Top Five Teams with the Highest Prize Winnings in CS2.
Important note before diving into the details: all prize winnings were calculated between the conclusion of IEM Chengdu 2024 and a series of tournaments that also ended on April 14, before the start of the Global Esports Tour - Rio (April 18). Prize winnings were calculated solely from publicly available sources.
A brief break from tournaments allows us to highlight some interesting statistical moments. For instance, which teams have earned the most prize money since the release of CS2.
Valve's updated game was released in late September 2023, and the first tournaments were played in October. Several million dollars in prize money have already been awarded, and the cash flow shows no signs of stopping. So, it's high time to take a look at the teams that have snagged the biggest share.
Here is a collection of prize money statistics for over forty teams that have participated in more or less significant tournaments from last October to the end of last week. Only prize winnings earned in tournaments were considered - not show matches. Also, prize money earned by players in FPL should have been taken into account, although it's peculiar that Esports Earnings includes them in their calculation for teams.
As a result, the following five teams emerged with the highest prize winnings since the release of CS2:
Virtus.Pro
Total earnings: $429,000
Largest win: $150,000 (Roobet Cup 2023).
The Bears kick off the top five. Their main earnings were accumulated within just three days - on November 2, they won the Roobet Cup and secured their largest win, and on November 5, they took second place at the Thunderpick World Championship, adding $100,000 to their coffers.
An additional $110,000 found its way into the team's pockets in December thanks to a 2nd place finish at BetBoom Dacha Dubai and a victory at ESL Challenger Atlanta.
In 2024, the team's prize winnings haven't been impressive so far - they've only earned $57,000. However, they can significantly boost their bankroll at the ESL Pro League Season 19 - the first championship where they'll compete against electroNic.
NAVI
Total earnings: $656,500
Largest win: $500,000 (PGL Major Copenhagen 2024)
NAVI occupies the fourth spot in terms of prize winnings. "Born to Win" made it into the top five solely because of their victory at the Major - which accounts for 76% of NAVI's total prize earnings from tournaments since the release of CS2.(photo NAVI)
The remaining prize money is spread across 5 tournaments in which NAVI participated, with the highest prize among them being $85,000, which the team received for reaching the semifinals of the BLAST Premier 2023 World Final.
Team Spirit
Total earnings: $680,000
Largest win: $400,000 (IEM Katowice 2024)
Team Spirit takes the third spot. The Dragons significantly boosted their overall earnings thanks to IEM Katowice, but it wouldn't be accurate to say they lack other significant results. The team earned $180,000 from winning BetBoom Dacha Dubai.
The team could have earned even more, but at the Major in Copenhagen, the young lineup stumbled a bit in the arena match. The result was only a 5-8th place finish, although after IEM Katowice, the "Dragons" were considered one of the main favorites of the Major.
Of the five teams on this list, Spirit is the only one not attending the ESL Pro League. Therefore, they could easily end up outside the top 3 (NAVI just needs to take 5-8th place at the tournament in Malta), but they will remain in the top 5 until the start of their next tournament - BetBoom Dacha Belgrade.
Team Vitality
Total earnings: $816,500
Largest win: $500,000 (BLAST Premier: World Final 2023)
In second place is Team Vitality. The team is close to reaching the $1 million mark in CS2, but most of their earnings come from last year. 86% of their prize winnings were earned in 2023, with the majority coming from BLAST tournaments. At the BLAST Premier Fall and World Finals, the "Bees" took home $700,000 in prize money.
The largest prize money the team has taken home this year is $80,000 for reaching the Major semi-finals. However, Vitality has a good chance of reaching the million mark second, as before the summer break, they will participate in three major championships from ESL and BLAST.
FaZe Clan
Total earnings: $1,407,500
Largest win: $250,000 (Thunderpick World Championship 2023, CS Asia Championships 2023, BLAST Premier: World Final 2023)
Unsurprisingly, FaZe Clan takes the top spot. In the ESL Pro League, karrigan and the team are almost certain to reach the $1.5 million mark in prize money, as they are the main favorites of the tournament.
Moreover, out of the 8 Tier-1 championships FaZe participated in, they reached the final in each one. Unfortunately, they only managed to win half of them, and between the third and fourth victories, they suffered four consecutive losses in the finals.
An interesting fact is that among the teams in the top five, FaZe is the only one whose largest win happened at a championship where they lost in the final. While they won the Thunderpick WC and CAC, they were defeated by Vitality in the main match of the BLAST Premier World Finals. Nonetheless, they still received $250,000.