Top 20 Highest Paid Pro Female Gamers in Esports

Esports is still dominated by men, but women are slowly climbing the ranks.

Below we highlight the highest-earning female esports athletes.

To build our rankings we primarily relied on publically listed prize money earnings.  We also accounted for sponsorships, endorsements, and other publically available compensation.

I still remember the first time I watched an all-female CS:GO team compete—it completely changed how I thought about esports. Seeing their focus, communication, and skill made me realize that competitive gaming wasn’t just dominated by guys; the scene was way more diverse than I expected.

Please keep in mind that tournaments are always happening, so these rankings are fluid.

Without further intro, let’s count down the top 20 earning gamer girls.

The Rise of the Female Gamer

When I first started gaming, I never called myself a “gamer.” Honestly, the word felt like it belonged to dudes with giant PC rigs, LED lights everywhere, and Doritos dust on their controllers. Turns out, I wasn’t alone. A Bryter study found that only about 1 in 3 women who game regularly actually call themselves gamers—even though nearly half the world’s gamers are women.

So yeah, the numbers don’t lie. Women aren’t just “joining” gaming… we’ve been here the whole time. It’s just that esports and pro play are still catching up to that reality.

Challenges Female Gamers Face

Here’s the not-so-fun side of things: being a girl in gaming can feel like playing on “hard mode” all the time. Surveys show that 59% of women have faced harassment online, and more than three-quarters admit they hide their gender in voice chat.

I remember queuing up for a match and saying “hi” once, and suddenly the game turned into a podcast of “OMG is that a girl?” comments. Pro tip: if your teammates are more interested in your voice than the objective, you’re not winning that round.

This stuff is exactly why so many talented female players never make it to the pro stage—it’s exhausting before the game even starts.

Top Earning Female Gamers

Ailey

Gamer Name: Ailey
Real Name: Alyona Bordukova
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $22,580.00

Hailing from Russia, ‘Ailey’ is a famous Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. Ranked at #3172 globally, and #121 in her own country, Ailey is a force to be reckoned with, competing in 5 tournaments in CS: GO, winning 1st overall in 2018 CS: GO female competition.

Nast1a

Gamer Name: Nast1a
Real Name: Anastasiya Evdokina
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $23,515.47

Another pro-girl gamer from Russia, Nast1a’s specialty is also Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Nast1a is currently ranked #3086 in the world, and #117 in her country. I’m sure she and Ailey are very familiar with each other, and I guarantee that the competition between these female gamers is intense as Counter Strike gamers themselves.

FemSteph

Gamer Name: FemSteph
Real Name: Stephanie
Date of Birth: July 24, 1988
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $27,906.66

Fornite makes its first appearance on the list with the American, FemSteph. Competing in 7 tournaments, FemSteph has shot onto the scene as a prolific Fornite gamer girl, landing her at #3058 in the world, and #635 in America. FemSteph is definitely someone I’d look out for.

Annialis

Gamer Name: Annialis
Real Name: Deb
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Indonesia
Overall Earnings: $23,950.00

Annialis is another pro gamer girl whose specialty is Fortnite. Competing in 6 tournaments, including coming in 5th overall in the Fall Skirmish Series in 2018. This ultimately lands her at #3046 worldwide and #5 in her country in Indonesia.

Candy

Gamer Name: Candy
Real Name: Alyona Kuvaeva
Date of Birth: February 6, 1995
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $31,000.52

‘Candy’ is a yet another hardcore pro gamer girl from Russia with a honed specialty in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Don’t let the innocent name fool you. Candy, along with others so far listed, namely Nast1a, and Ailey, brought home victory in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) competition.

Her skills, and participation in 9 tournaments, lands her at #2776 globally and #102 in her mother country of Russia.

I once tried grinding in CS:GO myself, and it gave me a whole new respect for pros like Candy. Just keeping my aim consistent after a few rounds was tough—so to imagine competing on a global stage feels almost unreal.

xchocobars

Gamer Name: xchocobars
Real Name: Janet Rose
Date of Birth: November 5, 1994
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $60,365

Another case of an innocent name fooling you, from the Great White North—Canada, is a professional girl gamer specializing in Fortnite. In October of 2018, she participated in the Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series, with her crew the ‘Rift Raiders’ taking 2nd place overall. In earnings, she ranks at #2679 in the world and #96 in the country of Canada.

juliano

Gamer Name: juliano
Real Name: Julia Kiran
Date of Birth: November 4, 1993
Country: Sweden
Overall Earnings: $102,894.47

juliano is a Swedish professional girl gamer with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive being her game of choice. She rose to fame when her team, ‘Druidz’, defeated the other female team of ALTERNATE in the Electronic World Sports Cup 2013 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female).

