Professional athletes make money in a variety of ways:

1. Salaries/Winnings: This is the primary source of income for most professional athletes. They get paid for playing their respective sports, with contracts often running into millions of dollars per year. In sports like tennis or golf, athletes earn prize money from tournament winnings.

2. Sponsorships/Endorsements: Companies often pay professional athletes to endorse their products. This can include appearing in commercials, wearing branded attire during games, or promoting the brand on social media. This is often a significant source of income, especially for high-profile athletes.

3. Merchandising: Athletes can also make money by selling products with their name or likeness. This can include everything from shoes and clothing to video games and trading cards.

4. Licensing: Athletes can license their names or likenesses to be used in various media, such as video games, movies, or TV shows. They receive a fee or royalty for each use.

5. Appearance Fees: Athletes can be paid to appear at events, such as charity games, exhibitions, autograph signings, or speaking engagements.

6. Media/Broadcasting: Some athletes earn money by working in the media, such as serving as a commentator or analyst for TV broadcasts of their sport. Others may earn money from a share of the broadcasting rights fees for their games.

7. Investments: Like anyone else, athletes can make money by investing in stocks, real estate, or businesses. Some athletes have made substantial amounts by investing in tech startups or owning a stake in sports teams.

8. Bonuses: Athletes can earn bonuses for achieving certain performance metrics, like scoring a certain number of goals in a season, or for team success like winning championships.

9. Training Camps/Clinics: Some athletes run training camps or clinics, sharing their expertise and skills with younger or less-experienced players for a fee.

10. Book deals, TV shows, and movies: Athletes can earn money from writing books about their life or career, participating in reality TV shows, or even acting in movies.

Top 10 Richest Professional Athletes

1. Michael Jordan (60 years old): An American former professional basketball player, principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets, and one of the most marketed athletes in history, currently valued at $2.2 billion.

2. Ion Tiriac (84 years old): A former Romanian professional tennis and ice hockey player, turned successful businessman and investor, with a net worth of $2 billion.

3. Vince McMahon (77 years old): The American majority owner, chairman and CEO of WWE, and a former professional wrestler, with a net worth of $1.8 billion.

4. Magic Johnson (63 years old): Retired American professional basketball player and former president of the Los Angeles Lakers, who has amassed a fortune of $600 million.

5. Roger Staubach (81 years old): A former American football quarterback in the NFL who later founded a successful real estate company, currently worth $600 million.

6. LeBron James (38 years old): An American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and significant sports figure, with a net worth of $500 million.

7. Eddie Jordan (74 years old): An Irish former motorsport team boss, businessman, and television personality, worth $475 million.

8. Kobe Bryant (Deceased): Was an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who had a net worth of $600 million at the time of his death.

9. David Beckham (48 years old): A retired English footballer turned businessman, model, and spokesperson, currently valued at $450 million.

10. Michael Schumacher (54 years old): A retired German racing driver who is considered one of the greatest in the history of Formula One, with a net worth of $600 million.

11. Cristiano Ronaldo (38 years old): A Portuguese professional footballer and one of the best players in the world, with a current net worth of $460 million.

12. Floyd Mayweather (46 years old): An American retired professional boxer, boxing promoter, and one of the most lucrative pay-per-view attractions of all time, with a net worth of $450 million.

13. Shaquille O’Neal (51 years old): A retired American professional basketball player and sports analyst, with a current net worth of $400 million.

14. Phil Mickelson (53 years old): An American professional golfer who is considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport, with a net worth of $400 million.

15. Lionel Messi (35 years old): An Argentine professional footballer, often considered one of the best players in the world, with a net worth of $400 million.

16. Jack Nicklaus (83 years old): A retired American professional golfer, considered one of the greatest of all time, who also owns a golf course design company, with a net worth of $400 million.

17. Greg Norman (68 years old): An Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur, who has built a net worth of $400 million.

18. Alex Rodriguez (47 years old): A retired American professional baseball player, television host, and businessman, with a net worth of $350 million.

19. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (48 years old): An American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and analyst for NASCAR, with a net worth of $300 million.

20. George Foreman (74 years old): A retired American professional boxer and entrepreneur, known for his successful line of grills, with a net worth of $300 million.

21. Lewis Hamilton (38 years old): A British racing driver in Formula One for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, considered one of the best in the sport, with a net worth of $285 million.

22. Fernando Alonso (41 years old): A Spanish racing driver currently racing for Alpine in Formula One, with a net worth of $260 million.

23. Gary Player (87 years old): A South African retired professional golfer, considered one of the best of the 20th century, with a net worth of $250 million.

24. Grant Hill (50 years old): A retired American professional basketball player and current sports broadcaster, with a net worth of $250 million.

25. Kimi Raikkonen (43 years old): A Finnish racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Alfa Romeo Racing, with a net worth of $250 million.