Dota 2 Still Leads eSports Prize Pool Over League of Legends

The eSports scene changes constantly in size and influence, but Dota 2 still holds the crown as the title that gave away the biggest amount of money (prize pool count), according to eSports Charts. Even with more than a decade without major new releases, Valve still controls the top two spots.

PC gaming, however, has started sharing part of it's audience with mobile games. The Top 5 games reflect this shift. PC remains strong in competitive play, but mobile titles keep growing steadily.

Dota 2 might lose this position as most profitable after a while. — Credit: esportimes

Dota 2 Still Holds the Crown

The top games section on eSports Charts lets users sort titles in many ways, and prize pool is one of the most popular filters. When you check the “all-time” list, Dota 2 leads with a little over one-third of a billion dollars in total prizes.

Its viewer peak happened years ago at The International 2021, when Team Spirit lifted the Aegis for the first time. Dota 2 has awarded almost double the prize money of Counter-Strike, which sits in second place.

The difference is sizeable but the biggest contributor to Dota 2 is gone now. — Credit: eSports Charts

Fortnite follows in third and is catching up fast, especially considering it’s much younger. In fourth place, League of Legends shows a massive 6.8 million peak in viewership and stays not too far behind Fortnite in prize totals.

Finally, PUBG Mobile closes the Top 5 as the only mobile game on the list, with strong viewership and a sizeable prize pool of $110 million.

The End of the Battle Pass

Even though Dota 2 is still on top, it could lose this position over time. The main reason is the end of The International’s Battle Pass. The Battle Pass offered a long list of cosmetic rewards that encouraged players — especially “whales”— to spend more.

This system also inflated TI’s prize pool every year, turning it into the largest tournament prize in esports for almost a decade. With battle passes being phased out in Dota 2, TI’s prize pool has dropped sharply.

Imagine being locked at home due to the pandemic and having this list of goodies to chase. — Credit: Dota 2

Meanwhile, Counter-Strike has found a stable rhythm, with six active events running right now while Dota 2 often has only one. Even though Dota still features million-dollar tournaments every few weeks, Counter-Strike can close the gap simply by hosting multiple $200,000 events in the same period. For now, all we can do is wait and see how the numbers evolve.

Tendencies in 2025

If we switch the filter to prize pools in 2025 alone, the trend becomes even clearer. Counter-Strike surpasses Dota 2 by about eight million dollars thanks to its high number of events throughout the year.

Dota 2 stays in second place due to its prize-heavy model. While many esports rely on player salaries, Dota usually pays lower wages but offers bigger prizes, which shapes how the money distribution looks.

Honor of Kings seems to be getting a massive investment in terms of prize pools. — Credit: eSports Charts

Third place is the biggest surprise: Honor of Kings has given out more than 19 million dollars in prizes this year. League of Legends appears in fourth. I’m no LoL expert, but Riot’s structure relies heavily on higher salaries, which explains why its prize pools are smaller.

Fortnite holds fifth place as a long-time fan favorite. It peaked during the Ninja era, but even today it remains strong thanks to smart collaborations and updates that keep the game fresh.

Closing Thoughts

Dota 2 remains the most profitable esport of all time in terms of prize pool, but the end of the Battle Pass could allow Counter-Strike to overtake it soon. Valve will likely keep its grip on the top either way.

League of Legends thrives with a salary-based model and doesn’t rely on huge prize pools, even if some controversial partnerships were revised. Fortnite remains relevant both historically and in 2025, while mobile esports are growing fast and continue to push their way into the top rankings.

For more on Counter-Strike, Dota 2, League of Legends, and other esports highlights, visit the news section on the Strafe website!

Featured Image Source: eSports Charts