Magnus Carlsen has a staggering net worth of $55 million as of 2022. He is the world‘s highest rated chess player and five-time World Chess Champion.
At just 31 years of age, Carlsen has achieved extraordinary success and wealth through his chess genius, business ventures and sponsorships. Let‘s take a closer look at how he has amassed this fortune.
An Unmatched Chess Career
Hailing from Norway, Magnus Carlsen showed immense talent and skill in chess from a very young age. He was granted the grandmaster title in 2004 when he was just 13 years old, making him the third youngest GM at the time.
His major career highlights include:
- World Chess Champion (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021)
- Peak rating of 2882 in 2014 – highest ever achieved
- World Rapid Chess Champion (2014, 2015, 2019)
- World Blitz Chess Champion (2009, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Reached World #1 ranking in 2010 at age 19
Carlsen has earned over $10.2 million in tournament prize money over his career according to the Chess Earnings database.
He earns around $1-2 million for every World Championship title win. For example, he took home €1 million (around $1.2 million) after defeating Fabiano Caruana to defend his title in 2018.
The total prize fund for the World Chess Championship is over $2 million. Carlsen has won it 5 times, earning around $5 million just from those victories.
| Year | Event | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | World Chess Championship | $1.2 million |
| 2019 | World Rapid Chess Championship | $350,000 |
| 2018 | World Chess Championship | $1.2 million |
Having competed at the top level for over a decade, Magnus Carlsen has accumulated a vast fortune simply from tournament earnings.
Lucrative Endorsement Deals
As the world‘s best chess player and holder of the highest ever rating, Magnus Carlsen is a coveted brand ambassador.
His endorsement deals and sponsorships bring in around $1 million every year as per reports.
Some of his major deals include:
- Unibet – 2 year deal in 2019 as brand ambassador
- Parimatch – Partnership since 2018
- Arctic Securities – Endorsement deal with investment bank
- Simonsen Vogt Wiig – Brand ambassador since 2017
- Nord VPN – Appeared in ads in 2020
He has previously partnered with the likes of XLMedia, Casio, Isklar Technologies and more. Companies across gambling, finance, law, technology seek to benefit from Carlsen‘s intellectual brilliance and global popularity.
Shrewd Investments and Business Ventures
Magnus Carlsen has an impeccable eye for smart investments and business opportunities. These contribute significantly to his $55 million net worth.
In 2018, he co-founded Play Magnus Group, a leading chess app and education company. He owns close to 30% shares valued at over $50 million.
He co-founded premium organic food company Carlsen Foods. In 2021, Carlsen launched Offerspill Fantasy, a fantasy football app.
Some of his other investments:
- Photomath – Educational app company
- Mojang – Maker of Minecraft (Invested in 2016)
- Anthropic – AI safety startup
- Material – Norwegian fashion company
Carlsen‘s investment portfolio comprising tech startups and other ventures is estimated to be worth over $30 million.
Luxurious Lifestyle
With his tremendous net worth, Magnus Carlsen enjoys an opulent lifestyle. According to reports, he owns luxurious homes in Oslo and Baerum, Norway.
He also owns a fleet of high-end vintage cars including a Porsche 911, Mercedes SL500, Ferrari and Aston Martin. His orange Lamborghini Huracan is his favorite ride.
Carlsen is also the co-owner of leading Norwegian football club Sogndal Fotball which competes in Eliteserien. He has invested in his hometown club Real Murcia CF which plays in the Spanish second division.
As you can see, Magnus Carlsen has built an enormous $55 million fortune through his undisputed mastery in chess, lucrative sponsorships, smart investments and sound financial decisions. For budding chess stars worldwide, Carlsen represents the very best in terms of wealth creation and strategic thinking. His is undoubtedly an inspirational rags to riches story.
