Dropout plays video games for big bucks

updated 11:54 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2006

JUPITER, Fla. - When 18-year-old Tom Taylor dropped out of high school because he wanted to play more video games, most people were skeptical.

Now he's known as Tsquared on the gaming circuit. He's earning six figures and has product endorsements and a video game tutoring business.

He's one of about 100 professional gamers associated with Major League Gaming, a video gaming league founded in 2002. When they're playing well, pros might bring home a few grand a month.

"I take risks," he told The Palm Beach Post. "In order to get paid, you have to take risks. I think I took the biggest risk I could take, dropping out of school to play video games, and it paid off."

Six months after he started gaming full time, he signed his $250,000 contract. He also got a publicist, a financial adviser and media training.

"I guess some people are just born with talents in certain things," he says, "like Michael Jordan was born to play basketball. I feel like I was born to play video games."

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