Counter-Strike Global Offensive has 24 million monthly active players, undeniably making it one of the biggest esports games to date. This first-person shooter game not only offers thrill but also money-making opportunities. Many players wonder whether they can make money from the many CS:GO skin trading marketplaces.
Read through this article and see how to earn cash through CS:GO, particularly with skins (trading, selling, buying, renting).
Earning Money Through CS:GO Skin Market
For interested readers, a “skin” refers to a variant of finished texture graphics for weapons within the game. These skins are purely for aesthetic purposes only and have no bearing on your gaming skills. Still, these skins are sought after by players because of their uniqueness which amounts to thousands of dollars.
Furthermore, CS:GO skins are tradable and convertible to hard cash. Thus, it turned into a viable market with a multi-million estimated collective value.
Skin Cash
If you are interested in selling CS:GO skins, Skin Cash is one way of entering the market. Skin Cash is a secure platform where traders can meet and transact. You can access this website by creating a Steam Account.
Here are the few steps that you have to follow to get started on selling CS:GO skins:
- Log in to your Steam account. You can start by selecting items on your inventory that you want to post for selling.
- Afterwards, you will have to fill up your preferred mode of payment along with details needed for transactions.
- Once you have accepted a purchase, you can now get your payouts. You can instantly get it by transacting through PayPal, Visa, Master Card, Qiwi, Bitcoin, and Webmoney.
Note that there are other third-party websites that handle CS:GO skin selling. However, anything that involves money invites scams. Hence, extra precautions and research is needed when using unfamiliar websites.
CS:GO Skin Rentals
Aside from selling, you can also make CS:GO money through skin rentals. Renting out CS GO skins follows almost a similar process as selling. The only key difference is that rentees should return the skins after the terms are over. Thus, websites hosting these transactions should ensure that skins are returned or make necessary refunds if lost.
There are plenty of websites that host this kind of service. Loot Bear, for example, is among the reputable ones, which guarantee a total cost refund for stolen skin rentals.
Obtaining Valuable CS:GO Skins
CS:GO skins present more value than just aesthetic satisfaction. Any person part of the community for a decent amount of time knows the monetary potential of these skins. As for collecting these valuables, you can consider several methods – some of which are free.
Earn Skins By Playing
If you are earnest in collecting skins but have limited bucks to spare, this method hits it. Just actively playing the game will give you a chance of obtaining “drops”. You can get these drops by completing weekly rank-ups, which give free skins or cases. Aside from that, you can also get a few additional random drops per week.
Earning skins by playing can be a good start-up for starting players. However, getting skins is done randomly, making it hard to build a specific inventory. Additionally, most of the weekly drops have lower values since they are available to everyone.
Furthermore, “keys” are also needed to open certain chests. You can secure keys by trading with other players or by purchasing them from the Steam shop. But, this process is the least profitable since it relies on low probability of special loot.
Purchase Operation Pass and Complete Missions
Operations are downloadable contents (i.e., DLCs) which you have to download to participate. These set-ups are occasional and will drop cases that give rare skins. Not only does it drop first-rate skins, but these collections have high chances of increasing their value over time. This fact is especially true for limited series released during events.
You can get most of the operation rewards by purchasing an operation pass. Operation pass allows players to obtain exclusive rewards and cases within the operation. The more missions you complete, the more stars and levels you get, giving you more opportunities for drops.
In addition, you can purchase the operation pass at the Steam shop for $14.99. Most players consider this a reasonable price, especially when there is a possibility of getting rarer rewards. Acquiring skins this way requires a bit of money but can be rewarding if you get high-value skins.
Buy Skins or Weapons
Now, skin trading is a more complicated investment type of making money. This is a method where you expect your purchased skins to appreciate in value over time. Additionally, this is the widespread practice for obtaining skins of different rarity and designs.
In this scenario, you view these skins as more of an investment. Whether you have plans of selling it in the future depends on you. The goal here is to get skins which value can exceed your initial investment later on.
The Steam community market is possibly the most secure platform for this function. There are many other third-party websites that you can visit to look for your desired skins. However, keep in mind to only check the reputable ones.
Watch Major Events on Twitch
Another way of bagging a skin is by watching official ESL matches on Twitch. ESL, or Electronic Sports League, usually do giveaways or “souvenir cases” for lucky audiences during their live streams. Most of these prizes are valuable, including stickers and items exclusive to the ongoing league.
By sheer possibility, you have the chance of winning premium cases that might include priced skins like Dragonlore. It can be worthwhile trying out your luck by simply tuning in to these events.
Trade Steam Items for CS:GO Skins
Lastly, you can also acquire CS:GO skins using Steam trading. To access Steam trading, you must first have your account fully verified. Otherwise, you will have to undergo an annoying 15-day trade ban after every deal you process. Stream trade involves making or accepting trade offers from other players.
Trade offers may include CS:GO items, game cards, team fortress skins, and other Steam tradable items. Undergoing this requires the two trading parties to reach an agreement for the transaction to be successful.
You may have to post on trade listing sites to publicize that you are open for trades. Sites such as CS:GO Lounge, Trade It, Swap It, and known Reddit communities are among the most popular.
Participating in CS:GO Skin Betting Sites
If you are more into esports gambling, then CS:GO betting sites are the perfect place for you. Skin betting sites allow players to take chances between two competing teams. Bets can either be skins or keys, which are then assessed for their market value. If you lose, you will be losing the items you listed. However, if you win, you will get your items back along with the profit you gain from the wager.
This method of profiting from CS:GO skins is a high-risk and high-reward process. If you are confident with your luck, this could be a surefire way to make lots of money. You have to visit third-party websites to participate in skin betting. CS:GO Lounge, for example, is one of the most reputable sites for such a purpose.
You may also check other hosting sites that offer the same function. Again, always try to dig deep into the reputation of these sites before gambling on them. Your skins are still convertible investments after all. Furthermore, you should also check out the legality of skin betting in your country. Some countries ban it and may prohibit you from accessing one.
There are also alternatives to this venture, such as real money games on regulated sites. However, using this method delimits the profitability of your CS:GO inventory.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of other options that you can make money from CS:GO skins. Be sure to check out your options and see where you can confidently put your stakes at. Just optimize your use of resources, and who knows, you might make a lot of money from playing CS:GO.
Playing games nowadays not only offers an escape but also an opportunity for earning quite an income. If you explore the eSports market, you will be greeted with ideas of making a living out of playing games. There are plenty of possibilities to turn your CS:GO gaming into a profitable revenue stream. Enjoying your favorite game while making money out of it can be fulfilling and rewarding.
