Want to Make Money Playing Minecraft? Here’s What Actually Paid in 2024

Let’s cut to it: in 2024, Minecraft tournaments were throwing around real cash—but most of it was locked behind velvet ropes. If you weren’t a streamer or didn’t get invited to the party, chances are you didn’t even know the event was happening. But not everything was locked away. I went digging to find which Minecraft tournaments actually paid, and more importantly, which ones you could realistically enter without needing 100k Twitch followers or an invite from some esports org.

The Big Boys: Streamer-Only, Big Payouts, Zero Access

There were some absolutely massive prize pools in 2024:

• Twitch Rivals: Hunt & Run – $100k for the last man standing. One guy. One hundred grand. Everyone else? Nothing.
• Squid Craft Games 3 – Also $100k, same “winner takes all” format. Think Squid Game, but Minecraft, and with 200 streamers grinding their way through deadly minigames.
• House of Nightmares – $110k split between the top 20 players. Still invite-only.

Cool events? Absolutely. Could you or I join them? Not a chance unless you’ve got a verified checkmark and a big enough audience to get Twitch’s attention. All of them were streamer-only, though at least they were remote—you didn’t have to fly anywhere. Still, the barrier to entry was being internet-famous.

The “Show Up and Get Paid” Events (But You Had to Be There)

Then there were the MCC Live events at TwitchCon EU and San Diego. These ones were kind of fun: all 40 invited players got paid just for showing up. $1,240 minimum per player, with a slight bump for the winners. But again, you had to:

1. Be a known creator,
2. Get invited,
3. Fly out and be there in person.

If you’re not a TwitchCon type of guy, these weren’t for you.

The Hidden Gems: Open Tournaments That Actually Paid

Now, here’s the good stuff—the open events where you didn’t need a channel, a brand, or a plane ticket. These were accessible, skill-based, and if you brought your A-game, you could walk away with some cash. 🛠️ Axiom + Builder’s Refuge Build Contest
• Prize Pool: $2,600 across the top 10 builds.
• Entry: Totally open. No invite needed.
• Requirements: Build something epic using the Axiom mod on their server. Judges were big-name builders, so you had to bring serious creative energy.
• Minimum Effort: Register, build something polished, and submit on time. To win? Expect to grind 20–50 hours if you’re serious. 🧱 Builder’s Refuge “Structure Contest 2024”
• Prize Pool: $1,000 total. $600 to the winner.
• Entry: Again, open to everyone.
• Requirements: Build your best structure solo. Judged on aesthetics and technicality.
• Minimum Effort: You could enter with a simple build, but winning meant competing with some of the best in the community. ⏱️ Minecraft Speedrun League (MCSR)
• Prize Pools: $3k–$5k per season.
• Entry: Open, but brutal. You needed to qualify by ranking among the top runners.
• Requirements: Be fast. Be consistent. Know every trick in the book.
• Minimum Effort: Thousands of hours of practice. Not even joking. You can’t just casually hop into this. 🎓 NASEF Rube Goldberg Challenge (Students Only)
• Prize: Gift cards, electronics—no direct cash.
• Entry: For students aged 8–18.
• Requirements: Build a working Rube Goldberg machine in Minecraft.
• Minimum Effort: Build something clever using Redstone and submit it. No entry fees, and it was online.

TL;DR – You Want to Compete in 2025?

If you’re not a streamer or influencer, you had exactly three real shot categories in 2024:

• Creative Build Contests – Open, judged, smaller prizes, but winnable.
• Speedrun Tournaments – Open, competitive, big skill barrier.
• Student Engineering Contests – For younger players, still worth shouting out.

Most big-money events are locked behind content creation, which sucks—but the community-run stuff is still alive, well, and paying. You just have to bring skill and dedication instead of followers.