According to data from the GIA (Games Industry Africa), Sub-saharan Africa is the fastest-growing esports region in the world. This data also shows that the number of esports players has grown by 143% over the last five years, totaling 185+ million gamers.
South Africa is at the forefront of Africa’s gaming market with the highest saturation of esports players, with over 24 million residents participating in different video games in a country of 59 million people. The country is also leading in total gaming revenue, with the industry earning over $250 million annually.
Considering the rise of the esports industry in South Africa, we’ve looked at the country’s most successful gamers and their respective earnings for players that might be interested in joining this fast-growing market.
Johnny Theodosiou (JT)
Popularly known as JT, Johnny Theodosiou is a South African-Portuguese CS: GO professional player currently playing as the entry fragger and an in-game leader for Complexity Gaming. The 23-year-old started playing CS: GO as a side game alongside some friends and his competitive nature got him invested in the game’s rankings. Needless to say, JT started climbing through the ranks quickly and has won over $144,000 in tournaments across the world.
Aran Groesbeek (Sonic)
Another successful CS: GO player, Aran Groesbeek (Sonic) is among the top esports pro gamers that you can wager on at the Betway app for android and iOS devices. Turning heads at such a young age, Sonic has competed on numerous international stages, before he went back home to play alongside other South African gamers like JT.
Sonic’s dynamic playstyle and impactful gameplay help him to consistently rack great numbers for his team. The 24-year-old currently plays as a Rifler and has won $115,000+ in tournament winnings since launching his esports career in 2014.
Rhy Armstrong (Fadey)
If you like betting on esports at Betway, Fadey should be a familiar name when looking into the South African gaming scene. The 24-year-old South African player is known for his skills as a rifler in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Fadey has earned 0ver $65,000 in the tournament winning since launching his esports career in 2015 and the number seems to keep rising by the day.
Shaiaan Rugbeer
Shiaan Rugbeer is among the top South African FIFA players, representing the Goliath Gaming Franchise. Shiaan has won three major esports tournaments in his career, taking home $33,000+ from his tournaments. The talented South African is also a coach for Goliath Gaming and his largest cash prize from a single tournament gave him a hefty prize of $32,400.
Thabo Moloi (YvngSavage)
Another skilled esports player currently with Goliath Gaming, Thabo Moloi (YvngSavage) is a South African FIFA player currently ranking fourth in South Africa. Thabo was crowned as the champion of the Nodwin Gaming Umzansi esports in 2021 and even got featured in the Red Bull Unfold Series. He was also selected as the eBafana Bafana official FIFA representative for the 2021 season, making him among South Africa’s most celebrated video game players.
