Sports have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. Gymnastics was popular among the Chinese 2000 years before Christ, and the ancient Egyptians also competed in fishing, swimming and many other areas. By the time the first Olympian games begun in Greece, several sports were established and regulated all over the world. Since then sports have become a form of staying fit for some, a form of entertainment for others, and a well-paying job for the select few professionals the highest paid.

Sports have left their mark on a series of things in our lives. Athletes can be seen in ads, on the cover of magazines, and even in the slot machines you can play at the Red Flush Casino. The portal offers sports fans a great variety of games inspired by their favorite games, from hockey to baseball, from cricket to rugby. Sports inspired games are among the most popular at the Red Flush Casino, offering their players not just the chance to win big, but also the feeling of being right in the middle of the crowd at a game. On top of all that, the list of Red Flush Casino promotions is also an impressive one to read – it offers its players both big bucks and amazing prizes.

Unfortunately the “big bucks” I mentioned above are far below the amount these athletes have made this year. You’ll see what I mean if you take a look at the list of the highest paid 5 athletes of 2015.

1. Floyd Mayweather is the Highest Paid Athlete of All Time

Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. is considered one of the best boxers of all time, and the best one in his generation. And his earnings measure up to his fame: he has become the highest paid athlete ever, breaking the record set by Tiger Woods in 2008.

According to Forbes Magazine, Mayweather has cashed a paycheck worth $300 million this year, with only $15 million coming from endorsements.

2. Manny Pacquiao

Another boxer in the top, another athlete to break Tiger Woods’ 2008 record. Manny Pacquiao has made it on the list of the highest paid athletes this year with a total pay of $160 million, out of which $12 million are from endorsements.

The “endorsements” amount was a bit of a surprise for me at first. These two athletes are well known all over the world, so I expected more brands to choose them as their faces.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo

The third place in our list is occupied by 30 year old Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. Currently playing at Real Madrid, the player has gathered a total income of almost $80 million this year, with about $27 million of the total coming from endorsements. No wonder – soccer is the most followed sport in Europe and other parts of the world.

4. Lionel Messi

The next name on our list is Lionel Messi, a 28 year old Argentinian soccer player currently at FC Barcelona. His income for the year is close to $74 million, with over $22 million of it coming from endorsements.

5. Roger Federer

The 34 year old Swiss tennis player is considered the best player of all time. Currently ranked number 2 in the world, Roger Federer has made $67 million so far in 2015, with just $9 million of that being his salary – the rest comes from endorsements.