It was overtime, a tight match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants.
The Giants had third-and-3 at their own 30.
Then, a miracle play: a catch-and-run with a perfectly executed juke of a Philly defender.
Lomenzo holds up the Madden Challenge Championship belt in victory at the EA Broadcast Center in Redwood Shores, Calif. Photo courtesy of Entertainment Arts 2019
The announcer screamed, We have a walk-off.
Christian Lomenzo, 21, set his controller down in shock.
He stood up, put on his Giants cap and raised the Madden Challenge Championship belt above his head.
He had just won his first major video game tournament.
Like most Americans, he played for fun and with friends.
Even until the very last play of the Madden NFL championship, he wasnt really thinking about the money.
All I was thinking about was getting the first down.
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Their events are international spectacles, where the players travel the world on special esports visas to compete.
By winning the penultimate Madden Championship, Lomenzo automatically qualified for one of 16 spots in the Madden Bowl.
The first-place prize for that competition was $40,000, but every contestant on the roster was guaranteed something.
Even the player who placed 16 out of 16 walked away with $5,000.
Lomenzo made it to the Madden Bowl Finals, earning an additional $10,000.
Thats how he got his start.
I really like playing against other people to win something, Lomenzo said.
I would just play for $1 wagers when I was 14 years old.
And as he grew, so did his cash prizes.
Everyday Gamer?
Try These Video Game Tournaments
Lets be clear: Most gamers wont make $35,000 per match.
Such big prizes are reserved for an elite few.
However, there are video game tournaments that reward above-average players with prize money.
Below are some tournament websites that Lomenzo used to get his bearings.
it’s possible for you to earn anywhere from $1 to $10,000 per match.
(Note: some states such as Arizona, Iowa and Louisiana ban cash-prize competitions.
Users who pay to enter a competition must be at least 18 years old.)
GamerSaloon
A broad mix of tournaments are available onGamerSaloon.
Typical, small matches could earn you $9, whereas the larger tournaments pay up to $10,000.
Several matches require a small entry fee, which goes into the cash pot.
But if you dont want to fork over any money, stick to the free-entry tournaments.
Gaming Systems Accepted:PCs and most consoles
MLG GameBattles
Not all winnings inMLG GameBattlesare cash.
Some tournaments pay in achievements, trophies or credits.
The tournaments that do pay cash can be quite lucrative.
Its common to see daily competitions with prizes of $100 to $400.
Players Lounge
If you got beef with another gamer,Players Loungeis the place to settle it.
Or, if youd prefer, join tournaments at your leisure.
It hosts both free-to-enter and pay-to-enter tournaments with varying cash or token prizes.
Weekly tournaments offer cash prizes typically between $100 and $200.
There are free-to-play tournaments with cash or coin prizes every month.
If youre feeling extra competitive, challenge other users to a head-to-head battle.
For now, his main focus is graduating from Florida Polytechnic University with a bachelors degree in business analytics.
Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
He specializes in ways to make money that dont involve stuffy corporate offices.
Read his latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter@hardyjournalism.
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