Also dabbling in DotA and other games, juliano has been competing in a staggering 26 tournaments. Now that’s dedication! That dedication lands her at #2650 in the world and #145 in her country of Sweden.

I’ve played in a few small online tournaments, and the pressure was enough to get my heart racing. Thinking about Juliano competing in more than 20 high-stakes events really puts into perspective just how much dedication it takes to thrive in esports.

missharvey

Gamer Name: missharvey
Real Name: Stephanie Harvey
Date of Birth: April 19, 1986
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $42,546.05

Canadian pro gamer girl missharvey is another enthusiastic Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. She’s been at the grind for some years now, starting to compete professionally in 2007.

Over the past 11 years, she has competed in 20 tournaments, finding her most recent victory in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) in China.

Related: The Top College Varsity Esports Programs

In the competition, missharvey and her Canadian teammates, ‘Those Damn Canadians’, came in 3rd overall—no mean feat. This earns her the spot of #2611 globally and #93 in Canada. Let’s see what missharvey has up her sleeve for the next decade.

GLHuiHui

Gamer Name: GLHuiHui
Real Name: Chen, YuYan
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: China
Overall Earnings: $30,000.00

One of our first female pro gamers from China, GLHuiHui is a famous Hearthstone player. Starting very recently, GLHuiHui has found great success in the competitive Hearthstone scene.

In March 2018, she won first place in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Hearthstone Female), and it remains the only tournament participated in, beating out fellow compatriot Dawn Liooon and Hongkonger ‘Yon’. 1-0 isn’t a bad record, but I want to see what else GLHuiHui can do—no doubt something great and wild as her first-place finish.

Is she a ‘one and done’ competitor, proving what she wanted to prove, or is she just preparing for another glorious finish? Her rank is #2569 in the world, and #300 in China.

Find more statistics at Statista

potter

Gamer Name: potter
Real Name: Christine Chi
Date of Birth: October 31, 1986
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $35,695.25

Our first American competitor, this pro girl gamer is a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. She won hands-down at the World Electronic Sports Games 2018 – USA Female Qualifier (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) in California in November of 2018. Like missharvey, potter has been competing professionally for over a decade.

Hard work definitely pays off, as potter has won numerous prestigious first-place titles for her amazing skills, coming in 1st in 8 of her tournaments. Those skills bring her to the globally ranked position of #2546 and #524 in America.

BaiZe

Gamer Name: BaiZe
Real Name: Wang, Xinyu
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: China
Overall Earnings: $30,312.39

Chinese pro girl gamer BaiZe focuses her skills on Hearthstone, much like her gamer compatriot, GLHuiHui. However, unlike GLHuiHui, BaiZe has been competing in tournaments for a while. While not always coming in first, BaiZe’s determination and work ethic has brought her great success.

Her biggest success in gaming was in the Gold Club World Championship 2017 (Hearthstone), in which her team ‘Royal Never Give Up’ came in third place overall. She was beaten out by ‘Planet Odd’, and ‘Team Celestial’. Despite the bronze medals, BaiZe’s work has earned her the rank of #2543 globally and #297 in China.

zAAz

Gamer Name: zAAz
Real Name: Zainab Turkie
Date of Birth: June 7, 1991
Country: Sweden
Overall Earnings: $89,265.85

Another Swede, zAAz is an expert in Counter Strike: Global Offensive. She’s competed in 30—yes, 30—tournaments. Gaming professionals in these tournaments since 2008, zAAz really shows amazing determination. Her and fellow Swede, juliano competed alongside one another in Intel Challenge Katowice in Poland, achieving a first place as team ‘Bad Monkey Gaming’.

Most recently, in March 2018, zAAz won second place in the Copenhagen Games 2018 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) division with her team ‘RES Gaming’. zAAz’s numbers speak for themselves, coming in at #2373 globally and #132 in Sweden, currently the highest-ranking pro girl gamer in Sweden on this list.

Check out the complete list here

Ant1ka

Gamer Name: Ant1ka
Real Name: Anna Ananikova
Date of Birth: March 24, 1995
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $44,268.17

Surprise, Surprise: another badass pro gamer girl from Russia specializing in Counter-Strike Global Offensive. Must be something in the water over there. Her record of accomplishment is impressive; she’s been consistently ranked at the top of her participating tournaments.

2017 was her year, winning 5 first-place finishes in tournaments like the Intel Challenge Katowice – 2017 as ‘Team Secret’, ESU Masters 2017 as ‘Dynasty Gaming’, and WESG 2017 – Europe & CIS Finals (CS: GO Female) as ‘Russian Forces’. I’m amazed by her first-place record of accomplishment, and it doesn’t really seem to show signs of stopping.

