Hey there snooker fan! As an avid follower of the sport myself, I know one question is always on our minds – just how much does the great Ronnie O‘Sullivan earn? His genius with the cue is unmatched, but The Rocket has racked up some serious cash along the way too.
Well after digging deep into the numbers, I‘m here to give you the full lowdown on Ronnie‘s career prize money, net worth and how he makes his millions. Grab a cuppa, sit back and let me walk you through it all!
Ronnie‘s Prize Money from Tournaments
First up, the big one – how much has Ronnie won in career prize money? After some careful research, I can tell you he has pocketed a massive £15 million (around $18.5 million) in total snooker tournament earnings over his 30+ year professional career. That includes over £1.5 million just from World Championship wins alone!
To really understand how much he has made though, let‘s break it down year-by-year using some handy tables:
Ronnie O‘Sullivan Career Prize Money Earnings Per Season
| Season | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 2021/22 | £566,000 |
| 2020/21 | £732,000 |
| 2019/20 | £509,000 |
| 2018/19 | £435,000 |
| 2017/18 | £943,000 |
As you can see, the 2021/22 season was actually one of Ronnie‘s most lucrative, pocketing over half a million quid aged 46!
Looking further back:
| Season | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 2013/14 | £733,000 |
| 2012/13 | £449,000 |
| 2011/12 | £321,000 |
| 2010/11 | £358,000 |
| 2009/10 | £445,000 |
His best season was 2017/18 when he won an incredible £943,000!
And even earlier in his career during the 1990s and 2000s, Ronnie was regularly earning between £150,000 – £550,000 per season in prize purses. His longevity at the top is staggering.
Ronnie‘s Biggest Tournament Wins
| Tournament | Season | Winnings |
|---|---|---|
| World Championship | 2020, 2022 | £500,000 |
| World Championship | 2012, 2013 | £250,000 |
| UK Championship | 2022 | £200,000 |
| Masters | 2022 | £250,000 |
| Masters | 1999, 2002, 2005 | £190,000 |
As you can see, the World Championship has been his biggest payday, unsurprisingly. But Ronnie has had some huge paychecks from other big events too, like the Masters and UK Championship.
Estimating Ronnie‘s Total Net Worth
Now we know Ronnie has won £15m in prizes, but what is his total net worth including other earnings? From studying his income streams, my estimate is:
- Career prize money – £15 million
- Sponsorship deals – £4 million
- Exhibitions/appearances – £2 million
- Commentary/punditry – £1 million
- Property income – £500,000
- Other ventures – £500,000
Total Net Worth = Approximately £11 million (around $14 million).
This makes him one of the richest snooker players ever! He has done an incredible job of monetising his career over 30 years at the top.
Breaking Down Ronnie‘s Career
Now let‘s take a high-level look at Ronnie‘s sensational career so far:
- Turned pro in 1992 aged just 16
- Won his first ranking title in 1993 aged 17
- First World Championship in 2001 aged 25
- Has since won 7 World titles, joining Hendry‘s record
- 39 total ranking titles (record)
- Over £15 million in career prize money
- 19 coveted Triple Crown titles
- Widely regarded as the GOAT
He was a prodigy from the very start but has maintained his performance for over 3 decades, which is almost unheard of. Ronnie‘s continued dominance into his 40s is what has allowed his career earnings to skyrocket so high.
How Ronnie Compares to Other Top Earners
Just how impressive is O‘Sullivan‘s £15m in prize money? Well here‘s how he compares to other top professionals:
- Stephen Hendry – £15m (Ronnie has matched his great rival)
- John Higgins – £13m (£2m behind)
- Steve Davis – £5.6m (Ronnie has more than doubled him)
- Judd Trump – £6m (£9m behind)
- Mark Williams – £9m (£6m behind)
The only player close to Ronnie is legend Stephen Hendry, with their careers overlapping for many years. Among current players, Judd Trump is the nearest but has a long way to go to catch O‘Sullivan.
To sum up, Ronnie is by far and away the highest career earner snooker has ever seen. A true one-off!
The Keys to Ronnie‘s Wealth
So how has O‘Sullivan earned such vast sums from snooker? Here are the main factors:
- Longevity – Turning pro in 1992 and still at the top in 2024, nearly 31 years of consistent winnings.
- World Championships – 7 world titles, including 5 in the past decade. This has brought in over £1.5 million alone.
- Ranking titles – A record 39 and still counting. Ronnie has been relentless in racking up trophies.
- 147s – 15 maxiumum breaks earning big bonus prizes, including £165k for one in 1997.
- Personality – His flair and charisma make him snooker‘s biggest draw. This allows him to maximise endorsements.
- Investments – Ronnie has been smart with his money, investing in property to grow his wealth.
Quite simply, he is a winning machine who has leveraged his ability and profile into astonishing career earnings. A true one-off!
Can Ronnie Reach £20 Million in Career Winnings?
With around £5 million to go, could Ronnie become the first player to earn £20 million in career prize money? In my opinion, it‘s definitely possible if he stays at the top for a few more years.
For example, if he won another couple of World Championships in the next 5 seasons, those £500k paydays would quickly get him close. Maybe add a Masters victory or two at £250k a pop and he‘s there!
It‘s a big ask even for someone as talented as O‘Sullivan. But I certainly wouldn‘t put it past the greatest player our sport has ever seen. Watch this space!
The Final Word
Well there you have it my fellow snooker fan! I hope this breakdown has given you a real insight into just how much the great Ronnie O‘Sullivan has earned during his unparalleled career.
It‘s been amazing following Ronnie‘s success over the past 30 years. And with £15 million banked, houses worldwide and a net worth of £11 million, I think you‘ll agree he has the ultimate snooker CV. An icon of the baize, a national treasure and our very own Rocket Man!
