Dota 2 has some of the largest prize pools in Esports, and the highest career earnings in Dota 2 will have you firing up the PC.
Every person who has the slightest interest in esports knows about the absurd prize pool in Dota 2 tournaments. The International prize pool peaked in 2021 with a $40 million prize pool, where most of it went to grand final winners: Team Spirit. The tournaments building up to the grand event also offer sizeable payouts, such as the $15 million prize spread among the competitors of the 2023 Riyahd Masters.
While the best professionals in the industry occasionally experience major winning streaks, the competition between teams is extremely close, especially with so much at stake. This article takes a quick loot at the most successful players in Dota 2 esports, and some of their biggest payouts.
Matumbaman — $4.9 Million
Finnish carry superstar Lasse “Matumbaman” Urpalainen had a long and successful professional Dota 2 career. Matumbaman’s rise to prominence began with his affiliation with the Finnish team 4 Anchors + Sea Captain. This early foray into the professional scene served as a stepping stone for his burgeoning talent. However, it was his joining the newly revamped Team Liquid in 2015, consisting of 5Jungz players, that set the stage for the remarkable chapter of his career. As the squad’s carry player, Matumbaman played an instrumental role in shaping Team Liquid’s identity during a time when the team was building its reputation as one of the strongest in the scene.
The crowning achievement of Matumbaman’s journey came in 2017, when Team Liquid cleanly swept the grand finals in the International, taking home nearly $11 million for the team. Matumbaman’s last professional appearance was placing third at TI11 after losing against Team Secret. Matumbaman’s humble personality and consistently strong performance earned him a place among the Dota 2 professionals with the highest career earnings.
Miracle — 4.9 Million
Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi’s journey through Dota 2 esports is a tale of unmatched skill and monumental achievements. Rising from the ranks of pub players to becoming an international sensation, Miracle- has left an enduring mark on the competitive scene. He’s the most recognizable name in the scene, and even until now, rising midlaners are constantly compared to his peak performance and flashy plays.
Joining Team OG in 2015 and later Team Liquid, his reputation as a midlaner and carry with unparalleled mechanical prowess and hyper aggressive playstyle proved effective and entertaining. Miracle clinched out tournaments with huge prize pools, like the Frankfurt Major and Manila Major. His biggest payout was winning The International 2017 with Team Liquid for $11 million. Additionally, placing second in The International 2019 against OG still bagged the team nearly $4.5 million. Yet, beyond the accolades, Miracle-‘s humility and sportsmanship have made him a beloved figure in the esports community.
Team Spirit — $5 – $5.2 Million
Team Spirit, hailing from the CIS region, has become a shining example of a great underdog story in Dota 2 esports. In 2020, Team Spirit signed the up-and-coming roster of Yellow Submarine, later on adding Mira and Empire veteran Miposhka. Team Spirit had a rough road to barely qualify for TI10, and once there, they almost dropped out of the group stages. After falling to the loser’s bracket on their first match in the main event, Team Spirit kept their cool to claw their way back to the grand finals and win against the tournament’s favorites, PSG.LGD, winning $11 million. Since their TI showcase, Team Spirit has remained solid competitor in future tournaments, even winning the 2023 Riyahd Masters for $5 Million.
KuroKy — $5.3 Million
Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi’s impact on Dota 2 esports is a story of leadership and adaptability. Rising from Berlin, Germany, KuroKy started competing when Dota was a Warcraft mod, notably playing for mouseports. KuroKy went on to form Team Secret with Puppey in 2015, a former teammate from mousesports. KuroKy’s biggest claim to fame was leading Team Liquid to a clean grand final during The International 2017 as their captain. Currently, KuroKy isn’t playing professionally, instead taking a backseat to coach his own Dota 2 team, Nigma Galaxy.
2017-2018 OG — $5.7 to $7.1 million
The dominant OG team consisting of N0tail, JerAx, ana, Ceb, and Topson are the top five players with the highest career earnings in Dota 2 esports. They’re the only team to win two TIs back-to-back (TI8 and TI9), cementing their legendary status. As a team, OG’s unmatched understanding of the game lets them create unpredictable drafts. This flexibility is most evident in Topson’s unconventional mid-lane picks, like Monkey King and Gyrocopter with Diffusal Blade.
N0tail co-founded the organization with his longtime teammate, Fly. Even before the 2017 dream team, N0tail had a great record while building the organization, such as winning the Frankfurt Major, Manila Major, Boston Major, and Kiev Major. N0tail boasts the highest career earnings in the history of Dota 2 because of his consistency in winning or placing highly in numerous high-stakes tournaments.
