Sports

What are the richest contracts in sports? Here are the deals Juan Soto topped

Here's how Soto's record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract compares to the richest deals in other sports.

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MLB star and former New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto signed a record deal with the New York Mets.

Juan Soto is moving from the Bronx to Queens, and he's taking a record-breaking amount of money with him.

The star free agent reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million dollar contract on Sunday with the New York Mets for what is the largest deal in professional sports history. 

The total value of the contract puts him ahead of the previous record holder: Shohei Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year and still holds the mark for average total value at $70 million per year.

Soto is projected to make $314,815 per game over the life of the contract, and that's before possible incentives might increase the total value above $800 million.

The sports world is now more than three-quarters of the way towards its first billion-dollar contract. 

Here are the other richest deals in the four main professional sports in the United States, which will take a significant cut of each in taxes.

Who is the highest-paid athlete?

Being a star Major League Baseball player is a good gig, if you can get it. Without a salary cap and maximum contracts, MLB offers some of the longest and most lucrative contracts in sports. Here are the richest contracts in the league, per Spotrac.

1. Juan Soto, New York Mets -- 15 years, $765 million

2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers -- 10 years, $700 million

3. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels -- 12 years, $426.5 million

4. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers -- 12 years, $365 million

5. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees -- 9 years, $360 million

Who is the highest-paid NFL player?

How 'bout them paychecks?

Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys is the highest-paid active NFL player based on guaranteed money over the life of a contract. The quarterback is guaranteed $231 million of the four-year, $240 million deal he signed earlier this year.

Who is the highest-paid NBA player?

A pair of Boston Celtics each recently found a pot of gold.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the only NBA players so far to have a contract exceed $300 million, with both having signed supermax extensions. Tatum signed the richest deal in NBA history earlier this year at five years and $314 million. In 2029-2030, he is set to become the first NBA player to earn more than $70 million for a single season.

Tatum's contract topped the previous high that was set one year earlier by Brown, who inked a five-year, $304 million deal.

Who is the highest paid NHL player?

Nearly win the Cup and you get some cash.

Leon Draisaitl was handsomely rewarded for helping the Edmonton Oilers come within one victory of their first Stanley Cup in over 30 years.

The star center signed an eight-year, $112 million contract in September, just months after helping the Oilers reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. That topped the previous highs for total value held by Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators (14 years, $110 million) and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (12 years, $104.4 million).

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