When you think about it, gaming is one of the most lucrative careers anyone can dream of. You sit in front of a computer all day long doing something you love. And at the end of it all, you get paid more money in a month than most people make in a year.

Of course, commanding great pay in eSports is easier said than done. Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and PewDiePie can make a $1 million in a few weeks. But for many pro-gamers, it takes months of hard work to earn a living wage.

So, what are the best types of games to play in eSports?

#1: Action

Action is the most popular video game genre according to research firm, Statista. No one is surprised: action games are easy to get into, wildly addictive and complex enough to keep you hooked for the entirety of a game.

In the eSports scene, the most successful video games use action as one of the elements of accomplishing a bigger mission. For example, the bottom line could be to kill a gang of terrorists or to rescue hostages.

Call of Duty, Halo, Mortal Kombat, and Fortnite are all examples of action eSports games. But as mentioned, these games also tend to involve strategy, adventure and other genres of the video game space.

#2: Strategy

Strategy games have been around for more than 50 years. In fact, some people say Winston Churchill had a hand in the creation of strategy games. All the same, there’s a reason eSports professionals love this genre—there’s more than one way to win.

Owing to that backdrop, some of the biggest eSports video games fall into this category. Think of StarCraft II—the most famous video game South Korea and some parts of China. Then there’s XCOM, Total War, Halo Wars and League of Legends. 

Many eSports strategy games are team-based. Or they are Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games that bring together hundreds or thousands of players. With that in mind, your success at a strategy game depends a lot on your ability to solve problems and to strategize.

#3: Casino 

This might come as a surprise to some but casino games are tremendously profitable. There’s a caveat. You need to risk your money to play and there’s no guarantee of winning. You win if you’re lucky or if you’re better skilled than your opponents in blackjack or poker.

Interestingly, you can also stream casino games on Twitch or YouTube. Hundreds of people do it daily and some of them command over 10,000 in views daily. The requirement is to find a USA online casino if you live in a state where online gambling is legal. Next, invest in streaming equipment and give it a go.

If you decide to play casino games without streaming, choose games to play diligently. In slots, pick games with the highest payout rates—Starburst, Mega Joker and 1429 Uncharted Seas. In the table game section, choose live dealer games you can play with human players and not bots.

#4: Sports

This genre needs no description. It comprises of games based on traditional sports like soccer, football, basketball, baseball, racing or boxing. Winning pretty much resembles the actual sport a video game is based on.

In soccer, you control a team of eleven players in the hopes of scoring against your opponent. In basketball, you have five starters to control. If you prefer racing, then you can assume the role of a famous NASCAR or F1 drive and lead your team to glory.

When it comes to professional gaming, sports-based video games are pretty rewarding. FIFA, for example, regularly hosts tournaments that reward winners in the upwards of $1 million. Importantly, these competitions take place almost every month.

#5: Role-Playing (RPG)

Role-Playing Games have experienced an upsurge in the last decade. In fact, more than half of popular eSports games are of role-playing nature. Think of CS: GO, League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm. 

In many cases, eSports RPGs tend to be multiplayer in nature. Take League of Legends as an example. It features a five-player team. The goal is to control a superhero character known as a “champion” and help you team defeat the opposing side’s “Nexus.”

The RPG is extensive. It comprises of games like Zelda and Diablo, which although action-based, are also role-playing games. Some strategy games like the Dungeons of Moria, and MMORPGs like World of Warcraft also fall into this category. 

#6: Simulation

Simulation video games hold only a small percentage of the eSports market. But that’s alright. Not everyone cherishes MMORPGs. Not everyone fancies sports video games or Battle Royale types.

If you find joy in simulating real-life situations, then you should try games like The Sims or Roller Coaster Tycoon. Of course, research around to determine the topics and things you like to simulate.

Minecraft, for example, is great for people that love to craft stuff. You can build cities, farmlands, pyramids, cars, bake cake or knit clothes. It’s immensely immersive. However, Farming Simulator 19 limits you to farm activities.

If you’re not the biggest fan of farming, therefore, you’re better of playing Flight Simulator, F1 2020, Euro Truck or Dirt Rally.

#7: Puzzles

Although puzzle games aren’t huge in the eSports space, they’re a dominant genre in the gaming industry in general. The majority of video gamers aren’t active eSports fans, anyway. Instead, they spend most of their time playing simple games casually.

What are the best puzzle games online? Let’s start with Tetris (1984), the most famous classic puzzle game. It’s the reason we have countless puzzle games today. And it’s one of the best puzzles to play. 

Most puzzle games are free and available on your web browser or smartphone app. We are talking about games like Panda Chunky, Marble Run 2D, Puyo Tetris and Baba is You. These games might not make you rich akin to playing CS: GO or LOL professionally. But they are excellent time fillers.