10 Highest Paid Athletes in 2010

Being a sportsman requires one to be the best player in the game. While some have extraordinary physical strength, some can make the winning moves through sheer strategy. That is why the toughest athletes are rewarded handsomely through admiration and prize money. The 10 highest paid athletes in 2010 are as follows, starting from the bottom to the top:

1. Alex Rodriguez, Baseball - $27.5 million Owning the richest baseball contract in history earns Alex Rodriguez a spot at number 10. Nicknamed A-Rod, the Yankees player has a 10-year contract for $275 million.

2. Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR - $34 million The multi-awarded NASCAR pro driver Dale Earnhardt is part of Hendricks Motorsports and has sponsorships from Adidas, Wrangler and Sony.

3. Valentino Rossi, MotoGP - $35 million Having won eight Grand Prix World Championships, Valentino Rossi is a certified star in motorcycle racing earning $16 million from Yamaha and endorsement contracts.

4. Fernando Alonso, Formula 1 - $40 million The Ferrari driver makes hearts and cash registers swoon to the beat of $40 million in salary. This alone makes Fernando Alonso the Spanish heartthrob in Formula 1 racing.

5. Manny Pacquiao, Boxing - $40 million Also with $40 million earnings is Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao from the Philippines. The best pound-for-pound boxer today never fails to attract thousands of crowds, that Las Vegas already treats him like a native son.

6. Phil Mickelson, Golf - $40 million One of the two professional golfers included in the list, Phil Mickelson has won the Masters twice and rakes in about $54 million in prize money.

7. James LeBron, Basketball - $40 million Signing a three-year contract with the Cavaliers for $60 million, James LeBron was also the youngest MVP when he won it in 2005-2006 NBA season.

8. David Beckham, Football - $42 million David Beckham got the looks, the money and the girl. He definitely earns his keep in the soccer world through massive endorsement deals with Pepsi, Vodafone and Gillette, to mention a few.

9. Kobe Bryant, Basketball - $45 million Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers is paid $20 million a year but with his sponsorship contracts, he brings home as much as $45 million!

10. Tiger Woods, Golf - $110 million Though much of his fame this year is focused on his extra-marital affairs, Tiger Woods’ star still shines the brightest when it comes to athlete’s salaries. He’s close to reaching the 1 billion mark from a successful 13-year career.