The world of sports betting is always changing, and with the rise of digital sportsbooks and bookmakers, bettors can bet on a variety of online sports and sporting events. Whether it’s a goal scorer in a football game or a birdie on a specific golf hole, bettors have a variety of sports betting options. One of the latest developments in the market is the addition of virtual sports that punters can place bets on. These are sports played in virtual reality, with the same random outcome mechanics as many digital gambling games. Here at OddsMonkey, we’ll take a look at what these virtual bets are, how they work, and how bettors use them.

What is virtual sports?

Virtual sports are games that simulate real-life sports, such as football, horse racing, etc. Bettors can watch these games and also place bets on them. Just like regular sports betting, each team is given odds on the likelihood of winning, and bettors can place different types of bets, such as accumulator bets or single bets. If users want to make these bets, make sure to use our betting calculator to get an idea of ​​the expected return before placing a bet.

These virtual sports cover a variety of sporting events; users can also place bets at any time when a new round or event starts every few minutes. This allows bettors to use the available odds on these bets at any time that suits them.

Algorithms completely determine the outcomes of these virtual sports, so factors such as form or past results do not affect gameplay, unlike real-life sporting events. Without these elements, virtual sports can provide an experience closer to casino gambling than sports betting due to its random results.

It’s also important for bettors to remember that these virtual sports are different from esports, which is competitive video game betting. Virtual sports are simulations of real-life sports, while esports is the practice of players competing against each other in different video games such as CS GO and FIFA. If users are interested in learning more about esports, check out our esports betting guide.

Bookmakers often offer both esports and virtual sports markets, so it’s important not to confuse the two if you plan on placing any bets.

How does virtual sports betting work?

As mentioned before, virtual sports are algorithm-based, which means they are primarily based on luck. However, each team or selection is assigned an odds of winning. For example, if England played Denmark in a virtual football match, both teams would be given odds on their chances of winning, while there would also be a draw option for users to bet on. These odds are not directly related to a team’s performance, but they can give bettors a good idea of ​​who is most likely to win the game. Below are examples of odds created by Bet365 for a virtual match between Islington and Burnley.

Since this is a virtual game, some users may question the safety of these games; however, just like online casino games, they all have an RTP (Return to Player) percentage that must be adhered to. This means that users who place virtual sports bets at any reputable casino can rest assured that the results are legal and fair. Given how difficult it is to find value in virtual sports, this option is not recommended for those engaging in value betting.

However, since these games can be played in quick succession, it is possible for bettors to keep betting and chase losses. Make sure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money when playing these games.

Tips and Strategies for Virtual Sports

Since matches are determined by algorithms rather than actual player performance, the strategies you can use are much more limited than in real-life sports. Odds become even more important when deciding where to bet because you can’t rely on past performance, game patterns, or what you’ve seen from players before. Despite historical data and statistics, it’s unlikely that you’ll find differences in odds that you can exploit.

As with any other form of sports betting, betting on the favorites carries lower odds, which means the potential returns will be smaller, and there’s no guarantee that the underdog won’t succeed. If you are betting on virtual sporting events, it is crucial to play responsibly.

Why Bet on Virtual Sports?

You may be wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of virtual sports betting are, and here we will cover some of the key points so that you can decide whether virtual sports betting is right for you.

advantage:

✅frequency – Sports bets are more frequent than real-life events due to the frequency of virtual bets, which means you don’t have to wait for a specific match.

✅No sports knowledge required – Since the results of virtual sports betting are completely random, no prior research is required, which means you can use these types of options if you haven’t done much research into sports.

✅type – Most reputable bookmakers offer a wide range of sports to choose from, including football, horse racing, tennis and motorsport.

negative impact:

❌rely on luck – Unlike sports betting which requires knowledge and research, virtual sports betting is entirely based on luck as the results are determined by a random mechanism. For matched bettors and other sports enthusiasts, you cannot gain an advantage by doing any research into the in-depth information you know about these bets.

❌house edge – If you’re looking to make value bets, you’ll be constantly looking for the best value bets. Since virtual sports betting has a house edge, these bets are technically against you, which means it’s best to look at other options.

Matched Betting on Virtual Sports Events

When it comes to matched betting on virtual sports, bettors cannot use traditional methods such as back bets and outside bets on the same event because betting exchanges do not accept outside bets on virtual sports.

However, many online casinos and bookmakers offer various virtual offers for punters to take advantage of. If you’d like a more in-depth look at virtual sports betting offers, we have a guide to virtual sports betting offers , perfect for bettors who want to make the most of virtual betting. With the help of this guide, bettors can also use our expected value calculator to work out whether an offer has positive or negative expected value over a long period of time.

Although matched betting does not work in virtual sports, there are a number of other ways bettors can create matched bets in different ways. To learn about all the different ways punters can approach matched betting, check out our very detailed and extensive matched betting blog, which can be found on the OddsMonkey website.