Getting sponsored?

How do I get sponsored? I have been wakeboarding for 12 years and have only competed in 6 comps last 2 of them in the outlaw division which I took first in both. I have seen people with less skill then me be sponsored and I'm just wondering how they do it and what exactly comes from being sponsored?

I have always been into just free riding on my lake and go to a competition once in a while to see where my skill level is at compared to others. I just recently decided I would like to compete more and try to get some sponsors. Do they pay for your entree fee or give you free gear or what? Like I said I never leave my lake, I don't know how wakeboarding works as far as trying to take it somewhere.