The biggest winners in esports of May 2025
The spring can sometimes be a slow time in esports and that’s the case in May 2025, though there were some big winners.
Dota 2 is gearing up for The International 2025. Most of Counter-Strike’s best teams are being funneled into the BLAST Austin Major. Over in League of Legends, league play is determining who will play in the Mid-Season Invitational. Then there’s the Esports World Cup looming over the month of July.
Despite having these big tournaments on he horizon, there were still several prominent tournaments that took place. Here are the biggest esports winners of May 2025.
The highest-earning esports teams and biggest winners of May 2025
There was still plenty of esports action to enjoy in May but all eyes are turned to other prominent tournaments that are on the horizon. Alongside the Austin Major, The International, and MSI, the CDL Championship isn’t far away, nor is VCT Masters Toronto. Qualifying for those tournaments plays a big role in gauging the biggest winners of the month.
Here are the five biggest winners in esports this month:
- Team Vitality (Counter-Strike)
- Tundra Esports (Dota 2)
- Team Spirit (Counter-Strike)
- Los Angeles Thieves (Call of Duty)
- Rex Regum Qeon, Fnatic, G2 Esports, and XLG Esports (Valorant)
https://youtu.be/2VFMPVjNDD8
Team Vitality Counter-Strike ($250,000)
For the second consecutive month, Team Vitality’s Counter-Strike division was the biggest winner of May 2025. While it didn’t have the biggest prize earnings in the industry, the team picked up a pair of first-place finishes in tournaments ahead of the BLAST Austin Major.
The first was the compact BLAST Rivals Spring, where Vitality sprinted its way to a proverbial gold medal worthl $125,000. This was followed by IEM Dallas, where Vitality took home another $125,000. Not only did they take home big money, but they also cemented favorite status for the major and extended their winning streak to 30 consecutive matches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj5RCfeCJbM
Tundra Esports Dota 2 ($300,000)
Tundra Esports won the biggest Dota 2 tournament that wrapped in May; BLAST Slam 3. That achievement alone earned the team a hefty $300,000 prize. This continued the team’s remarkably strong run throughout 2025.
The team actually qualified for DreamLeague Season 26 but opted out of competing at the event. That’s bad news for Tundra fans, but the good news there was that the team was given an invitation to The International 2025.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3gRdP_47i0
Team Spirit Counter-Strike ($240,000)
Team Spirit had a pretty lucrative month as well. The team brought hom a $200,000 first-place prize from PGL Astana. Not only that, but the team competed in BLAST Rivals Spring. Though it lost to Vitality in the semifinals, Spirit still took home a $40,000 third-place prize.
PGL boasts about putting together the most lucrative tournaments in Counter-Strike whenever it can. The fact that Team Spirit made almost as much money as Team Vitality in May demonstrates that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqgHSE3wCSc
Los Angeles Thieves Call of Duty ($150,000)
The CDL held its fourth major of the 2025 season and the Los Angeles Thieves once again came out on top.
The team didn’t actually need to perform well at the tournament. Even if it didn’t receive any league points from the competition, there would’ve been a negligible effect on the LA Thieves’ seeding for the 2025 CDL Championship tournament. Despite that, they went out, won the tournament, and took home the $150,000 top prize.
Now the team has to lock in for season-ending event, which kicks off on June 26.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY3zdxlDu8w
VCT Masters Toronto qualified teams (Various)
VCT Masters Toronto is the first major Valorant tournament of 2025 and the competitors were determined through league play around the globe. Money was on the line in these tournaments, though it’s unclear how much. In 2024’s VCT Stage 2 league play had a $250,000 prize pool with a $100,000 top prize in the biggest regions. This didn’t include any salary from organizations.
Regardless, performing well in league play earned teams a spot in the $1 million VCT Masters tournament. Rex Regum Qeon, Fnatic, G2 Esports, and XLG Esports were the top performers in their regions. All four teams will start in the second stage of the tournament, giving them a good shot at the $350,000 top prize.
Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.
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