of money and the excitement of winning makes everything more thrilling. With this being said, professional players, despite competing for a prize money themselves, have other and maybe bigger motivations, and one of them is becoming the best in their career.
So, professional poker players treat the game like a serious job. They study strategies, learn how to read opponents, and play thousands of hands to improve. Many take part in online tournaments and live-streamed games, which often draw big audiences — especially during major championship events.
Top players can achieve celebrity status in the poker community and command significant earnings from tournament prizes. However, it’s a highly competitive field – only a small percentage of players are consistently profitable, and success requires discipline and exceptional skill.
Top 10 Highest-Earning Poker Players (Live Tournament Winnings)
#1 Bryn Kenney (USA)
#2 Justin Bonomo (USA)
#3 Stephen Chidwick (UK)
#4 Mikita Badziakouski (Belarus)
#5 Jason Koon (USA)
#6 Dan Smith (USA)
#7 Daniel Negreanu (Canada)
#8 Adrian Mateos (Spain)
#9 Isaac Haxton (USA)
#10 Fedor Holz (Germany)
In fact, Bryn Kenney alone has won about $75 million in career tournaments, with others not far behind. Notably, many of these stars honed their skills online before dominating live events. Still, for every famous poker champion, thousands of aspiring pros struggle to break even. The poker “gig” is unpredictable; incomes fluctuate with wins and losses. Thus, while poker exemplifies a gaming career in the gig economy, it also highlights the high risk and talent needed to succeed.
Esports – From Gaming Hobby to Global Stage
What started in arcades and basements has exploded into stadiums and streaming platforms. Esports – organized competitive video gaming – is now a billion-dollar global industry built on the backs of its athletes (professional gamers). Game publishers and sponsors fund leagues where top players or teams battle in games like League of Legends, Dota 2, or Fortnite for massive prize pools.
A packed crowd watches intently as gamers compete on stage at the Iskandar Investment Esports Carnival. Bright screens illuminate the venue, capturing the energy and scale of today’s esports tournaments. Image: Here
The scale of esports today is astonishing: worldwide esports audiences have been estimated in the hundreds of millions, and the IOC President cited an estimated 3 billion gaming participants globally, most under age 34. In fact, championship finals for popular games regularly draw viewership that rivals traditional sports – for example, the League of Legends world finals attracted over 43 million viewers globally in one recent year.
Professional video gamers typically earn money through a mix of tournament winnings, team salaries, and sponsorships. The most prestigious events offer life-changing prizes – a single international championship in 2021 boasted a $40 million prize pool, the largest in esports history.
There are also gig economy downsides – many players are contractors rather than employees, lacking job security. In California, laws like AB5 even spurred debate on whether esports gamers should be reclassified as employees for better protections. Still, for those at the top, esports offers both fame and fortune, and for the industry’s countless support staff and semi-pros, it has created an ecosystem of new gig jobs (coaches, streamers, event staff, etc.) centered around gaming.
Streaming and Social Platforms Fueling Gamer Careers
Another reason professional gaming has thrived is the rise of streaming and social media platforms. For instance, Telegram lets users play mini-games right in the chat using bots. This blend of social tools and gaming has made playing games a regular part of everyday life. It also helps up-and-coming gamers build a fan base by sharing highlights, talking with followers, or even running their own online tournaments.On the other hand, we see colleges offering esports scholarships, and high-profile streamers being treated like media personalities. However, it’s worth noting that making a steady living in this arena is not simple. Streamers face uncertain incomes (tied to viewer whims and platform policies), and they must continually produce content to stay relevant – a grind very much akin to gig work. Likewise, social media buzz can be fleeting, so professional gamers often diversify their efforts (competing, streaming, coaching, etc.) to sustain their careers.
