Do you ever look at professional gamers with a hint of envy? I know I do. Imagine, being able to earn money from your love of video games - it’s an impossible dream, right? Well, that isn’t quite the truth. While the vast majority of us will never rake in a full-time income from playing video games, there are opportunities out there. I thought I would take a look at some of those with you today. Who knows, perhaps that extra little money you earn will enable you to fund your habit in the future?

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Blogging

Are you good with a pen? If so, why not write about your love of games and start a blog? If you gain enough traction you can start making a few bucks here and there through advertising or affiliate marketing. And it’s never been easier to set up a simple blog and website than it is today. The great thing about blogging about games is that you only need the love of the art, not the skillset!

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Game Testing

Ask any young gamer what their dream job would be and video game testing would be up there with the most popular. The truth of games testing is that it is kinda dull. You will only get games you like every once in awhile, and there are a lot of bugs and issues you have to contend with that ruin the experience. But, looking at http://www.indeed.com/, it does pay. And that makes all the difference! Games testing jobs come up regularly,so take a look around and see what you can find.

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Gambling

I know a lot of gamers that also enjoy a flutter, either online or with apps. It’s no surprise, really, as the two pursuits offer similar rewards to our brains. The gambling rules here in the States are getting less restrictive, although we still have a way to go before we get to the stage some countries are at. Take Australia, for example. According to http://www.legalgamblingaustralia.com/, 80% of Aussies have an occasional gamble. Please make sure you aren’t spending too much though, as gambling can become problematic. And the consequences can lead to financial - and life - ruin.

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"Let’s play…"

If you are a gifted gamer, why not record your experiences and post them online? Take a look around on YouTube and you can see videos of gamers playing everywhere. You could provide help guides for people. Or, just provide an entertaining commentary about your experiences. Some of those videos have hundreds of thousands of views - and that all makes for a healthy payout from YouTube advertising.

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Enter Tournaments

Finally, we enter the realm of the ‘pro player’. Real time gaming competitions have picked up a lot of interest in recent years. Some have even been screened live on TV. The competition is pretty fierce, of course. But the prize money is substantial - DOTA 2’s prizes came to a total of $6 million in 2014. Expect to see that figure increase, too.

OK, so there you have it - how to turn your love of gaming into a source of income. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!