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Quake 4 is Gareth's game of choice

"Like most kids, I started playing games when I was about 11," he explains.

"And, again like most kids, I quickly got hooked. I remember sitting down with the careers advisers at school and telling them that I wanted to be a professional gamer when I grew up. They laughed out loud!"

Undeterred though, Gareth continued to hone his game playing skills as the growth of the internet introduced a whole generation to online gaming.

'Gaming clubs' began to spring up around the world as thousands of people began to battle it out over the web on first-person-shooters like Half Life and role-playing games such as War Craft.

Gareth at work

Within a few years the online gaming community comprised of millions and big corporations began to offer the ultimate prize for the very best players – sponsorship deals when competing in tournaments.

Sponsorship

"I actually achieved sponsorship by winning a bet!" laughs Gareth. "A mate of mine knew someone who was a member of one of the online teams. He made a bet with me that I wouldn't be able to beat this guy. I said that with two weeks training I'd be able to. And I did!

"The team recognised what I'd done and asked me to join. After a few good performances in tournaments I managed to get a sponsor.

"It's a full time job now. I get bonuses depending on how much work I do – how much training I do, how many tournaments I take part in and the like. I'll travel to exhibitions too to promote a new piece of hardware on their behalf."

Be safe on the web

Small-scale tournaments can take place in tiny community halls, but the international events are the ultimate goal.

"I competed in a gigantic tournament in the middle of Times Square in New York," says Gareth. "Since I turned pro two years ago, I've played in big American cities, as well as parts of Sweden, Germany, South Africa and China."

"They can vary in length. The recent Cyber Professional League tourney had 9 stops all around the world. One-off tournaments can last for four days, so the sponsor will fly me in a day or two before it starts. My hotel and living costs are all covered.

"In the weeks leading up to a tournament, I'll train for twelve hours a day on the particular game."

Prizes

So what kind of money is involved in these things?

Competing in a tournament

"The finals of the CPF had a prize of half a million dollars. Depending on your deal with your sponsor, you could pick up the majority of that if you won. The most I've ever won – so far - at any one time was £6000."

So for video game players everywhere, does Gareth have the ultimate job?

"I do!" he laughs. "I do get grief though. People have this stereotype of the geek who sits in his room playing games all day. The reality is that I travel so much I rarely have time to be in my room!

"It's worse in the UK than in Asia. If you go over there you're a celebrity; here you're a geek. But the fact is that there's no other job that I could do – at my age – that allows me to see the world doing something I love."

For more information on Gareth's team - team-dignitas - visit: http://www.team-dignitas.org