Silver medalist Chris Mazdzer only made $700 the year before the Olympics

For well-known Olympians like Shaun White and Lindsey Vonn, taking home a medal only boosts their earnings. But not all sports are lucrative. Take luge, for example.

Fan favorite Chris Mazdzer earned silver at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, becoming the first American man to ever medal in the sport. He'll earn around $22,500 from the U.S. for his achievement. "It may not be a lot, but then afterward a lot of our costs are covered — now I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about financials for the next four years," he told Wealthsimple in a recent interview.

But outside of the Olympics, luge doesn't offer much prize money, even for top competitors. Mazdzer estimates that he earned a mere $700 throughout the entire season before PyeongChang. He also received a small stipend from the U.S. Luge Association to cover his cost of living.