I believe that Ant1ka will continue her routine of show-stopping well into the future. She’s ranked #2292 in the world, and #84 in Russia.

Kittyplays

Gamer Name: KittyPlays
Real Name: Kristen
Date of Birth: February 16, 1992
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $38,950.00

I love these unassuming names. Maybe that makes it hurt more when the message comes up ‘You’ve been killed by Kittyplays via headshot’. Kittyplays is another Canadian gamer. Canada should be proud of its female pro gamers! We return to Fortnite, as Kittyplays does fairly well for herself in it.

She’s competed in 7 tournaments, with her highest position being 3rd place in the Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series – Clubs Standings, where she found victory alongside a slew of other gamers dubbed the ‘Fort Knights’.

Although not hitting the first-place mark, I love Kittyplays’s constant participation and determination, especially alongside hundreds of thousands of other Fortnite gamers.

I know for sure I wouldn’t ever want to see her name pop up in game, I’d probably just log off—it’s easier that way. The numbers speak for themselves: she’s #2055 in the world and #75 in Canada.

vilga

Gamer Name: vilga
Real Name: Ksenia Klyuenkova
Date of Birth: August 3, 1991
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $125,000-$128,000

Here we have the highest-ranked Russian gamer girl on the list. vilga, like other female gamers from Russia, has found her niche in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. She’s a real showstopper. I almost couldn’t believe the stats as I read them. She has won first place in 17 tournaments since 2015. Now that’s hard work and determination.

Do I want to know what her gaming practice looks like? Or will it be too insane for me to comprehend? Either way, her biggest victory was at the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) category in March 2018.

Alongside the Russian female pro gamers on this list, team ‘Russian Forces’, she found her victory and a hefty payday.

With vilga at #1855 globally and #68 in Russia, vilga is the highest-ranking Russian on the list. Not only that, but we’ve officially broken into the Top 5 on the list of professional girl gamers.

Sarah Lou

Gamer Name: Sarah Lou
Real Name: Sarah Harrison
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: United Kingdom
Overall Earnings: $50,000.00

Sarah Lou is a British pro girl gamer from the United Kingdom. Something different than we’ve experienced on the list, Sara Lou specializes in fighting games. She made her bones in one tournament. That’s right, we have another GLHuiHui situation where the pro girl gamer wins big in a tournament and has yet to participate globally again.

Specifically, she competed in the 2008 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4), coming in first alongside fellow Brit, Messy, as a team ‘Birmingham Salvo’. Ten years later, where is Sarah Lou, or where are the challengers to take the 5th spot on this list?

Her absence intrigues me, and she’s a bit of a mystery. It makes for a killer story, though. Her one win in 2008 has placed her at #1684 globally and #62 in Great Britain.

Kasumi Chan

Gamer Name: Kasumi Chan
Real Name: Marjorie Bartell
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $55,000.00

Kasumi Chan is the first of what I like the call the ‘Big Three’ of American female gamers. Participating in only two tournaments—yes, two—Kasumi Chan solidifies her place on this list at number 3. Way back in 2006, Kasumi Chan won second place at the Championship Gaming Invitational 2006 (Dead or Alive 4) in San Francisco, California.

She lost to fellow American ‘Master’ but turned in tables in 2007 when she won first place at the 2007 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4) in Culver City, California alongside Black Mamba as a team ‘Chicago Chimera’.

I love not only the fact that she competed twice, but she improved from the first to the second tournament. What’s the more appealing: winning consistently over the years or competing once or twice then just disappearing from the spotlight like a gaming phantom? She’s ranked #1558 in the world and #321 in her country.

Ricki Ortiz

Gamer Name: Ricki Ortiz
Real Name: Ricki Sophie Ortiz
Date of Birth: December 12, 1982
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $83,054.66

Second of the ‘Big Three’ is the powerhouse that is Ricki Ortiz. She’s been putting in consistent work since 2003 in the fighting game circuit. Ricki Ortiz is transgender, choosing to identify as female in 2014.

Competing in a truly awe-inspiring 61 tournaments, Ortiz first found prominence in 2003 in the Evolution Championship Series 2003 (Marvel vs Capcom 2) in Pomona, California.

She came in second to Justin Wong. Over the years, she has been peppering the fighting game circuits with 2nd and 1st place finishes, but truly hit the big time in 2016 at the Capcom Cup.

There, she came in second to fellow American NuckleDu, but she received her biggest monetary prize ever. Ricki Ortiz is currently ranked at #1111 in the world and #234 in America.

Mystik

Gamer Name: Mystik
Real Name: Katherine Gunn
Date of Birth: April 20, 1988
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $122,550

Last of the ‘Big Three’ is the American Mystik. Here again, we have someone who only participated in a few tournaments compared to her contemporaries. Her years of operation were in 2007, 2008, and 2010.

