Are you a gamer trying to figure out how to get paid to play Call of Duty? If so, here are the best strategies to improve your chances of earning money with Call of Duty.
Playing online games has changed from a pastime activity to a money-making opportunity for many people. Thanks to the internet, playing games for money only requires a smartphone or a PC, and you are ready to earn money online.
One game that really helps people earn money online is “The Call of Duty.”
Since its establishment in 2003, this first-person shooter video game has become one of the most played on the internet. There are currently 19 game titles on the platform, with the latest one released on November 5, 2021.
If you are a COD fan and don’t know how to make money from your gaming prowess, this piece is precisely for you. I will show you exactly how to get paid to play Call of Duty with a few simple steps.
Instead of just playing for fun, you can learn how to pocket a few bucks while at it.
There are several strategies you can employ to ensure that the time you spend playing Call of Duty earns you good money. Follow these strategies, and you might become the next highest gamer on COD.
Live streaming yourself as you do what you do best (playing COD) is one of the best ways to make money as a gamer. You can leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Twitch, etc., to show your skills to the world.
However, you must do a few things to become a successful streamer.
Generally, not many people will enjoy watching an amateur play. For this reason, to make money streaming, you must first practice and attain skills that will attract viewership.
Your skills are a good start, but it won’t be enough. People must enjoy watching you play the game. Therefore, make the game as interesting as you can. Keeping your audience entertained ensures they return to watch your next streaming.
If you can do these two things, making money playing COD won’t be too hard.
But how much do you get paid to play Call of Duty?
When I say earning money playing COD, I mean good money – not just a few dollars that can only pay some utility bills!
An excellent example of someone making it big in COD live streaming is Nick’ Nickmercs’ Kolcheff. Nick makes around $1.5 million annually, and this is only from paid subscriptions—donations, sponsorships, and ad revenue are excluded. Nick mainly streams on Twitch but also has a YouTube channel.
If you do it well, you can even make gaming your primary income source.
As long as you have followers, affiliate marketing can earn you good money. The good thing is that it’s also one of the easiest ways to create passive income.
So, how do you make money with affiliate marketing while playing Call of Duty? Well, it’s all about viewership. You can make the most of your live streaming by promoting some products, especially those you use for gaming.
For instance, what products can you promote if you have a studio? Can your fans love those headphones that you love?
How about the controllers, smartphones, or webcams?
All these are products you can promote during your live streams and get paid by the brands. You must get the brand affiliate links and insert them in the description section. You can also request the affiliate partners for custom coupon codes for your account.
You receive a commission whenever one of your fans buys a product through the affiliate link or coupon. Some reputable merchants with great affiliate programs include Amazon, Gearbest, Walmart, etc.
Affiliate marketing is among the most legitimate ways to make money from home besides paid survey sites.
Sharing your skills with other players can also be an excellent way to make money playing Call of Duty. That’s right! You don’t have to win contests to benefit from your gaming skills.
If you know you are good at playing Call of Duty, you can look for amateurs who need training and charge them a small fee. Beginners can always appreciate some tips on becoming professionals themselves.
However, you must be a good teacher to ensure your students see the value for their money. In the beginning, try to set reasonable hourly rates to attract students. You can adjust your rates later when you’ve become more established.
Some COD coaches make hundreds of dollars hourly by sharing their experience and skills with new gamers. However, this doesn’t come overnight. If you are just starting your COD coaching career, you must be ready to take some time before you can attract students without much hassle.
Also, ensure you are up to date with all the latest games. This way, you can easily handle any query the students throw.
See Related: Ways to Get Paid for Leaving Your Computer Running
Here, it’s your skills that help you earn money. If you trust your gaming skills, COD eSports tournaments can help you make more money. In addition, you will become famous in the gaming industry if you win some of these competitions.
While there are various amateur tournaments that you can join online, their prizes aren’t that attractive. Pro Call of Duty tournaments are a perfect choice if you want big money to live off.
The Call of Duty League (CDL) is the most recent Pro COD eSports tournament, which ended on 22nd August 2021. The prize was a whopping $2,500,000, and ATL FaZe won the title.
Generally, the tournament has the highest pool prize of up to $6 million and focuses mainly on the ‘Modern Warfare title.”
