Are you looking for quick and enjoyable methods to earn money?  Getting paid to play games is about as good as it gets.

One of the greatest methods to supplement your income during your free time is to make money by playing video games.
Our suggestions vary from full-time professional alternatives to easy methods to make money from home.  Additionally, you may make money without necessarily being a professional player, but some of these suggestions will be useful to you if you are.
You're guaranteed to discover a profitable concept that works for you, no matter what you're searching for.

How to get money while playing video games
The greatest methods for earning money while playing games are as follows:
1. Use Swagbucks to play games and earn money.

With the help of the website and app Swagbucks, you may earn money by watching videos, playing games, and responding to sponsored surveys.
Your SB points increase as you do more assignments.  After that, these points may be exchanged for PayPal funds or gift cards.  We go into more detail in our review of Swagbucks.
There are many different games to choose from.
As we previously stated, you should avoid playing games like bingo or casino games that require you to pay money in order to have the chance to win prizes.  Nonetheless, there are games on Swagbucks that you may play for free.
Prior to starting any game, review the requirements for winning SB.  You can discover that you have a certain amount of time to download an app, finish a level, or advance through the game.
You don't have to download some free online games, but it's important to keep in mind that you may not always get SB when you play them.
The good news is that you may get a sign-up bonus if you're a new member and sign up for Swagbucks using the link below.
2. Use Freecash to play games and earn money.

Additionally, you may register for Freecash.  With the ability to play games and earn money, it functions similarly to Swagbucks.
Finish a 'offer' to get coins.  These coins can then be redeemed for gift cards or PayPal, among other methods.
You will get a summary of the steps you must do to earn coins for each game in the app.  For instance, this may include completing a level within a certain time frame, with greater prizes for completing more levels.
Steer clear of activities like bingo or casinos where you could be tempted to spend your hard-earned money.
Sticking to the free games that let you accrue points without spending any money is what we would advise.
3. Use Mistplay to play games and get money.
Mistplay is another software that pays you to play games on your phone.  All you need to do is download the app and begin playing any of the many games it offers.
You will accumulate more troops the longer you play a game.  After that, these units may be exchanged for incentives like PayPal funds or gift cards.
According to Mistplay, they have already donated more than $60 million, or around £46 million.  Although their website states that they are working on bringing it to iOS, it is currently only accessible on Android.
So if you have an Android phone and often play games, it may be worth installing one of the applications and being paid for it.
4. Take up Twitch streaming

Twitch is a video-streaming network that's largely focused on video games.
You have the opportunity to earn money as a Twitch broadcaster by recording yourself while playing games.
Not everyone will find this appealing.  However, it could be a nice method to earn some additional cash in your own time if you find it appealing.
You must consistently provide interesting and original material if you want to increase your subscriber count.  You won't be able to hold viewers' interest or get them to pay to watch your broadcasts if you only publish videos of yourself sitting quietly in front of a video game.
There are several methods to earn money on the network if you're willing to give it a go.  Getting bits (Twitch's virtual currency), signing up for the Affiliate and Partner programs, and engaging in affiliate marketing are a few examples.
Streamers make different amounts of money.  Not everyone will earn enormous sums of money from their broadcasts, even if being a top Twitch producer might make you wealthy.
In our guide to Twitch revenue generation, we go over all of these and more.
5. Serve as an instructor for video games
Are you eager to teach people about video games and earn money doing it?  You may become an instructor for video games.
Advertising on websites like Fiverr and Superprof is a smart place to start.  To find out how much other gaming teachers charge and what kinds of games they specialise in, visit each website.
Consider which games are often played in big contests when choosing which ones to concentrate on teaching.  This might make you more noticeable to prospective professional players.
Or maybe your goal is to become a professional gamer.  If so, go to the following tip.

6. Participate in gaming competitions to get monetary rewards.
As a professional esports player, you must be at the top of your game (pun intended) in order to make money.  Additionally, the financial rewards in certain tournaments might be very substantial.
For instance, according to Statista, the total prize pool for Dota 2 in 2023 was $30.82 million, or around £24 million.
But keep in mind that the major competitions will be very tough.  There is no assurance that you will win any prizes, even if you spend a lot of time preparing for the competitions.
Additionally, you may discover that video game competitions include entrance fees.  Therefore, a part-time work would be a safer option if you're a student searching for a steady source of cash.
However, the expenses of participating can be covered if you're lucky enough to get an esports scholarship.
7. Submit a scholarship application for esports
Scholarships for esports are somewhat uncommon, although they do exist.
For instance, the University of Roehampton provides esports scholarships worth £2,000 annually to a select group of gifted student players.
In an effort to encourage more women to pursue careers in gaming, they have also launched the Women in Esports scholarship.  The webpage of the University of Roehampton has further information.
If you're currently enrolled in college, you may have trouble finding an esports scholarship since not all colleges provide them.  However, this could be something to consider while selecting a university if you're applying and are eager to pursue a career in esport.
8. Engage in game testing

It sounds like a dream to make a livelihood playing video games.  However, this is the reality for individuals who work as game testers.
Game testers are employed by game development businesses to ensure the quality of their products.  Playing games may be part of this task in order to evaluate them for usability and functionality as well as to identify any flaws that need to be repaired.
You can be evaluating games on a variety of devices, including desktops, tablets, mobile devices, and game consoles.  Additionally, you would probably have to submit a report outlining your results after evaluating the games.
Having a degree in a related field, like game development, can help you obtain work testing video games.
Testing games is sometimes a full-time job.  Relevant positions are often listed on Indeed, CV-Library, and other comparable employment portals.
You may also do it as a freelancer using websites like Fiverr.

9. Earn money on social media by playing games.
You may make money as a gaming influencer if you have a passion for social media and video games.
Not everyone is suited for this field of employment.  To begin with, you would need to be at ease posting material on social media on a daily basis and have the ability to develop a following of online followers.
But the idea is comparable to earning money on Twitch, which we covered in greater detail before.  This is something to consider if you like the thought of sharing your gaming experiences with other people.
For anybody interested in sharing video game material online, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are all excellent platforms for earning money.  You may broadcast humorous movies that gamers would find relatable or provide gaming advice (or both).
Start by looking at other gaming influencers on each social media site to get a sense of the most effective content types.
Also, check out our guide to social media revenue generation for advice on how to monetise your material.

10. Get paid to write reviews of video games.
A great method to combine your writing and gaming talents and earn money from your pastime is to work as a video games journalist.
As a game journalist, you may work full-time or as a freelancer and make money.
However, making money from writing reviews isn't always simple, particularly when you're just starting out.
Starting a blog on video games is a smart idea.  You may review your favourite games here and comment on the most recent events and happenings in the industry.  After you have an audience, you may start making money from your blog.
When applying for journalistic employment or pitching article ideas to magazines and newspapers, having a blog will be helpful.  It will demonstrate both your writing prowess and your sincere enthusiasm for video games.
See our guide to earning money from writing for further advice on how to be paid to write reviews.