Virtual Betting Sites – Our Top 5
Our top five bookmakers have been chosen for the quality of their virtual betting products. Each stands out from the crowd in one way or another, but remember there is no one "best" for everybody, and what is best for you will differ from somebody else.
Betfair
Betfair has it all and is one of the best virtual betting sites for UK customers to consider. They have different types of horse racing to bet on, flat or jumps, club football, or international competitions such as the World Cup, greyhound racing, and Formula 1 racing, so there is a lot to choose from.
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Large range of virtual sports.
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Fast payments.
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Virtual games bonuses and promotions.
Betfred
Betfred is another top bookmaker when it comes to betting on virtual sports. They have "Dash" versions of horse racing and greyhound racing with a new race going off every two minutes. That is alongside other regular virtual sports such as football, motorsports, virtual darts, tennis, and even golf. They have a weekly reward for virtual betting where 5% of your total stakes are credited as Free bets. There is also other Free bet offers such as bet £5. get £5, which you can opt in for when they appear.
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Virtual betting Free bet offers.
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Virtual sports matches in tennis and golf.
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Virtual horse races off every 2 minutes.
Coral
Coral virtual sports betting is laid out exactly the same as regular sports betting and it genuinely feels like the real thing if you are not concentrating. They have a larger range of sports than anywhere else we have seen and provide virtual baseball and American football too.
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Super realistic betting experience
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A huge range of popular virtual sports are available.
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A large number of bet types for each event.
Sky Bet
Skybet list six individual sports with each virtual betting event having its own link in the main sports A-Z menu, just like any other sport. Each virtual event has a large range of betting markets and all the sporting events take place throughout the day and night, seven days a week.
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Virtual bets all through the day
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Lots of popular sports covered
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Motor racing sports have many betting markets.
888sport
888sport has a virtual sports section dedicated to this sportsbook market. There are 9 events in total, and the area is well designed and easy to navigate. The games will begin instantly as soon as you have bet, which is a nice feature and saves time, even if it does take away from the realism a bit.
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A virtual game begins as soon as you have bet.
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Play virtual sports within a dedicated betting area.
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Nice animations and graphics to keep your interest.
How We Rank Best Virtual Betting Sites
We want you to have the best possible virtual sports betting experience. Therefore, when we review virtual betting websites, we judge them against a range of different parameters to find the best virtual sports betting websites for you. Here, we outline the parameters we use when carrying out our research.
The Sign Up Process
We know that you want to get on with the business of virtual sports betting as soon as possible, without wasting time answering pointless questions or providing seemingly infinite amounts of personal information, before you have even created an account with a virtual sports betting site. That is why we review the sign up process of every virtual betting site we recommend, to check that it is quick and easy to do, whilst still ensuring the security of your account.
Depositing & Withdrawing
We know that when you are depositing funds at virtual betting sites, you want to use your preferred payment method, whether that is a bank transfer, PayPal, Neteller or something else. Because of this, we check the deposit and withdrawal methods permitted by each virtual betting site, as well as the amount of time it takes each betting site to process your payments.
Virtual bonuses
Everyone loves a bonus, so we take the time to find the best virtual sports betting websites that have great bonuses and promotions available for virtual sports betting. Many betting sites also offer a welcome bonus for new customers.
What is Virtual Sports Betting?
Virtual sports betting is just like betting on real world sports, except the games themselves are not real. Instead, they are played out on your screen and simulated by a computer algorithm or random number generator.
While the odds are similar to those of a real world punt, all of the teams and player names you will be betting on are completely fictional. However, many of the markets you would expect to see available for real world sports, are also on offer for virtual sports. Markets such as match winner, first team to score, over/under and more are available for many virtual sports.
With regard to the action, bettors can watch the highlights unfold on their screen, live. Games usually only last for a few minutes and can take place at any time of the day or night, so there is always something to wager on.
Popular Types of Virtual Sports
The world of virtual sports betting has grown in popularity in recent years. As a result, there is an increasing number of different virtual sports available for punters to wager on. Here, we discuss some of the most popular virtual sports.
Virtual Football
It is common to find betting sites with virtual football. Virtual football is a computer simulation of a football match. The outcome of each match is decided by a computer, using a complex algorithm. Results are randomised so there is no need for bettors to know endless details about a team's form and so on.
Most popular virtual sports betting sites organise their virtual football matches in a similar way to the professional game, with teams from different countries competing against each other in leagues over the course of a season. Unlike real world football though, virtual football matches are a lot shorter, being condensed into a series of highlights such as goals and saves, which last mere minutes. The best virtual football betting sites will provide details of previous results allowing you to study the form and really feel involved with the game, just like regular football.
Virtual Horse Racing
Horse racing was one of the first sports to become virtual. Virtual horse racing is a digital simulation of a horse race, with races taking place every couple of minutes throughout the day.
