We live in an ever changing world, more than ever right now, and sports fans know that better than anyone. TV stations have mixed up the times and dates of our favourite competitions, the 2022 World Cup is set to be held in December, the Copa America will be hosted by two countries next summer and the NBA and NFL have spread beyond their borders to hold games in Mexico and Europe…

Sports fans are adaptable creatures, so here’s the thing: why not take it one step further and try your luck with Virtual Sports?

 What are Virtual Sports?

Let’s start with the basics. Virtual Sports are essentially simulators for sporting events and competitions. We’ve all tried our hand at Football Manager on the PC, where the computer plays our fixtures or those of the opposition, based on a range of parameters and player statistics. We simply sit back and watch the games develop as if we were watching them on TV. It’s a video game that plays itself, following a series of preestablished variables based around data, the form of the teams or participants, weather, playing surface (the ground conditions are fundamental in horse racing, for instance), giving us clues as to how the action may unfold.

 When all is said and done though, aside from the human factor (even Messi and Cristiano can have an off day), how the event evolves is decided by a random number generator (RNG) which is what will determine the end result and how the game might go. This means there is always a degree of chance we must take into account.

What to consider when betting on Virtual Sports

If you’re thinking about betting on Virtual Sports, you have to bear in mind that while the simulators are increasingly realistic in terms of graphics, camera angles, commentary on broadcasts, etc. we’re talking about computer-generated events. This means extra elements come into play that we have to take into account if we want to maximise our chances of winning.

 This information will always be available to players, meaning it’s simply a question of finding the time to study our favourites’ recent form… not all that different to betting on real sports.

Pay attention to the stats:

A team or participant’s name doesn’t count for much in Virtual Sports. Barcelona, Real Madrid, River, Flamengo… Anyone can beat anyone, so it’s vitally important to study the stats from previous events to find out what form a team or individual is in coming into a race, or whatever event we’re gearing up for.

External factors (weather, track condition):

As mentioned above, Virtual Sports are becoming more realistic all the time. This means the environment playing host to any event is a crucial factor to consider, especially when it comes to horse racing. Before backing a favourite, we have to make sure we know the going of the course (dry, wet, muddy…) and each participant’s stats in those specific conditions.

Names are irrelevant:

We said it before and we’ll say it again. No matter how strong a team or jockey is in real life, it has no bearing in Virtual Sports. When we delve into this new world, we’re entering a parallel universe where all that matters are stats and the parameters used by the platform we’re betting on – real competition doesn’t come into it.

Why should we give Virtual Sports a shot?

Of course, any true sports fan is drawn to real life competition above all else, but there are all sorts of reasons why a move towards Virtual Sports could prove an attractive option.

Non-stop excitement:

Competitions are ongoing throughout the day with no breaks necessary. We’re talking full-on 24/7 action, uninterrupted events, day in day out, meaning everyone can tune in no matter what the time is.

Variety of sports:

The range of events on offer is growing all the time. What began as a niche for fans of horse or dog racing has gradually started to broaden its horizons and now, the list of sports available across almost all bookmakers includes Football, Basketball Motor Racing and even Cycling.

100% secure:

The random nature of Virtual Sports arouses suspicion among many fans. That’s understandable, but the reality is that this industry is not open to fixing, is heavily regulated and the betting companies manipulating the software is simply impossible.