So you’ve won a few games pickleball games. Maybe you took down your dad. Stomped the local try-hard. Ran the top court for a few hours. As you bask in your glorious win streak, you start to dream about taking your talents to the big leagues. But before you quit your day job, you might want to know how much professional pickleball players actually make.

How much do professional pickleball players make?

The rise of professional pickleball players

Pickleball is growing fast, taking the world by storm in the past few years. It’s dominating local parks, winning the hearts of all ages of players, and has earned itself the title of fastest growing sport in America. As it’s taken the world by storm, it has even spawned a new world of pro pickleball.

Funded by a wave of investment from high profile names like Tom Brady and Naomi Osaka, pro pickleball is taking off. Athletes from all over the world are coming together to duke it out with their paddles, vying for the top spot on the leaderboard. These duels of skill and strategy are drawing large crowds, television contracts, and a passionate fan base ready to cheer for their favorites.

And with this growing fan base, fame isn’t the only thing on the line. More and more prize money is available for these players. But just how much can you actually make?

How much do professional pickleball players make?

What’s the average salary for professional pickleball players? Average yearly earnings total about $50,000 from tournament play. When you add in sponsorships, that number can climb closer to $200,000.

Like with any sport, the salary range of pickleball players can vary depending on skill level, endorsements, and how active they are on the tournament circuit.

Pickleball tournament payouts

Tournaments winnings are the most common way players start earning money through pickleball. The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) host a number of tournaments throughout the year — 153 and 16 respectively.

Prize money for these events can vary, but it ranges from $30,000 to $150,000 for the PPA tournaments and a total of $700,000 for APP tournaments. It’s worth noting that the amount a player takes home isn’t always the full prize pool. It varies tournament to tournament depending on prize pool and the number of participants.

For example, at the USA National Pickleball Championships, the men’s and women’s singles winners received only $2,500 out of a $80,000 prize pool, despite there being over 2,000 players in the tournament.

Major League Pickleball salaries

Remember those big names investors we were talking about earlier? Well they are about set to permanently change the landscape pickleball salaries. Major League Pickleball — a separate set of tournaments that involves teams and drafts — is bringing in prize money to the tune of $5,000,000.

With money like that on the line, there’s no doubt the world’s best are going to bring their A-game.

Professional pickleball sponsorships

For many athletes, especially in more niche sports, winnings makes up just a small part of their income. The real money comes from endorsements, and pickleball is no different.

While household names that have nothing to do with the sport like Hyundai, Holland Cruise, and Margaritaville sponsor big tournaments or leagues, there is a roster of pickleball brands that sponsor specific players. This list includes:

• Selkirk Sport
• Onix Pickleball
• Paddletek
• Franklin Sports

Wrap up

Can you make a living playing pickleball? Absolutely! But it’s not going to be a cakewalk. Professional pickleball athletes are insanely talented and play at a level that is likely much higher than what you’ll find at your local court. Buy hey, maybe you’re just that good! I won’t tell you not to dream… just maybe don’t quit your day job until you win a tournament or two.