📝 Post Summary
Virtual sports betting offers a thrilling way to wager on simulated sports events like football and horse racing, with outcomes driven by random algorithms rather than past performance. Bettors can place various types of bets any time, as these events happen continuously, making it a unique blend of sports and casino gambling, distinct from competitive esports.
The world of sports betting is always changing, and with the rise of digital sportsbooks and bookmakers, bettors can wager on a wide range of online sports and sporting events. Whether it be goal scorers in football or a player making a birdie on a specific golf hole, bettors have lots of options for sports betting. One of the most recent developments in the market is the addition of virtual sports on which bettors can wager. These are sports played in virtual reality, with the same random outcome mechanics as many digital betting games. Here at OddsMonkey, we will look at what these virtual bets are, how they work, and how bettors can use them.
What Are Virtual Sports?
Virtual sports are games that simulate real-life sports, such as football, horse racing, and more. Bettors can spectate these whilst also placing bets on them. Just like regular sports betting, each team is given odds for how likely they are to win, and bettors can make different types of bets, such as accumulator bets or single bets. If users are looking to place these bets, make sure to use our betting calculators to get an idea of the expected returns before placing them.
These virtual sports cover a variety of sporting events; they are also available for users to bet on at any time, as a new round or event begins every couple of minutes. This allows bettors to use the odds available for these stakes at any time that suits them.
An algorithm completely determines the outcomes of these virtual sports, so factors such as form or past results do not affect gameplay, unlike in real-life sporting events. Without these elements in play, virtual sports are known to offer a closer experience to casino betting than sports betting, thanks to their randomised results.
It is also important for bettors to remember that these virtual sports are not the same as Esports, which is competitive video game betting. Virtual sports are simulations of real-life sports, whereas Esports is the act of players competing against each other on different video games such as CS GO and FIFA. If users are interested in learning more about Esports, take a look at our Esports betting guide.
Bookmakers typically offer markets for both Esports and virtual sports, so it is incredibly important not to confuse the two if you are planning to place any bets.
How Does Virtual Sports Betting Work?
As previously mentioned, virtual sports are algorithm-based, meaning they are primarily luck-based. However, each team or selection is assigned odds of winning. For example, if England faced Denmark in a virtual football match, both teams would be given odds on their chances of winning, whilst there is also a draw option for users to bet on. These odds do not directly correlate with how the teams will perform, but they will give bettors a good indication of who is most likely to win the match. Here is an example of the odds created by Bet365 for the virtual match between Islington and Burnley.
As this is a virtual game, some users might be sceptical about how safe these games are to play; however, just like online casino games, they all feature an RTP (Return To Player) percentage that they must adhere to. This means users betting on virtual sports at any reputable casino can rest assured that the results are legitimate and fair. Given how hard it is to find value in virtual sports, this selection is not recommended for those who engage in value betting.
However, as these games can be played in quick succession, there is a chance of bettors continuing to place bets and chase losses. Make sure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your bankroll when playing these games.
Tips and Strategy for Virtual Sports
Because matches are decided by an algorithm rather than players’ actual performance, you are far more limited in the strategies you can use compared to real-life sports. Odds become much more significant when deciding where to place your stake, as you cannot rely on past form, patterns of play, or what you have seen from players before. Despite the availability of historical data and statistics, you are unlikely to find odds discrepancies to exploit.
As with any other form of sports betting, betting on the favourite will offer lower odds, which means the potential return would be smaller, and there is no guarantee that the underdog will not succeed. If you are going to bet on virtual sports, it is crucial to play responsibly.
Why Bet On Virtual Sports?
You might be wondering what the pros and cons of placing virtual sports bets are, and here we are going to cover some of these points so you can decide whether virtual sports betting is for you.
Positives:
✅Frequency – Due to virtual bets being available frequently, they allow for sports bets to be placed more frequently than real-life events, meaning you do not have to wait for specific matches.
✅No Sport Knowledge Needed – As the outcome of virtual sport betting is completely random, no prior research is needed, meaning if you are someone who has not done much research on sports, these types of selections can be used.
✅Variety – Available at most reputable bookmakers, there is a variety of sports to choose from, including football, horse racing, tennis, and motorsport.
Negatives:
❌Luck-Based – Unlike sports betting, which requires knowledge and research, virtual sports betting is completely dependent on luck, due to the outcome being decided by randomisation mechanisms. For matched bettors and other sporting enthusiasts, you can not use any research on in-depth information you know about these bets to gain advantages.
❌House Edge – If you are looking to place value bets, then you are constantly searching for which bets have the best value. Due to virtual sports betting having a house edge, the bets are technically not in your favour, meaning it might be better to look at other selections.
Matched Betting In Virtual Sports
When it comes to matched betting in virtual sports, bettors cannot use traditional methods, such as placing a back bet and a lay bet on the same event, because betting exchanges do not accept lay bets on virtual sports.
However, many online casinos and bookmakers offer various virtual offers that bettors can take advantage of. If you want a more in-depth look at virtual sports bet offers, we have a virtual bet offers guide, perfect for bettors who want to make the most of their virtual betting. In hand with this guide, bettors can also use our expected value calculator to work out whether the offers have a positive or negative expected value over a long period of time.
Although matched betting does not work in virtual sports, there are plenty of other ways that bettors can create matched bets in different ways. To find out all of the different ways in which bettors can place matched bets, check out our highly detailed and extensive matched betting blog, which is available on the OddsMonkey site.
