How Rich is Faker Pro Esports Player

League of Legends prodigy, the best player in the world. The GOAT! Faker has many nicknames thanks to his great success in LoL.

Now, the question that's on everyone's lips - how rich is Faker? Let's find out!

Faker's Net Worth in 2024

His estimated net worth is between 6 and 8 million dollars! Now, this is no small feat for a man whose "work gear" is a gaming setup! 

Where does Faker's income come from?

Lee Sang-hyeok, which is Faker's real name, carves his financial empire from multiple income streams. As much as we'd love imagine he has a magical money tree, let's break down these streams and see where the cash really comes from.

Salary

The primary stream flowing into the sea of Faker's net worth is his generous salary from T1 (previously and also known as SK Telecom T1 or SKT T1). As a professional esports player, Faker pulls in a tidy sum every year. Exact figures are a well-kept secret, but rumors fly fast. Some whispers put his annual earnings well into the six-figures in USD — that's some serious esports cheddar! 

Prize Money

Faker's entry into the LoL esports scene started with a bang - his team, SK Telecom T1 K, garnered first place in League of Legends World Championship 2013, contributing a cool $200,000 towards his pockets. And that was just the beginning. 

Since then, Faker has been a part of several victorious campaigns, each showering him with prize money, glory, and fame. Did you know, in 2016 alone, he and his teammates took home $2 million from the World Championships?

And don't assume that such successes are few and far between. Faker’s team placed first in 2015 and 2016 championships too, adding to his wealth from esports. While it's not all victory laurels and champagne showers every year, the general trajectory has been a profitable one for Faker and his team is looking mighty strong in 2024.

One doesn't merely need to win to earn. Even in tournaments where his team didn't come first, he still pocketed significant prizes due to his high placements. Take the 2017 League of Legends World Championship, for instance. Despite his team ending in the second place, they still won a mouth-watering $667,841.

All told, it's estimated that over his career, Faker has accumulated around $1.5 million in prize money alone. And these figures keep ticking upwards, ensuring this is a lucrative aspect of Faker’s income to keep an eye on.

Brand Deals

The advertising deals he has signed with global brands certainly cushion his net worth. It's all because companies know that when Faker says "jump", his fans will literally ask "how high?". When Faker recommends a product, you bet his millions of avid followers are convinced to fork over their cash for it. Whether it's gaming equipment, apparel, or even noodles, if Faker's face is plastered on it, those items are going to fly off the shelves! 

Strong product endorsements come with equally strong paychecks, and Faker has been known to sign some eye-watering deals. In particular, he has an ongoing partnership with South Korean brand Uniqlo, for their line of gaming gear, another with the smartphone manufacturer Samsung, promoting their latest devices, and most let's not forget, Faker has sealed some lucrative deals with brands like BMW, Nike, Red Bull and Razer.

If you've been following his Twitter feed, you might have stumbled upon some posts hinting at these brand collaborations. Now, pairing up with a global automobile giant as well as a leading sneakers brand - that only adds significant numbers to his already impressive income. The earnings from these deals are of course top secret, but one could only assume they're quite substantial.

Streaming

With thousand of viewers, even after considering Twitch's cut, the subscription revenue is a significant contributor when also counting the donations and money from ads. Let's break it down:

1. Donations: Faker's keen sense of strategy and unparalleled mechanical skill has led to a great show of appreciation from fans in the form of donations. It's hard to put a number on the exact amount Faker earns through donations since they can fluctuate greatly depending on how much he streams. However, considering his huge fan base and the usual donation trends in the esports community, high numbers are to be expected.
2. Subscriptions: Another primary source of his income comes from Twitch subscriptions. Twitch subscriptions come in different tiers ranging from $4.99 to $24.99 per month. Taking into account that Faker boasts close to four million followers on Twitch, if even a fraction of these followers subscribed, we'd be looking at a significant amount.
3. Twitch and YouTube ads: Lastly, we have ad revenue. This is where things start to get really interesting. With every epic moment caught on Faker's stream, there's likely an ad waiting to play, delivering more revenue into Faker's pocket. It's a lucrative business, and Faker, with his immense popularity, is smart enough to take full advantage of it.

Faker's Investments

Well, it isn't just about medals, championships, and the sweet taste of victory. No, no. Faker also picked up a few other things along the way.

Faker Tower

One of his iconic investments is none other than the renowned Faker Tower in South Korea. Now tell me, who wouldn't dream of owning a skyscraper named after themselves? We highly recommend looking it up on Google Maps to read the reviews from its "visitors". We had a good laugh ourselves.

Part owner of SK T1

Yes, it's true: Faker is now part owner of SK T1.

So not only does he get to reap the benefits from his gaming talents but he also gets to pocket a share from SK T1's total earnings as dividends. Another feather in his already overflowing hat indeed. Rumors have it that his share of the company is a little over 5%.

So the next time you're admiring his incredible gaming skills, give a thought to his business acumen, too. After all, charts and graphs can be just as exciting as health bars! At least when they're growing.

Talk about leveling up in real life!