The Mr. Olympia is widely considered the top bodybuilding competition in the world. It’s held annually by the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) and has been brought to the masses by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his wins in the '70s and '80s.

First held in New York in September 1965 and still running today some 51 years later, the competition has been held around the world over the years, but it seems to have found its permanent home in Las Vegas, where the event has been hosted for the last 19 years.

Contrary to what most people think, Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t hold the record for the most wins – that record is shared by Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, who have each won eight titles. Haney won his titles between 1984 and 1991 and Coleman between 1998 and 2005. (Schwarzenegger won it seven times.)

How much money do Mr. Olympia winners make?

Things have definitely changed over the years at Mr Olympia. Not only are the guys getting bigger but so is the award money – in 1965 Larry Scott received $1000; 10 years later it had risen to $2500. In 1990 it stood at $100,000 and in 2015 Phil Heath received $400,000.

It’s not all about the prize money though – it’s the Olympic games of the bodybuilding world, where winners get maximum exposure, increased sponsorship opportunities and of course bragging rights over everyone else.

What do Mr. Olympia winners do in the offseason?

Larry Scott (two-time winner) took his $2000 prize money and retired to focus on his family. He raised five kids and set up a personal training company before passing away in March 2014, having succumbed to Alzheimer's disease at the age of 75.
Lee Haney (current most wins, shared with Ronnie Coleman) retired at the age of 31 and used his bodybuilding knowledge to help others by setting up a personal training company. As well as helping regular gym goers, he has been the go-to trainer for professional athletes and coaches and even helped Evander Holyfield defend his two heavyweight titles. At 56 years old, he’s still going strong.
Ronnie Coleman (current most wins, shared with Lee Haney) was a serving police officer during most of his wins, although he retired from the force in 2003. His last competition was the 2007 Mr Olympia when he came fourth. He has launched his own range of supplements under the name ‘Ronnie Coleman Signature Series’, which are designed to provide bodybuilders with supplements that work and that he is happy to put his name against. Ronnie has suffered serious back issues, probably from the amount of training he has done, and he has had seven operations in the last nine years. Only recently has he been back in the gym .

The complete list of Mr. Olympia winners & runners up list

1965 Winners

Larry Scott, 1965 – First Place Champion

Harold Poole, 1965 – Second Place

Earl Maynard, 1965 – Third Place

1966 Winners

Larry Scott, 1966 – First Place Champion

Harold Poole, 1966 – Second Place

Earl Maynard, 1966 – Third Place

1967 Winners

Sergio Olivia, 1967 - First Place Champion

Chuck Sipes, 1967 – Second Place

Harold Poole, 1967 – Third Place

1968 Winners

Sergio Olivia, 1968 – First Place Champion

1969 Winners

Sergio Olivia, 1969 – First Place Champion

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1969 – Second Place

1970 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1970 – First Place Champion

Sergio Olivia, 1970 – Second Place

Reg Lewis, 1970 – Third Place

1971 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1971 – First Place Champion

1972 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1972 – First Place Champion

Sergio Olivia, 1972 – Second Place

Serge Nubret, 1972 – Third Place

1973 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1973 – First Place Champion

Franco Columbu, 1973 – Second Place

Serge Nubret, 1973 – Third Place

1974 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1974 – First Place Champion (Overall Winner)

1975 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1975 – First Place Champion (Overall Winner)

1976 Winners

Franco Columbu, 1976 – First Place Champion (Overall Winner)

1977 Winners

Frank Zane, 1977 – First Place Champion

Robby Robinson, 1977 – Second Place

Ed Corney, 1977 – Third Place

1978 Winners

Frank Zane, 1978 – First Place Champion

Robby Robinson, 1978 – Second Place

Roy Callender, 1978 – Third Place

1979 Winners

Frank Zane, 1979 – First Place Champion (Overall Winner)

1980 Winners

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1980 – First Place Champion

Chris Dickerson, 1980 – Second Place

Frank Zane, 1980 – Third Place

1981 Winners

Franco Columbu, 1981 – First Place Champion

Chris Dickerson, 1981 – Second Place

Tom Platz, 1981 – Third Place

1982 Winners

Chris Dickerson, 1982 – First Place Champion

Frank Zane, 1982 – Second Place

Casey Viator, 1982 – Third Place

1983 Winners

Samir Bannout, 1983 – First Place Champion

Mohamed Makkawy, 1983 – Second Place

Lee Haney, 1983 – Third Place

1984 Winners

Lee Haney, 1984 – First Place Champion

Mohamed Makkawy, 1984 – Second Place

Jusup Wilkosz, 1984 – Third Place

1985 Winners

Lee Haney, 1985 – First Place Champion

Albert Beckles, 1985 – Second Place

Rich Gaspari, 1985 – Third Place

1986 Winners

Lee Haney, 1986 – First Place Champion

Rich Gaspari, 1986 – Second Place

Mike Christian, 1986 – Third Place

1987 Winners

Lee Haney, 1987 – First Place Champion

Rich Gaspari, 1987 – Second Place

Lee Labrada, 1987 – Third Place

1988 Winners

Lee Haney, 1988 – First Place Champion

Rich Gaspari, 1988 – Second Place

Berry de Mey, 1988 – Third Place

1989 Winners

Lee Haney, 1989 – First Place Champion

Lee Labrada, 1989 – Second Place

Vince Taylor, 1989 – Third Place

1990 Winners

Lee Haney, 1990 – First Place Champion

Lee Labrada, 1990 – Second Place

Shawn Ray, 1990 – Third Place

1991 Winners

Lee Haney, 1991 – First Place Champion

Dorian Yates, 1991 – Second Place

Vince Taylor, 1991 – Third Place

1992 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1992 – First Place Champion

