Calculate how a prize pool is distributed across placements. Choose a standard, top-heavy, flat, or custom split for any tournament size. Includes real-world examples from Dota 2, CS2, and more.
Try a famous prize pool:
The International 2021 (Dota 2)
Largest prize pool in esports history — community-funded via Battle Pass
$40,018,195
Winner: $18,208,513
The International 2019 (Dota 2)
Second largest ever — OG became first team to win back-to-back TIs
$34,330,069
Winner: $15,620,000
Fortnite World Cup 2019
16-year-old Bugha won the solo final, $3M for one player
$30,000,000
Winner: $3,000,000
League of Legends Worlds 2023
Riot-funded pool — T1 won their 4th world title
$2,225,000
Winner: $556,250
CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024
Natus Vincere won the first CS2 Major
$1,250,000
Winner: $500,000
Valorant Champions 2023
Evidence won Champions, cementing South Korea's dominance
$1,000,000
Winner: $400,000
PUBG Global Championship 2023
Annual crown jewel of the PUBG Global Series
$2,000,000
Winner: $500,000
Apex Legends Global Series 2023
Largest Apex prize pool — NRG Esports won the championship
$5,000,000
Winner: $1,000,000
Click any row to load that prize pool into the calculator above.
Most esports tournaments use a top-heavy distribution, with the winner taking 30–50% of the total pool and lower placements receiving dramatically less. This incentivises top-4 performance over safe play. Some leagues use flatter distributions to encourage more teams to compete year-round without winner-takes-all pressure.
Valve pioneered the community-funded model with Dota 2's The International. A portion of Battle Pass purchases goes directly into the prize pool, which has resulted in pools exceeding $40 million — far beyond what a single publisher or sponsor would fund. Other games have experimented with similar crowdfunding mechanics.
Prize pools are not the only way esports athletes earn money. Salary from team contracts, merchandise, streaming revenue, and sponsorship deals often exceed tournament winnings for mid-tier players. A player winning $100,000 at a tournament may be earning $150,000+ annually in base salary from their organisation.
Major international tournaments are preceded by regional qualifiers with their own prize pools. Teams competing in regionals may win enough to cover travel and accommodation costs to attend the LAN final, even if they exit early. The total prize available across a season is often 3–5x the LAN final pool alone.
Use this to make a prize distribution transparent before publishing tournament rules. It calculates the money for each paid placement and checks custom percentages, but organisers still need to confirm taxes, fees, and local rules.
Example
A £10,000 pool with a 50% first-place share awards £5,000 to first place; the remaining £5,000 is divided among the other selected placements.
State whether the prize pool is gross or net of platform fees. This prevents a correct mathematical split from becoming an unclear payment promise.
The International 2021 (Dota 2) holds the record at over $40 million USD, funded largely by player purchases of the seasonal Battle Pass. Valve takes roughly 25% of Battle Pass revenue, with the rest going to the prize pool. The model has been controversial but has produced the largest pools in esports history.
Team organisations and players negotiate splits in their contracts. A common arrangement is 50–70% to the players (split evenly or by role seniority) and 30–50% retained by the organisation. Some star players negotiate higher individual cuts. Tax obligations also vary significantly by country.
Yes — esports prize money is taxable income in most countries. In the US, tournament winnings are subject to federal and state income tax. UK players pay Income Tax and potentially National Insurance. Some countries (e.g. UAE) have no income tax, which is why some players relocate. Prize money paid at international events may also be subject to withholding tax in the host country.
Regional and minor tournaments typically range from £1,000 to £50,000 in total prize. Mid-tier national events sit around £5,000–£25,000. Major international championships start at £500,000 and go up to $40M+ for the biggest events. The median prize pool across all recorded esports events is under $10,000.