Top ‘Live-Streamers’ Get $50,000 an Hour to Play New Videogames Online

Wow: Top celebrity gamers can earn $50K per hour for playing a new game over a live stream!

Video game live-streamed hours on Twitch by year according to Newzoo (YoY growth):
1) 2017–6.3B
2) 2018–8.9B (↑ 41%)

Quick math on watching people play video games vs. reading:
1) 16.8 minutes/day/person reading for 15+
2) 102 hours/year/person reading for 15+
3) 251M individuals 15+ in the U.S.
4) 25.7B hours/year of reading for all 15+ individuals in the U.S.
5) 8.9B hours/year of watching other people play video games (assuming all 15+ AND U.S.)
6) Total reading time is 2.9X total time spent watching other people play video games

Obvious caveats for above Twitch numbers:
1) Some hours are outside U.S.
2) Some hours are for under-15

More #1: Esports is Having a Cultural Breakout Thanks to Overwatch — But It Has a Long Way to Go

More #2: Gaming Goes Mainstream, but Play Varies by Gender and Age

More #3: Microsoft’s New Xbox One S Won’t Play Videogame Discs