Also, besides the prize money, COD players are entitled to an annual salary from their team. The minimum salary here is $50,000 for the CDL players. This means that online gaming can earn you really good money.
However, winning those titles isn’t easy. You must strategize, practice, be consistent, and have patience. Without this, your dream of becoming a top Call of Duty player might remain a dream.
See related: 16 Ways to Get Free PayPal Money (Instant & Easy Options)
With a large subscriber base, selling merchandise won’t be too hard. Since people love what you do, some wouldn’t mind spending a few dollars on getting your branded products.
People usually love associating with their influencers, role models, or heroes. Therefore, you can use your channel to make real money selling branded merchandise.
Dropshipping is the best way to sell products to your audience without dealing with all the storage and delivery logistics. Generally, the dropshipping store does all the hard work, and all you do is receive the money.
However, you should note that people won’t buy your products because you are an influencer.
You must create appealing designs that your subscribers will also love. Some of the best dropshipping platforms you can rely on include MyDream Store, SaleHoo, Worldwide Brands, etc.
Not being the most skillful player doesn’t mean you can’t make money with Call of Duty. If your skills aren’t good enough, you can bet on your favorite team or those you think can win.
Betting on these tournaments can help you earn money without competing. For instance, you can wait for the next CDL season or even bet on the smaller leagues throughout the year.
And it’s quite easy to make money betting on COD tournaments. These eSports bets are available on various online sportsbooks, allowing you to bet for your favorite team.
However, you should note that this is a game of chance. Since you are not betting on yourself, the bet can go any way. Therefore, before placing your wager, conduct thorough research on the game and the participating teams.
You might take home some serious money if the odds fall in your favor.
Like affiliate marketing, making real money through sponsorships requires a large following. The larger your audience, whether on Facebook gaming, Twitch, or YouTube, the easier it will be to get brands to sponsor you.
Sometimes, your large audience naturally attracts sponsoring brands. However, in some cases, you must search for the sponsors yourself. Luckily, a platform like YouTube recently bought FameBit to help simplify collaboration between its users and different brands.
If you have followers on other platforms, you might need to search for a way to reach your target brands. For instance, you can hire the services of an agency that specializes in connecting brands and influencers.
See Related: Can You Get Paid to Stuff Envelopes from Home?
Having discussed the various strategies that help you make money online through Call of Duty, here are some crucial tips to help you reach there.
As I said earlier, most money-making options require great gaming skills. For this reason, practicing is a must.
You should be ready to spend time honing your skills if you can win the tournaments, attract a massive following, or even find gaming students to train. You can’t just wake up one day and become a pro.
Most top players dedicate at least 6-8 hours daily to practice. This helps them keep up with the ever-rising competition in this dynamic industry. Strict practicing schedules ensure you are always on the game and never get rusty.
Jurd, one of the top players in the European league, says that you should try practicing with gamers on your level and those better than you. This will help you grow your skills more as you learn new tactics from the more experienced gamers.
Challenges or competitions are the only way to get noticed and gauge your skills. Luckily, numerous Call of Duty and other gaming competitions are online. Therefore, if you want to scale the ladder and become a household name, start by competing in small online tournaments and rise gradually.
Some of the best sites for such tournaments include:
These platforms host numerous tournaments daily that you can join and make your practice easier.
Don’t be in a hurry to become a pro or make millions of dollars. Take your time and avoid rushing things. You might get frustrated if you try to make overnight fortunes with Call of Duty.
Do it as a hobby first, as you improve your skills and start making money. You must put in a lot of effort before you can start being seen and recognized. And it might take years, but the struggle is worth it when the money starts trickling in.
A good example of this is Jurd, one of the top players in COD. While it has taken him some years to practice and improve his skills, his efforts paid off after a US team picked him to participate in a major tournament.
As he puts it, many professional COD players endure years of practice and competition as they ascend to the top. So, don’t be fooled into thinking that a few hours of practice will make you a pro in months.
If you want to make gaming your source of income or a reliable side hustle, know that you’ll need to put in the extra effort. Nevertheless, it is pretty much attainable.
With the above tips, learning how to make money playing Call of Duty has never been easier.
Last updated: July 28, 2025
