Top 10 Highest Prize Money Events in Sports History: The Biggest Paydays Across Sports

Sports By Aniket Kuila

[{"selector":"#anim-139261f8-46bd-479c-a351-d6fa774d59f4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22e0a958-3351-4507-9063-846c6cf3b022","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71645bc3-7b39-4108-84ab-250ea4704a2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 10. LIV Golf Individual Event Golf, $20M total pool, $4M winner (2022-Present). The highest-paying individual events on the LIV Golf circuit.

[{"selector":"#anim-da507a1f-0fbf-41b3-b2f7-e07a42c2d523 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05d0f707-b9e6-4a01-bba5-2ad621d1715c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-590f40c9-654f-4a8d-a645-13432efe9f0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 9. Saudi Cup (Main Race) Horse Racing, $20M total Purse, $10M winner (2020-Present). The richest in the horse racing world.

[{"selector":"#anim-51e65cad-a93c-4047-a17f-d05b8b24acb7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-608e7731-0107-44ec-967d-0b2a3d5a59bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c67fd8d8-9e27-4d0f-ab1b-e43ef35e9985","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 8. The Players Championship Golf, $25M total purse, $4.5M winner (2025). The most prestigious individual golfing competition.

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[{"selector":"#anim-6ec02b30-ecf8-4d88-8beb-7151ecfcb9e9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7efbffee-9ff2-4403-a502-fe48f405f41c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9a4650d-f278-476a-af3f-211e4a55cd1c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 6. The International Esports (Dota 2), $ 40 M+ total pool; $18.2M winner's share (2021). The biggest prize pool in the world for Esports in Dota 2.

[{"selector":"#anim-3f16daf0-7314-40c3-b5f2-1813f1ef97fd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f63b9dd-4829-4600-afe6-90823a33440e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-186821c0-a155-4045-b5b8-9664d143b7f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 5. Esports World Cup Esports, $ 60 M+, varies by game/club. Global multifaceted competition with Big Prize Pools for top Esports.

[{"selector":"#anim-685d1160-6a57-40c4-a17d-37af23f4d59e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3700317a-9a4f-4b12-9502-61b71839a29a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5824b6d8-a70c-401a-9c41-8fd77bd51193","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 4. UEFA European Championship Football, around $359M total pool, $30.66M winner's share maximum (2024). Another prestigious continental championship.

[{"selector":"#anim-2f953b09-b8da-4e53-b9f5-382d091fa508 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94378913-f287-47cd-8467-a2955ae77ed3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84f3c65a-c2b5-4e32-8c13-8553dea13443","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 3. FIFA World Cup Football, $440M total pool, $42M winner's share (2022). Major global football tournament with commendable financial remunerations.

[{"selector":"#anim-579351f8-ab8e-4a37-99b2-93ecc1b2a7b0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28dfe018-89da-4f70-9830-9b4bf28f3d7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9aef1f1e-ef8c-4c96-96e6-02f65521dee3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 2. FIFA Club World Cup Football, $1B total pool, a ~$125M winner's share (2025). With the expansion to 32 teams, it will pack an unprecedented prize purse.

[{"selector":"#anim-f9296426-1fc4-44af-9eaa-91599acacb54 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2a818c8-e4b2-4bfc-8305-f3a018e1669e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb2114f2-906e-40f8-965f-573a16548c5c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 1. UEFA Champions League Football, around $2,71B total pool, $ 100 M+ winner’s share (2024/25). Total seasonal distribution for the top European clubs.