The world of e-sports is already intrinsic to the daily lives of younger generations, who follow electronic gaming competitions as fiercely as previous generations followed traditional sports. Proof of this can be seen in the packed arenas and huge audiences reached by live broadcasts. For example, the 2024 League of Legends World Championship reached a peak of 6.9 million simultaneous viewers.

Therefore, it is common for many people to want to take advantage of a slice of this gigantic market, either by entering competitions that offer cash prizes or even by betting on platforms such as the official 1xBet website. No wonder: the numbers are stratospheric, with the record prize pool for a single tournament reaching $40 million (The International Dota 2 in 2021). From January to July 2025, the combined prize pools for all major tournaments have already exceeded $120 million.

In this article, we will present some tips for those who want to enter the competitive gaming scene. They range from learning aspects, to choosing the right games and the equipment used by players.

Select a game on the rise

Older games, such as Counter-Strike, whose first version was released in 2000, tend to have a higher barrier to entry due to the extremely established scenario. Therefore, it is worth investing in a new e-sport, always keeping an eye on game releases. Through specialized platforms, you can see which newly released games are starting to have competitive championships. This way, you can get an accurate idea of which games will soon be moving huge amounts of money.

Since shooting games are the most popular in e-sports, it is worth keeping an eye on the genre. An example of a game that was recently released and already has a competitive scene is Fragpunk. The initial version of the game was published in mid-2024, but the official version was only released in March 2025. In other words, in just a few months, the championships have already begun to gain popularity. A month after its release, the game had already announced a $200,000 investment in championships.

Another tip is to pay attention to free games. As they are more accessible, they tend to become popular more quickly, attracting more players and encouraging the creation of tournaments. In addition, you will also save a little money by not having to buy the game.

However, you need to use your judgment. If you realize that you have extraordinary talent in an established game and start to stand out locally in it, the ideal is to invest in this game instead of looking for new trends. It is worth entering small competitions to test your level, and that is what we will talk about now.

Look for local championships

Even if you realize that your level is above average in your chosen video game, you should always start at the bottom. This is because major championships have teams that, like sports teams, keep an eye on statistics and sign up up-and-coming players. To make a name for yourself, you should look for small tournaments in your area. In addition to testing your level, this also helps prepare your mind for bigger championships and, potentially, get your first sponsorships.

In some regions, there are already specialized platforms for promoting e-sports championships. In others, however, you still need to actively search for them. So, do constant research, join player groups on social media, look for news, and create a network of players. This way, you can even organize tournaments on your own.

Keep your equipment up to date

From the moment an amateur player turns professional, up-to-date equipment becomes crucial. Technical performance in games directly affects performance as a player. Therefore, always try to have state-of-the-art computers and smartphones, depending on your game platform.

However, this is only extremely necessary after you have become fully professional. If you are just starting, it is better to train with what you have available than to abandon the activity due to a lack of more suitable equipment.

Remember that equipment is not just about your electronic devices. It is essential to set up your gaming area according to proper ergonomic measures to avoid health problems. This involves choosing the right desk, chair, and peripheral equipment.

Study constantly and never stop training

It is a mistake to think that professional e-sports players spend all day training in front of a computer or phone. Their routine is more like that of an athlete than that of an electronic device user. This involves several special activities, such as:

• Daily physical activities to keep the body and mind in shape and avoid health problems related to spending too much time on computers and cell phones

• Professional psychological counseling

• Balanced nutrition

• Discussions of strategies for the team's games

In other words, it's not all about playing. So, involve as many activities as possible in your training. In addition to practicing the game, take time to watch competitions, understand game trends, and analyze the style of professional players.

E-sports with the biggest prizes

To further inspire you to enter the competitive gaming scene, we have prepared a table with the 15 games that generated the most prize money between January and August in 2025. The data is from the specialized platform E-Sports Charts. This will give you an idea of which games are currently in vogue:

Game	Amount generated
Counter-Strike	$17.2 million
Dota 2	$14.1 million
League of Legends	$7.3 million
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege	$6.5 million
Honor of Kings	$6.3 million
PUBG Mobile	$5.7 million
Call of Duty	$5.5 million
Fortnite	$5.5 million
Apex Legends	$5.4 million
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang	$5.1 million
Valorant	$4.2 million
Rocket League	$3.1 million
EA FC	$2.5 million
Free Fire	$2.4 million
PUBG: Battlegrounds	$2.4 million

 

Among the top 15 games, you can see the presence of several different genres. There are sports games, shooting games, individual games, co-op games, computer games, mobile games, strategy games, and reflex games. In other words, there are several options for you to choose the one that best fits your style.