Ever wonder how much money the world’s top athletes earn annually? Numerous athletes made record-breaking sums of money in 2025 from their competitions, awards, and endorsement deals worldwide.
Here, sports finance expert Kate Richardson offers her thoughts on the top highest-paid athletes of 2025, which includes both male and female celebrities and well-known figures from a variety of sports.
Sports Stars Cashing In Like Never Before
When it comes to how much athletes earn, well, that varies from time to time. Some of them have managed to create a brand that’s strong enough to keep the money coming. The highest earners come from different popular sports, and we’ve listed a few with their 2025 earnings.
- Cristiano Ronaldo: In football, only a few people have the kind of fame Christiano has. That’s why it is no shocker that he earns $275 million a year from his sponsorships and contract with a Saudi club. That’s a record-breaking amount for any player, and every year he gets more fans and wealth.
Ronaldo once said, “Talent without working hard is nothing” showing that even for the most talented player, hard work is the key to success.
- Stephen Curry: There’s no better way to describe Stephen than as the greatest three-point shooter in basketball live. He currently earns around $156 million in 2025. The bulk of Curry’s pay comes from his NBA salary and very large off-court deals with sponsors.
He even became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in 2023, proving his extraordinary skill. Fans all over the world love to watch him shoot hoops and win games.
- Tyson Fury: There’s hardly anyone who likes boxing and has never heard of Tyson. In fact, this British heavyweight champion has earned roughly $146 million in 2025 already. He once said, “I’m the best fighter on the planet,” in an interview with ESPN. Most of his earnings came from one major pay-per-view event and additional fight deals.
- Dak Prescott: Next on the list is the NFL quarterback Prescott, who has made about $137 million in 2025. He is a big deal in sports and plays for the Dallas Cowboys, which is a popular team, and definitely makes them a lot of money too. Aside from that, he is a star on the screen with many commercial deals and endorsements.
- Lionel Messi: It’s no surprise that the Argentine soccer star Messi is popular globally and highly paid too. Right now, he has made around $135 million and even played for a club in Miami. He also has a lot of marketing deals with brands around the world and those pay quite well.
- LeBron James: There’s no way LeBron wouldn’t have made this list, especially because he is the Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend. He makes roughly $133.8 million, which is a very large NBA salary. That’s not the only place he makes money, though; there are movie deals, businesses, and a lifetime shoe deal with Nike.
The most popular quote from him is “I like criticism. It makes you strong.”
That’s a great mindset for any athlete, especially because there are as many critiques as there are fans.
Betting and Global Fan Interest
Sports stars generate enormous fan interest and even wagers globally in addition to making money from playing. A lot of sports fans like to watch these athletes and even wager on their performances. With that in mind, fans often search for the best websites to safely wager on their favorite players in nations like Germany.
That’s why guides to the best betting sites and odds for games involving these well-known athletes exist. These tips and odds can be found on reliable websites like MightyTips; it’s somehow made bettors feel closer to athletes.
Once the best platforms are found, and bettors like them, they become another reason to follow games and tournaments. The more people watch and bet, the more popular these stars are and that means they get paid more.
Conclusion: Champions On and Off the Field
The highest-paid athletes we listed for 2025 are proof that sports are profitable. Years past, not so many people thought athletes could be paid so much, let alone have such massive fan bases.
The best part is there’s no cap on how much an athlete can make and how far they can go. When they retire, they can become coaches or even managers and continue to make money. Overall, these 6 are only a few of the highest-paid sportsmen. There are many more, and they are well worth their wages.