Kevin Levrone, 1992 – Second Place

Lee Labrada, 1992 – Third Place

1993 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1993 – First Place Champion

Flex Wheeler, 1993 – Second Place

Shawn Ray, 1993 – Third Place

1994 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1994 – First Place Champion

Shawn Ray, 1994 – Second Place

Kevin Levrone, 1994 – Third Place

1995 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1995 – First Place Champion

Kevin Levrone, 1995 – Second Place

Nasser El Sonbaty, 1995 – Third Place

1996 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1996 – First Place Champion

Shawn Ray, 1996 – Second Place

Kevin Levrone, 1996 – Third Place

1997 Winners

Dorian Yates, 1997 – First Place Champion

Nasser El Sonbaty, 1997 – Second Place

Shawn Ray, 1997 – Third Place

1998 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 1998 – First Place Champion

Flex Wheeler, 1998 – Second Place

Nasser El Sonbaty, 1998 – Third Place

1999 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 1999 – First Place Champion

Flex Wheeler, 1999 – Second Place

Chris Cormier, 1999 – Third Place

2000 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2000 – First Place Champion

Kevin Levrone, 2000 – Second Place

Flex Wheeler, 2000 – Third Place

2001 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2001 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2001 – Second Place

Kevin Levrone, 2001 – Third Place

2002 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2002 – First Place Champion

Kevin Levrone, 2002 – Second Place

Chris Cormier, 2002 – Third Place

2003 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2003 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2003 – Second Place

Dexter Jackson, 2003 – Third Place

2004 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2004 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2004 – Second Place

Gustavo Badell, 2004 – Third Place

2005 Winners

Ronnie Coleman, 2005 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2005 – Second Place

Gustavo Badell, 2005 – Third Place

2006 Winners

Jay Cutler, 2006 – First Place Champion

Ronnie Coleman, 2006 – Second Place

Victor Martinez, 2006 – Third Place

2007 Winners

Jay Cutler, 2007 – First Place Champion

Victor Martinez, 2007 – Second Place

Dexter Jackson, 2007 – Third Place

2008 Winners

Dexter Jackson, 2008 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2008 – Second Place

Phil Heath, 2008 – Third Place

2009 Winners

Jay Cutler, 2009 – First Place Champion

Branch Warren, 2009 – Second Place

Dexter Jackson, 2009 – Third Place

2010 Winners

Jay Cutler, 2010 – First Place Champion

Phil Heath, 2010 – Second Place

Branch Warren, 2010 – Third Place

2011 Winners

Phil Heath, 2011 – First Place Champion

Jay Cutler, 2011 – Second Place

Kai Greene, 2011 – Third Place

2012 Winners

Phil Heath, 2012 – First Place Champion

Kai Greene, 2012 – Second Place

Shawn Rhoden, 2012 – Third Place

2013 Winners

Phil Heath, 2013 – First Place Champion

Kai Greene, 2013 – Second Place

Dennis Wolf, 2013 – Third Place

2014 Winners

Phil Heath, 2014 – First Place Champion

Kai Greene, 2014 – Second Place

Shawn Rhoden, 2014 – Third Place

2015 Winners

Phil Heath, 2015 – First Place Champion

Dexter Jackson, 2015 – Second Place

Shawn Rhoden, 2015 – Third Place

2016 Winners

Phil Heath, 2016 – First Place Champion

Shawn Rhoden, 2016 – Second Place

Dexter Jackson, 2016 – Third Place

2017 Winners

Phil Heath, 2017 – First Place Champion

Mamdouh Elssbiay (Big Ramy), 2017 – Second Place

William Bonac, 2017 – Third Place

2018 Winners

In an exciting contest, 7-time Mr Olympia Phil Heath was dramatically dethroned by longtime rival Shawn Rhoden. A contentious decision, most audience observers felt that Rhoden's superior abdominal striations played a key role in his victory and could possibly set professional bodybuilding for a journey back to its roots when symmetry, and a tight midsection were at least as important as outright mass.

Shawn Rhoden, 2018 – First Place Champion

Phil Heath, 2018 – Second Place

Roelly Winklaar, 2018 - Third Place

2019 Winners

Brandon Curry, 2019 - First Place Champion

William Bonac, 2019 - Second Place

Hadi Choopan, 2019 - Third Place

Who has the most Mr Olympia wins?

Of the many champions we've seen over the years, the top number of wins is actually a draw, with two great bodybuilders having secured 8 wins respectively. The most Mr Olympia wins is held by both Lee Haney (1984–1991) and Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005) with 8 titles each.

We can say for certain, we'll be in for a treat for 2020! Who's your money on?

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