How Much Does ZywOo Earn?

How much does ZywOo earn

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is nothing short of a phenomenon in the world of Counter-Strike. Fans call him “The Chosen One”, and for good reason: the French prodigy burst onto the pro scene in late 2018 and has since been named HLTV’s Best Player in the World three times (2019, 2020, 2023). At just 24 years old, he is already a two-time Major champion and an Intel Grand Slam winner. His consistency is staggering – every year since his debut, he has placed in the top two of HLTV’s rankings. Naturally, people want to know: how much does ZywOo earn, and where does that money come from? Let’s break down his tournament winnings, sticker sales, salary, and other revenue streams that make him one of the highest-paid esports athletes.

"1. How Much Does ZywOo Earn?","1.1. Tournament Winnings","1.2. Major Stickers","1.3. Salary in Team Vitality","1.4. Sponsorships, Merch, and Limited Editions","1.5. Total Career Earnings"

Tournament Winnings

How much does ZywOo make? Over the course of his career, ZywOo has won an impressive number of events, bringing in significant prize money. According to Liquipedia, his total career winnings amount to roughly $1.6 million (2018–2025). The biggest payouts have come from the most prestigious events.

The single biggest payday was the Intel Grand Slam Season 5 win in 2025, when Vitality secured the $1,000,000 bonus. ZywOo’s share was around $200,000. He has also won two Counter-Strike Majors – BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 and BLAST.tv Major 2025. Each brought $500,000 for the team, meaning roughly $100,000 per player.

Other high-value wins include BLAST Premier: World Final 2023 ($500k per team, ~$100k to him), IEM Cologne 2024 and IEM Katowice 2025 (each ~$400k per team, ~$80k per player), and even high-profile invitational events like Gamers8 2023 ($400k per team). Consistently, every big trophy has meant tens of thousands of dollars in prize money – and ZywOo is one of the most decorated players of his generation.

News banner

Major Stickers

In CS2 (and previously CS:GO), Major stickers are a huge revenue stream for top players. Valve releases team and player autograph stickers for each Major, and a percentage of sales goes to the organizations and the players themselves.

Exact figures are confidential, but insider reports and player comments help estimate earnings. Veteran pro ceh9 has said that, since Valve’s revenue share changes in 2019, every Major participant gets at least $5–10k, regardless of placement. However, from 2021 onward, Valve began releasing exclusive Champions Autograph Capsules, reserved for the winning team – and those payouts are massive. s1mple revealed that NAVI’s sticker income jumped 15x after winning Stockholm 2021 thanks to these capsules.

KennyS, another French legend, estimated that players in the Challengers stage could earn ~$150k from sticker sales, while Major champions could take home $500k–$1 million from a single event. Team manager Ricardo “dead” Sinigaglia has stated that some teams earn $2–3 million from one Major in sticker sales alone.

ZywOo has played in every Major since 2019 and has won two of them (2023 and 2025). That means he has likely made around half a million dollars from Paris 2023 alone, plus substantial five-figure payouts from every other Major. In total, his career sticker revenue could easily be $1–1.5 million – sometimes matching or even surpassing tournament prize money.

Salary in Team Vitality

Another major part of a pro player’s earnings is their team salary, and ZywOo’s is nothing short of historic.

When Vitality first signed the then-18-year-old in late 2018, he reportedly asked for just €1.5–2k per month – an amount he considered “crazy money” at the time. The team, of course, offered much more. After his dominant 2019 season, his salary continued to climb, and by 2020 he was one of the highest-paid players on the scene.

In March 2024, after his home-crowd Major win in Paris, ZywOo signed a new contract through 2026 – and it made him the highest-paid Counter-Strike player in history. French media reported that ZywOo salary is at least €100,000 per month (~$110k). That’s about €1.2 million per year in base pay alone, not including prize money or sticker revenue. For comparison, previous top salaries for stars like s1mple and NiKo were around €40k/month – ZywOo’s deal more than doubled that.

This is a guaranteed monthly salary, regardless of results. Add in performance bonuses and it’s clear Vitality has built their team around the crown jewel of French CS.

Sponsorships, Merch, and Limited Editions

While ZywOo isn’t the most active streamer (he has a relatively small Twitch following compared to other pros), his brand partnerships are strong.

He is an official ASUS ROG ambassador, promoting gaming hardware in global campaigns. Through Vitality, he also represents brands like Adidas, Orange, and Kia, appearing in commercials and content pieces.

In November 2023, ZywOo collaborated with Knify to release a limited-edition real-life karambit knife modeled after his in-game CS skin. Priced at €50, the run of 1,200 units sold out quickly. While not a massive moneymaker compared to his salary, projects like this boost both revenue and personal brand value.

Although ZywOo could easily earn hundreds of thousands annually from streaming, he chooses to stay focused on competition, with only occasional content appearances.

How Much Does NiKo Earn as an Esports Player in 2025?

Total Career Earnings

Adding it all together – $1.6M+ in tournament winnings, around $1M+ from Major stickers, a multi-million-dollar salary history (with €100k/month currently), and sponsorship/merch deals – ZywOo’s total career earnings (2018–2025) likely sit in the $5–6 million range. Analysts estimate his net worth at $3.5–4.5 million after taxes and expenses.

Beyond the money, ZywOo’s list of accomplishments is staggering: two Majors, an Intel Grand Slam, and a record 27 MVP medals. His reserved personality, sportsmanship, and unmatched skill have made him one of the most beloved players in the game.

In short: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut is not just the best player in the world – he’s the highest-paid CS2 pro ever, and he’s still in his prime. ZywOo earnings will only keep climbing as he adds more trophies, more stickers, and potentially more business ventures to his name.