In 2007, she participated in her first tournament, the 2007 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4). She placed second alongside Offbeat_Ninja as ‘Carolina Core’.

In 2008, she returned but instead came in 3rd, (where previous entry Sarah Lou and Messy won first prize). She wasn’t going to give up though. In 2010, she returned with a flourish and came in first playing Halo: Reach at WCG Ultimate Gamer Season 2. She’s currently ranked at #755 globally and #156 in America.

Scarlett

Gamer Name: Scarlett
Real Name: Sasha Hostyn
Date of Birth: December 14, 1993
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $472,111.31

The heavy hitter herself, Canadian female gamer Scarlett is officially the highest-paid female pro gamer in the world. Unlike her predecessors on the list, Scarlett plays Starcraft II competitively, playing primarily as Zerg.

I tried StarCraft II once, and I barely survived the tutorial against AI. Watching Scarlett dominate pro-level matches makes me appreciate how much strategy, speed, and mental toughness it takes to be at the very top of this game.

As we gamers know, StraCraft is an insanely competitive game, and Scarlett just dominated whenever she competed, winning in South Korea, perhaps the most impressive accomplishment of a not just a female pro gamer, but of any gamer.

“In March 2012, Scarlett won the Playhem “Sponsor Me!” Tournament, an online event reserved for amateur players without a team or a sponsor. Winning that tournament awarded her an all-expenses paid trip to IPL 4 in Las Vegas, where she had a breakthrough performance in the open qualifiers.”

There’s something so poetic about her rising from not having a team or sponsor, then dominating the rankings. Scarlett earns the number one spot on this list and is currently ranked #294 in the world and #9 in Canada. Bravo, Canada, you make some great female pro gamers!

Updated Esports Prize Money Winners

Female Gamer Demographics & Preferences

Not all female gamers are grinding 12 hours of CS:GO like pros on this list. Most of us are somewhere in between—logging in after work, playing with friends, or grinding a mobile game while waiting for our coffee order.

Research shows:

• Most female gamers are 21–35 years old (basically, the “I game but I also pay bills” age).
• Mobile gaming leads the pack, because let’s face it—your phone is always with you.
• And genres? We lean toward RPGs and story-driven games, but a surprising number crush competitive shooters too.

It’s proof that “female gamer” isn’t a one-size-fits-all label. Whether it’s Candy Crush on the train or StarCraft II on stage, we’re all playing—just in different ways.

So, You Want to Be the Next Pro Female Gamer?

Here’s the thing: everyone on this list started small. They weren’t born with reflexes faster than Wi-Fi—they just kept showing up, playing, and pushing through the noise (sometimes literally).

If you’re looking for your way in:

Check out communities like r/GirlGamers
—it’s like the group chat you didn’t know you needed.

Stream, even if no one’s watching at first. You’ll get better, and you never know who’ll drop by.

Try a small tournament. The worst that happens? You lose. The best? You gain experience and new friends.

And who knows? Maybe in a few years, you’ll be the one on a list like this—someone scrolling on their phone will be reading your name and thinking, “Wow, I want to do that too.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous female gamer?
One of the most famous female gamers is Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn, a Canadian StarCraft II player often called the “Queen of StarCraft” for her dominance in international tournaments.

What is a female gamer called?
A female gamer is simply called a gamer, just like their male counterparts. Some communities use terms like “girl gamer” or “female pro gamer,” but many prefer to drop the gender label entirely.

Are 45% of gamers female?
Yes, studies and industry reports show that around 45% of gamers worldwide are female, reflecting the growing balance between male and female players in gaming.

Are there female pro gamers?
Yes, there are many female pro gamers who compete in major esports tournaments. Players like Scarlett, Mystik, and Kasumi Chan have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.

Who is the most demanded female gamer?
Scarlett is one of the most demanded female gamers due to her success in StarCraft II and her recognition as one of the top female esports earners globally.

Who is the oldest female gamer?
The oldest recognized female gamer is Hamako Mori from Japan, also known as “Gamer Grandma,” who has been playing video games for decades and gained worldwide attention on YouTube.

Who is the richest girl gamer?
Scarlett currently holds the title of the richest female gamer, with nearly $300,000 in esports tournament earnings.

Who is the most famous gamer?
Globally, the most famous gamer overall is Ninja (Tyler Blevins), known for Fortnite and streaming. Among women, Scarlett is often highlighted as the most famous.

Are female gamers increasing?
Yes, the number of female gamers has been steadily increasing, with more women participating in casual gaming, streaming, and professional esports competitions.

Sources Utilized

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