Whether you’re an esports pro or just a casual gamer, you can turn your gaming skills into cash with these tournament apps. These platforms offer a variety of games that pay out real money in prizes or even to win a spot in bigger events. Start with smaller online games to hone your skills and build a following, then work up to the big esports competitions that often attract sponsorship deals.

BDG Game App for Fun and Rewards offers free-to-play games with real cash prizes, while others require a small entry fee. The most popular cash-prize gaming apps include MLG GameBattles, Players’ Lounge and WorldWinner. WorldWinner, in particular, offers a broad mix of free-to-play and real-money competitions, with some games paying out as much as $35,000 per match.

Money-Making Gaming: Passive vs. Competitive Income Options

Many gamers use live streaming to earn money from their viewers. For example, popular YouTube gamer Tyler Blevins, known as Ninja, has earned a full-time income from his videos. A similar model exists for Twitch, which lets viewers pay a monthly subscription to watch live game play. For every 1,000 views, a video gamer receives a certain amount of money that changes periodically based on the products featured in the ads.

You can also make money by becoming a video game tester and providing feedback on gameplay, graphics and other features for developers. This type of job is typically offered through freelance websites like Fiverr or Upwork, but some apps also have testing opportunities available.