Looking into Call of Duty esports and how to bet on it properly

Call of Duty is one of the biggest video game franchises ever. With its success, there is also a booming esports scene that has grown over the years. It is not only a massively popular game, but it is also one of the pillars of esports which has left a lasting impact on the fabric of gaming.

When people talk about COD, they mostly refer to the popular multiplayer game they can play on either console or PC. In the past few years, they’ve even breached the mobile market with their game in the app stores. It is a big part of the scene but you can also expect them to improve as time goes on. The developers are strong in terms of their ear to the player base and they have improved with every game they release.

Since you’re more familiar with other first-person shooter games like Counter-Strike and its free CSGO skins, it should be expected that you’re not aware of the COD scene. This will be a newcomer’s guide to the professional Call of Duty and how it has grown as an esports title.

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What makes COD such a good esports game? 

In the early days of esports, there were only some FPS titles like CS, Quake and Unreal Tournament. CS was the game that broke out into the mainstream and it’s also the sole FPS game that has remained in the space for the longest time. In the mid-2000s, the genre shifted because COD started to ramp up and turn itself into a solid contender for the FPS race. 

COD 4: Modern Warfare was the start of something big because it truly captured people’s attention since it had a multiplayer aspect and its modes were all enjoyable. Team Deathmatch was the biggest hit and it continued. It was only bubbling under the surface of the mainstream but it would take COD: Modern Warfare 2 to truly breach the mainstream and become the most popular game in the world at the time.

MW2 was a classic example of a game taking over the world. Not only the gaming industry was affected because platforms like YouTube and other social media platforms were booming because of COD’s growth. At the same time, competitive COD matches were being played around the world with some prominent teams leading the way. If you’re in any way familiar with esports teams, you should be aware of orgs like FaZe Clan, OpTic Gaming, Team Envy and many more.

COD has quicker gameplay compared to other FPS games like CS. MW2 was only the beginning of the COD era because these games turned out to be a solid series. Other games like Black Ops and other COD sequels became the norm every year and the esports scene’s growth followed suit. 

Nowadays, COD is not the most popular FPS title but it’s still one of the most popular games behind CSGO, Valorant and Rainbow Six Siege. Compared to these three games, COD is not a game that is rooted in tactics because skill is the biggest factor in this game. Another big difference between COD and the other games is that pro-COD is only played with controllers. With the popularity of PC games and their mouse and keyboard format, COD is different from the other games with its reliance on the controller.

One of the main factors in COD’s success over the years is the flashy plays that have circulated the internet. Highlight and trick shot reels were always posted on YouTube and it became a big part of the game’s growth. Amazing 360-no-scope shots were the norm back then and young kids tried to emulate the videos they saw and they kept growing in popularity with its esports scene as well. 

The best teams in COD esports history

In traditional sports, people always talk about dynasties which are massively successful teams for a lengthy period. In COD esports, there have been multiple orgs that have achieved that kind of success and they are pretty popular when it comes to their status on the internet. Let’s dive into some of the teams.

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OpTic Gaming

Even if you’re in the COD scene, you might’ve encountered OpTic in some of the games that you watch. They’ve broken into big games like CSGO and Dota 2 but they’ve not won big trophies in both of those games. Their roots are in COD and in this scene, they were seen as the top dogs due to their consistent success.

With players like Raymond ‘Rambo’ Lussier, Will ‘BigTymer’ Johnson, and Seth ‘Scump’ Abner, OpTic turned their brand into one of the most popular in the gaming industry. They were selling out merchandise and they had sponsorships with gaming peripheral companies among others.

In the late 2010s, the team was made up of players like Scump, Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper, Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter, Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, and Damon ‘Karma’ Barlow. All of these players turned into stars for the team and they had the résumé to prove it with 18 major LAN wins which included X Games gold medals and the COD World Championship title.

OpTic is still an amazing game that has roots in COD. If you’re interested in looking into the history of OG, you should check out their past runs and look at how they affected the scene. With team owner Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez still in charge, you can expect this org to remain strong in the COD scene for years to come. 

FaZe Clan

When it comes to mainstream popularity, it is hard to go against FaZe and its ability to branch out into other spaces. They are a strong org that is known not only for their contributions to COD but other endeavours as well. They are loaded with streams of content from YouTube to Twitch and many more. However, their org is firmly rooted in COD and they remain committed to COD. 

Like OpTic, FaZe has also broken into multiple esports titles but this time, they are more successful than their rival org. FaZe is a powerhouse in almost every esports title that they enter with the likes of CSGO, Rainbow Six, Fortnite, and many more.

They are massively successful in COD but their main impact on the scene makes gaming mainstream. Their content space is probably the biggest out of any esports team out there. Since they have COD roots, it will be hard to separate them from the scene and they are a testament to how big the game was back in the day and how it continues to grow in the present. 

FaZe will keep on growing and improving which should be a credit to how COD gave birth to their org and how they remained a titan in the scene. Hopefully, people can realize why FaZe is such a big team and why they matter to COD and the gaming scene as a whole.

There are other teams you can look for with the likes of Evil Geniuses, Denial Esports, Luminosity Gaming and many more. If you’re interested in those teams, a quick search will net you some matches you can watch to be familiar with their styles. This is important, especially for the next part.

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COD betting

People overlooked esports betting back in the day because it was not as lucrative as it is now. Most people saw esports as a fun activity that the pro players can enjoy and the other members of the scene to only be viewers. However, something shifted when people realized that they can also bet on esports just like the traditional sports that they follow. Online sportsbooks started to take notice and they also helped esports break into the betting scene.

One of the main titles in the scene is various games in the COD series. Since it changes almost every year, you can expect this game to remain a strong part of the betting scene for years to come. It is not only a game anymore because it has turned into a whole industry. People love to bet on games and the esports scene is a perfect medium for players to earn money while they watch the elite players duke it out for supremacy.

Just like other esports betting scenes, COD is a game where you will thrive when you do the research. Since most of the highlights and VODs are online, you have a treasure trove of info to look into. 

These are needed for you to win the bets. After all, if you know the contrasting styles of every team, you will have an easier time predicting the results because you’re already familiar with how they play and the players they employ. With the likes of OG, FaZe and EG still in the scene, it will not go away anytime soon. 

As long as you keep up with the scene, your bets will hit. Make sure you try to watch and play the game as well so your knowledge won’t dry up. Free CSGO skins were a big deal in betting back in the day and now, the entire esports scene has caught up. Hopefully, you can follow the scene and make good bets so you can earn the rewards you deserve. Good luck and have fun!

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Words: Pocholo Magsino