How FIFA 17 Players Earn Millions Playing and Watching FIFA 17

FIFA 17 players can earn an astonishing amount in the world of competitive video gaming and if you're unsure how, here is the explanation. We'll look back to eSports and see the rise of FIFA eSports, the relationship between the two.

Competitive video game playing (also called eSports) is not a new phenomenon, and video game competitions can be traced all the way back to the 1970s.

However, those competitive Space Invaders and Pac-Man players would balk at what today has become a half-a-billion-dollar industry.

While back in the day at your local arcade you may have won some free tokens as your prize, the purses at the biggest gaming events now regularly exceed $1 million.

The Rise of FIFA eSports

The games that draw the biggest prizes and brightest players change from year to year, but one of the mainstays of the scene is the FIFA series. FIFA isn't just popular in traditional footballing nations; the series has become such a global phenomenon that some even credit it as being a catalyst for the boom of soccer popularity in America.

A pillar of the sports game genre since 1993, in recent years its popularity has surged: in 2015, FIFA 16 was the top-selling console game of any genre in the UK.

The nearly 7 million copies sold worldwide (for PS4) was only bested by Call of Duty: Black Ops III, also a massively popular eSports title.

The game's annual FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest online gaming tournament, with over 2 million players registering in recent years and $20,000 in prize money going to the winner.

Fans from around the world can even tune in to FIFA.com to watch the tournament's final matches be played live.

FIFA 12 remains the fastest-selling sports game, selling over 3 million copies and making $186 million in its first week. 

But Those sums have only continued to grow and LA-based equity researcher Michael Pachter recently estimated to USA Today that "All-in, FIFA generates around $1 billion for EA."

Top Football Clubs Get Involved

But EA, broadcasters, and the players themselves aren't the only ones profiting off eSports, major football clubs are now signing players and teams to represent them on eSports' biggest stages.

Within the past year, clubs like Manchester City, West Ham, and Sporting Lisbon have all signed some of the top FIFA players in the world.

Similar to how European sports clubs might have handball, volleyball, and other sporting clubs aside from their football team, eSports teams within these clubs are becoming a reality.

The Future of FIFA and eSports

Considering that both the money involved in eSports and the global popularity of FIFA continue to grow, one can only expect that major football clubs are only going to get more and more involved.

Turkish club Besiktas and German club Schalke, for instance, have already signed successful League of Legends teams.

Many think that there may even be enough interest to one day establish a FIFA Premier League, Champions League, and so on for the world's' best players to compete in. Even spectators and fans stand to make money off eSports.

You can now wager on the results of eSports matches, as almost all major online sportsbooks now offer betting lines on pro gaming competitions.

Since at least 2014, online bet shops have offered lines on the winner of the FIWC, too.

If betting on people playing video games sounds ridiculous, just consider that if you had placed a small £20 wager on eventual 2014 winner August Rosenmeier, you would have walked away from the window with £166.

David Sheldon, an editor at Casino.org tells us: "E-sports betting is a niche but growing industry. It's developed almost from nothing into a quickly emerging market for the gambling industry.

"Whilst it's still young, especially compared to poker or sports betting, we're seeing many more young gamblers getting involved."

And earlier this week, EA announced a new $1.3 million eSports initiative for their FIFA Ultimate Team franchise, dubbed the FUT Championship Series.

Conclusion

It's hard to tell if eSports is going to simply be another poker-type boom that lasts only around five years, or grow into something greater. 

And for those that weren't gifted with elite athletic skill, it's a welcome back up plan for that wish to make a career out of competing and playing games. 

Either way, with the amount of money at stake it's clear that if the popularity of eSports does eventually fade, it won't be overnight. 

As more and more industries and companies figure out how they too can make money off this soon-to-be billion-dollar industry.

The smart play seems to be for you to try and do the same, whether that's as an investor, bettor, or even as a punter.

So now we know the eSports industry and millions is made. Will you be interested in? More information about FIFA 17 update on ufifa17.com. Meanwhile, we have FIFA 17 coins on sale if you want more. If you have problems, we'd be glad to help solve. Please stay tuned.