How Much Money US, Other Countries Are Paying Olympic Medalists at Paris Games

Winning an Olympic gold medal can be life-changing.

Depending on the athlete’s nationality, it can also be pretty lucrative.

Athletes who win individual gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics while representing Malaysia, Morocco or Serbia will receive upwards of $200,000 from their country’s government or national Olympic committee, according to a survey of medal payouts conducted by USA TODAY Sports. At least six other countries − including Italy, which won 10 golds in Tokyo − are offering payouts north of $100,000. And some offer added perks, like apartments and vacation vouchers, or extra money if an athlete breaks an Olympic record.

How much do Team USA athletes get paid for winning an Olympic medal?

The payments offered through what the USOPC calls “Operation Gold” are unchanged for 2024. Athletes will earn $37,500 for every gold medal in Paris, $22,500 for every silver and $15,000 for each bronze.

Those figures are slightly below the norm, among the countries surveyed by USA TODAY Sports − though the U.S. usually has to pay out more medal bonuses because it usually wins more medals. Team USA finished atop the Tokyo Olympics medal table, for example, with 39 golds, 41 silvers and 33 bronzes.

Which countries pay their athletes the most for winning Olympic medals?

The two known highest-paying countries at the last Summer Olympics − Chinese Taipei and Singapore − did not respond to multiple messages seeking updated information. Singapore said it would pay an athlete $1 million if he or she won gold in Tokyo. Chinese Taipei said it would reward its lone individual gold medalist, weightlifter Hsing-Chun Kuo, with roughly $716,000.