Back in 1999 I started playing Unreal Tournament, and quickly made it into the UK team, and although I was good enough to win big cash (£5k winners prize) I never managed it due to nerves mainly
I carried on playing and was in the top 10 in the UK for ages in the UT series, but it never won me any cash even though our team won a fair few leagues/cups over the years..
I kept expecting it to make the big time much like gaming has in South Korea, but 10 years on, I think we are no nearer than we were 10 years ago.
In South Korea, being in the top 10 there would have made me a super star earning millions, they are crazy about gaming.
As for these little skill game sites, they are a good stepping stone, but they just aren't publicised enough. Most people that play probably don't even think anyone actually makes any profit from the sites, so I just can't see these leading to mainstream 'pro' gaming.
I do now have a regular income from King.com of a decent amount, but still nowhere near enough to live on, it's just a bonus at the moment.