Passionate enthusiasts can earn real money from Dota 2 using different methods, but there are also downsides. Here’s what to know.
Earn Real Money From Dota 2: The Top Ways To Cash-In
When looking to earn real money from Dota 2, iGaming enthusiasts have different options. Some prefer to participate in tournaments and build full-fledged careers in the eSports industry. However, being a professional athlete requires countless sacrifices and enduring pressure. While talent is crucial for reaching the top level in any career, this level is impossible to achieve without hard work. Practice makes perfect, and there are also numerous other challenges for aspiring career gamers.
One of these obstacles is spending most of one’s time traveling to tournaments and competitions in different parts of the world. Being on the road nearly all the time, transitioning into different time zones, and battling jet lag while maintaining a high playing level are unique problems in all professional sports industries. Consequently, countless passionate Dota 2 players search for other ways to earn real money from the game. Some of their methods are more successful, others not as much, but each has positive and negative aspects. Join us as we look into some of them in more detail.
How To Earn Real Money From Dota 2: Most Popular Methods
Since this legendary video game has developed a cult following worldwide, it’s not surprising that it’s grown into a separate eSports category. Just as you’ll find street basketball games worldwide despite the NBA, video gamers have developed different ways to cash in on their skill despite not pursuing professional eSports careers. Here are some of these ways:
- Live streaming gameplay
- Developing custom games
- Competing (winning) tournaments
- Betting on pro matches
- Selling cosmetic items
- Earning from the workshop
- Setting up tournaments.
Live Streaming Dota 2 Gameplay
Streaming is the go-to choice for countless game enthusiasts. You can use various live streaming platforms to earn real money from Dota 2, and Twitch TV is among the most popular. Your viewers/fans can donate money if they like your stream.
You may have noticed that most female streamers don’t struggle with getting donations. In other words, you are wearing a bikini while gaming leads to countless desperate viewers/gamers donating money to them. On the other hand, you must be highly entertaining with excellent skills to benefit from this option if you’re a male.
On the upside, you can earn a decent amount of money and have fun playing this game once you become good at personal money management. However, if you’re not very entertaining and your game is average, you typically won’t have much use in streaming your game live.
Developing Custom Games For Dota 2
Thanks to Valve, custom game developers have some opportunities to earn real money from Dota 2. The company has started a pass system, where players receive additional perks in the specific custom game once they purchase a pass.
This feature is similar to League of Legends, where you can purchase powerful heroes with money and dominate the game despite having less-than-average skills. However, the pass system is only available in some custom games.
On the plus side, you can develop a custom game if you have an idea and are familiar with Dota 2-related coding. Once Steam releases a pass for your game, you can earn a significant income. However, this money-making method is only available to those who can code.
Competing/Winning Tournaments
When looking for the most lucrative and effective method to earn real money from Dota 2, consider participating in Dota 2 Pro and Premium tournaments. These competitions sometimes see prizes in the six digits representing the most straightforward way to become a millionaire. If you win a significant match, there are countless smaller competitions where you’ll also be able to clean house.
However, the negative side of this method is that you must be remarkably skilled and have an extraordinary team beside you. You need to beat the legends if your game is at an amateur level, though there are some Amateur tournaments you can still participate in.
Betting On Professional Matches
There are countless Dota 2 betting sites, and placing wagers on different matches can get you plenty of items. Conversely, losing will also cost you your precious items. In other words, this method to earn real money from Dota 2 comes with risk. We recommend engaging in this activity only if you’re fanatically familiar with a Dota 2 Pro team’s performance history.
Another way to benefit from this method is to observe the welcome offers for new players and different betting markets. If you have an in-depth knowledge of eSports, you can try your hand at betting. We recommend NEO.bet as an excellent resource for eSports betting. It’s been around since 2018 and operates under an MGA license. NEO offers live-streaming events coverage, betting markets, and a 100% secure platform.
Selling Cosmetic Items
You’ll encounter thousands of gamers who don’t have PayPal or a credit card. But they’ll still want special cosmetic items and skins for their heroes. These individuals circumvent the lack of online payment options by asking to pay by local money transfer methods or meeting up. Therefore, you can sell your cosmetic items to them for real money.
One example is DMarket, an online marketplace specializing in earning real money from Dota 2. You need only put your items for sale and get the cash after a sale. Depending on your offer’s attractiveness, you won’t need to wait more than several minutes.
Earning From The Workshop
If you’re skilled in 3D software, you can do more than merely sell items you’ve acquired through previous exchanges. You can also make the items the way you want and submit them to Steam for official release. You can start earning money once your things start selling. Also, you’ll receive the funds directly in your bank account.
Some individuals skilled in 3D software earn up to $15,000 per year from Dota 2 workshop items. On the other hand, you need to account for various fees and transaction costs, significantly decreasing your overall earnings.
Setting Up Tournaments
Besides live streaming, organizing tournaments are among the most lucrative methods of earning cash from this legendary game. Depending on your event’s success, Steam will have to approve it. Additionally, you can make money by selling tickets or by entry fee in the Dota 2 store.
You can earn impressive amounts of money this way. You’ll need a decent organizational setup, numerous teams, and a community reputation. Conversely, it can be challenging to earn real cash from Dota 2 if you’re new to this kind of thing.