Pickleball Pros Break Seven Figures: Waters and Johns Lead 2025

What's the Score?

Professional pickleball earnings have exploded in 2025, with top players now earning seven-figure incomes, moving the sport firmly out of the realm of hobby. Anna Leigh Waters leads the earnings list, estimated at ~$3 million + annually, followed closely by Ben Johns at ~$2.5 million. This financial boom is fueled by sponsorships, diverse income streams, and larger prize purses.

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The shift in 2025 is dramatic: many top players are estimated to earn between $500,000 and over $1 million annually, with the very top tier making $2 million or more.

The highest-paid players benefit from highly diversified income streams:

• Tournament Prize Money: Major events offer substantial purses, with top placements potentially yielding tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Sponsorships: Endorsements (for equipment, apparel, health brands) often match or exceed prize money.
• Coaching & Camps: Many pros, such as Tyson McGuffin and Simone Jardim, supplement income by running popular coaching academies and clinics.
• League Income: Team-based formats like Major League Pickleball (MLP) provide salaries, bonuses, and potential league revenue shares.

Anna Leigh Waters (No. 2 in earnings ranking, ~$3M+) is the top earner overall due to her consistent championship wins and major deals with brands like Paddletek and Fila. Ben Johns (No. 1 in earnings ranking, ~$2.5M) leverages his dominance in singles and doubles with sponsors like JOOLA Pickleball and Franklin Sports. Other high earners include Tyson McGuffin (~$2M) and Simone Jardim (~$2M), both known for their strong business acumen in coaching and branding.

However, the financial landscape is not uniform. The gap between the elite and the rest is wide. Mid-tier pros typically average $100,000 to $250,000 annually, while lower-ranked players often earn only $30,000 to $75,000.

For non-sponsored pros, costs are significant. Annual expenses for travel, accommodation, and entry fees (estimated at $30,000 to $50,000 or more per year) heavily cut into earnings, forcing many lower-ranked players to supplement their income through coaching or other jobs. For aspiring pros, building a brand and diversifying income beyond the court is crucial for financial viability.

The future outlook is extremely positive, with projections suggesting continued growth driven by deeper sponsorships, media rights deals, and stabilising guaranteed league salaries.

The World Pickleball Verdict

The rise of multiple pickleball professionals into the seven-figure earning bracket confirms the sport’s definitive transition into a financially viable, major professional sport. While the financial hierarchy is still top-heavy, with Waters and Johns setting unprecedented earning standards, the diversified income model (sponsorships, coaching, leagues) is the real story. This diversification is what allows high-level players to professionalise fully, yet it simultaneously creates a major financial barrier for mid- and lower-tier players who struggle to break even against rising tournament costs. The economic growth is strong, but the sustainability for all professionals depends on the rising tide lifting the mid-tier salary floor.