Categories: Lifestyle

How The Highest Paid Athletes Spend Their Money

For mere mortals like us, knowing how much the top sports stars in the world earn can be a jaw a dropping experience. Across the board, the best of the best are cashing in big time. And as players and athletes become savvier investors, they can sometimes earn more in endorsements than they do in salaries!

LeBron James makes as much money from his Nike deal as he does from the LA Lakers. As does Roger Federer who has so many sponsorship deals its amazing he can find the time to play tennis. But for all the time these guys spend earning the big bucks, they can spend it just as quickly.

IMAGE: CT

Floyd Mayweather

Boxer Floyd Mayweather is the highest paid sports star on the planet. With total earnings topping an eye-watering $285 million in 2018. The vast majority of that came from the 36 minutes he spent in the ring with Conor McGregor. That earned him $275 with the additional $10 million coming from endorsements.

To be fair, he was the odds on favorite to win so it was easy money. But if he keeps buying $4 million cars it won’t last very long. Mayweather has a quite the passion for the rare and luxurious, and he isn’t shy about sharing it with his 22 million Instagram followers. He frequently posts pics of private jets, high-end cars, and his $18 million watch!

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo, often overshadowed by football legend Lionel Messi, can take some consolation in the $108 million that he banks every year. As self-promotion goes, you can’t fault his business strategy. CR7 is a branding machine and his range of clothing, shoes and fragrances add an estimated extra $47 million a year to his net worth.

But like Mayweather, Ronaldo loves expensive cars. The ex-Premier League and Real Madrid FC star dropped a reported $18 million on a brand new Bugatti prototype earlier this month. It is the most expensive car ever made and will add to his collection, which is one of the most extensive in the sport.

LeBron James

He may have been pipped to the top of the highest earners by the boxers and footballers, but LeBron James is the highest paid basketball star in the world. Banking an incredible $85.5 million, two-thirds of that is earned through endorsements and sponsorship.

But staying at the top of your game in one of the most competitive sports on the planet comes at a price. Which in LeBron’s case is rumored to be over $1 million a year on just his personal health. All those trainers, massage therapists, hyperbaric chambers, private chefs and cryotherapy sessions come at a cost.

But for all that, LeBron James is one of the most socially aware athletes. He created the LeBron James Family Foundation to help at-risk children and even opened the I Promise School for disadvantaged children in Ohio.

Conor McGregor

Irish UFC fighter, Conor McGregor is the fourth highest earner on the sports rich list with $99 million banked last year. Most of which was from his bout against Floyd Mayweather. But his investments are staggering and range from his own menswear collection to the Mac Life media and lifestyle brand.

And he knows how to spend the money. McGregor famously bought a multimillion-dollar yacht which he named ‘The 188’ in reference to the amount he used to collect on benefits before he hit the big time. That was added to his collection of high-end watches, cars and clothes including the custom-made Gucci mink coat, which he wore to the World Press Tour in New York, worth a staggering $150,000!

Neymar Jnr.

The former Barcelona FC superstar hit the jackpot with a $600 million transfer deal to Paris Saint Germain, $350 million of which will be paid to him through his salary by 2022. Known for his very lavish lifestyle, the Brazilian reportedly paid out over $10 mansion in Rio De Janeiro, purchased his own private jet for nearly $5 million and owns a yacht worth in excess of $4 million. And of course, there’s that little matter of $20 million in back taxes!

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