Image: Richard Stanway / TeamLiquidPro

Lasse Urpalainen, known in the gaming world as Matubaman, is over 2 million euros richer today after winning a share of the prize money at the Dota 2 competition 'The International 2017' in Seattle, Washington. He represented the gaming organisation Team Liquid.

Dota 2 is an action real-time strategy ARTS game in which two teams of five players engage in a battle to destroy the other team's base.

The 22-year-old Finn was joined by four other players from Jordan, Bulgaria, Lebanon and Germany on the team, which sailed to victory by knocking out their adversaries in a three-game sweep. Four of the six teams that had made it to the finals were from China.

On the fourth day of The International, it was reported that over 7 million viewers tuned in to watch the event via the internet. Another 10,000 spectators turned out to watch the battle.

Champions League of e-sports

Tech media source The Verge reported four years ago already that over 70 million people worldwide watched e-sports. Online streaming platforms such as Twitch.tv became central to the growth and promotion of e-sports competition after this, The Verge said.

News of Urpalainen's win was first reported by the tabloid Ilta-Sanomat. The paper said The International is equivalent to the UEFA Champions League in e-sports because it attracts the biggest names in the business and has the largest pools of prize money.

The website esportsearnings.com places Finland as the 14th highest earner in e-sports by country, with the top three positions held by China, the US and Korea.