Which Are the Highest Paid Sports in the World as of 2022?

Sports are not only a common kind of entertainment, but they are also one of the most important sectors in the modern world. Around the world, sports have assimilated into the educational system.

Athletes make millions of dollars while also bringing glory and notoriety to their nation. With their unwavering commitment and dedication, athletes strive extremely hard to reach the highest level possible.

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Athletes from all around the world compete in these huge sporting events, which are organized by many nations and cost billions of dollars to put on, like the last Olympics hosted in Tokyo.

View the List of the Highest-paid Sports in the World 

• Basketball

The highest-paid sport in the world is basketball, which comes in the first place. The NBA, which consists of 30 teams, is the most well-known and lucrative basketball league in the world.

As players began paying very significant sums in the 1970s, basketball began to draw athletes from all over the world. In the USA and Canada, it is also the sport that is most watched.

NBA basketball players typically stand 6 feet 7 inches tall. Every basketball player wants to make it to the NBA. The former NBA player who earned the most money was Michael Jordan, who earned $343 million annually.

With a total wealth of more than $2 billion, Michael Jordan is also the wealthiest athlete in the world. LeBron James and Steph Curry, two active NBA players, are included in Forbes magazine’s list of the highest-paid athletes. Basketball sports are at the top of the list due to the large endorsement deals and simplicity of branding.

• Football

Millions of fans in the USA watch American football, also referred to as football, making it one of the most popular sports and one of the most watched. The 32-team National Football League (NFL) is the most well-known American football league worldwide.

The majority of football players’ greatest dream is to play in the league. Among all professional sports leagues, the NFL has the highest average attendance worldwide.

Football, which is played at all levels—high school, college, and professional—is the world’s best sport in the world.

The highest-paid footballer was Roger Staubach, a former American football star who earned $253 million annually.

• Golf

Golf is regarded as one of the most difficult sports to master, but it is also one of the easiest to learn. Although golf was first played in the 15th century, it wasn’t until the 17th century that it really took off in the USA and Europe.

Golf is the fourth-highest paid sport, with the top paid golfer earning $127 million annually. The wealthiest golfer is Tiger Woods, who has an estimated net worth of $800 million. For a record-breaking 11 times, the great golfer topped the Forbes list of the richest golfers, which is a significant accomplishment.

• Tennis 

Tennis is one of the most watched sports in the world, with millions of spectators. It is also the sixth highest paying sport in the world.

The most well-known tennis competitions and events are the US Open, French Open, and Grand Slams. This sport attracts participants of all genders. It’s interesting to note that female tennis players are among the highest-paid female athletes in the world.

Tennis is governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Tennis’ highest-paid player earns almost $106 million annually.

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With a net worth of $450 million, Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player, is the wealthiest tennis player in the world.

• Ice hockey

The highest paid sport in the world, ice hockey is also among the most popular and widely viewed in the USA. An ice rink, whether indoors or outdoors, is used to play the contact team sport of ice hockey.

A player in ice hockey with the highest salary makes almost $99 million a year. Canada’s national winter sport is ice hockey, which is also well-liked in the USA, Russia, and Australia.

The National Hockey League (NHL) is the most powerful professional ice hockey league in the world, and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) oversees the sport. With a total wealth of $250 million, legendary Canadian player Wayne Gretzky is the wealthiest player in ice hockey.

• Auto Racing

In the USA and Europe, auto racing is a tremendously popular spectator sport. Auto racing is one of the riskiest sports in addition to being an entertaining activity.

It comes in at number nine on the list of sports with the highest salaries, with the biggest sum ever given to an auto racing driver coming in at $18 million.

Michael now holds the unbroken record for both the greatest races won in a season and the fastest laps completed.

• Cycling 

Cycling In 1899, Charles Minthorn Murphy made history by becoming the first cyclist to complete a mile in under one minute. His achievement earned him the moniker “Mile-a-Minute Murphy.”

Since the invention of bicycles and other vehicles, cycling is today regarded as one of the most active sports in the world. Numerous cycling competitions are hosted all over the world and are regarded as some of the most paid competitions.

Lance Armstrong, a renowned cyclist, earned a total of $28 million in 2010, placing him in ninth place on Forbes’ list of the world’s wealthiest athletes.