Unveiling the Financial Power Play: STYKO Breaks Down His €461,253 Esports Earnings in 2023, Major Stickers, and More!

Martin "STYKO" Styk has shared a comprehensive breakdown of his esports earnings for the year 2023 in a recent YouTube video, shedding light on the various income streams that contributed to his total revenue of €461,253.

A significant portion of STYKO's income is derived from his base monthly salary of €12,500, totaling €150,000 annually. However, the majority of his earnings stem from diverse sources, including performance-based incentives embedded in his contract with Apeks, revenues from his YouTube and Twitch channels, personal sponsorships, prize money, and notably, sticker money.

While STYKO couldn't disclose the exact amount earned from the BLAST.tv Paris Major, where he and Apeks made an impressive semi-final run, due to confidentiality agreements signed with Valve, he emphasized that the Major's contribution played a substantial role in his overall income. The Major served as the sole Valve-sponsored event in 2023, strategically timed two months after the announcement of Counter-Strike 2, generating heightened interest in the franchise.

Despite acknowledging 2023 as his most financially successful year, STYKO highlighted that the prize winnings alone did not reflect the magnitude of his success. He disclosed earning €13,500 from prize money, constituting only 7.14% of his total tournament earnings while with Apeks. Of the tournament winnings, 50% was allocated to the organization, with the remaining half distributed equally among the five players and two coaches.

Drawing a comparison with his 2018 achievements, where he won three tournaments with MOUZ, contributing to a total prize money of $603,900 (€546,557) for the team and staff, STYKO acknowledged that the Apeks' earnings fell significantly short. Nevertheless, 2023 stands out as the most financially lucrative year in his career, largely fueled by the substantial revenue generated from in-game items, particularly stickers, accounting for €297,753 of his total income.