There are animations that accompany each horse race, but these are just for show - the actual process of virtual racing is more like a lottery. Horses with the best odds have a better chance of winning, than those with poorer odds, so the odds provided are really the only indication for how likely a horse is to win, as there is no jockey form, weather impact or ground preference to influence the outcome of the virtual horse race.
Virtual Dog Racing (Greyhounds)
Virtual greyhound racing is similar to virtual horse racing, although it is becoming a lot more realistic. Many online bookmakers develop form information for their virtual greyhounds, and bettors can use this to decide where to place their bet. The form of the various virtual greyhounds determines their odds, and in turn their chances of winning.
As with virtual horse racing, bettors can view the virtual action almost immediately after placing their bet. Bet settlement is a certainty as there are no meetings abandoned due to poor weather.
Virtual Tennis
Virtual tennis is simulated tennis played on a fake, computer-generated court. Often in virtual tennis there are no rounds, draws, or finals, simply endless matches one after the other.
Bettors can place bets on the virtual player to win, the total number of points or the correct score, and can watch the action unfold via computer generated graphics. Virtual players can often have a particular 'playing style' or form, so punters can use this to predict how different virtual players may fare against each other. Of course, the likely outcomes are indicated by the odds and the actual outcome is decided by a computer algorithm.
Virtual Motorsports
Most virtual motor racing uses a Formula 1 aesthetic, with bettors able to watch the action unfold on a virtual track. Betting on virtual motor racing is very much a game of chance, as there are no weather conditions, driver form, track quirks, or constructor strengths and weaknesses to inform a bet.
Punters can watch each virtual race live, with the length of races varying between bookmakers; some may only be a few minutes, while others may last for around 20-30 minutes. Unlike real world motor racing, there are usually only a few markets to wager on: generally the outright winner and/or first, second and third position.
Why Bet on Virtual Sports?
Unlike real world sports, which are organised into seasons or tournaments with breaks in between, betting sites with virtual sports operate day and night, and all year round. Furthermore, virtual events cannot be rained off or canceled due to player injury. This means that there is always a virtual sports event for bettors to enjoy.
How to Bet on Virtual Sports?
If you are looking to bet on virtual sports for the first time but are unsure how to go about it, then fear not, we have got you covered. Read on to follow our step by step guide on how to bet on virtual sports. Obviously, all betting sites that offer virtual sports betting differ slightly, but they are generally fairly similar. For the purposes of this illustration, we have used virtual horse racing at Betfred.
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Log in to your chosen virtual betting site.
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Select your chosen virtual sport from the menu at the side of the screen (we chose virtual horse racing).
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Select the virtual race you wish to wager on.
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Select the virtual horse that you wish to win, by clicking on the odds box next to the horse's name.
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Enter your stake into the bet slip, which appears on the screen.
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Click 'place bet' to confirm your bet.
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Click 'watch live' to watch the virtual horse racing action unfold.
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Once the race has been completed, the results will be shown on screen and your bet will be settled.
Virtual Betting Bettings – Pros & Cons
As with any type of sports betting, virtual sports betting has its pros and cons. Here, we list some of them to help you make an informed decision as to whether or not you would like to give it a go yourself.
Pros
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Virtual sports betting is available no matter what the weather, as races are games are never rained or snowed off.
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Virtual sports continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, when other events were cancelled.
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Bettors can wager on virtual sports at any time of the day or night, making it more convenient to bet on a live event.
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Bettors can watch the action unfold live with virtual streaming.
Cons
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It lacks the same satisfaction as betting on real world sporting events as results are determined by a computer algorithm.
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For some people, it can be easy to get carried away with virtual sports betting, as each race, match or game is so short - just a few minutes - so it is important for bettors to remember to bet responsibly.
Virtual Sports Betting – Tips & Strategies
Here are our top tips and strategies for betting on virtual sports.
Bet Responsibly
Remember to bet responsibly and take care not to bet more than you can afford to lose. Because virtual sports events are often very short, it can be easy to get carried away; do not fall into that trap.
Bet Small Amounts And Don’t Chase Losses
Our advice is to place a series of very small bets rather than one large one, and do not chase your losses - in other words, if you start to lose, quit while you are ahead, rather than placing further bets to try to make back any money you have lost. This is rarely going to put you back on top, but will instead likely generate even further losses.
Look For Virtual Sports Betting Promotions
Some online bookmakers offer virtual sports betting promotions to new and existing customers. It is worth looking out for these to help you get a bit more value for money when wagering on virtual events.
Remember That Virtual Sports Are Not Real
It is important to remember that virtual sports games are not real. Even though virtual football betting sites in particular may appear to have real leagues remember that they are completely fictitious, computer generated events. Bettors must keep in mind that while they may look realistic, there is no real way to track form or predict a winner, other than looking at the odds and remembering that the result will be a lottery based on them.
Virtual Betting Sites Compared: Sports & Frequency
Here we show the different virtual sports betting options available at various online bookmakers:
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| Horse Racing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Football | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Greyhounds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cricket | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| American Football | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Basketball | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Motorsport | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Darts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cycling | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Special Bookmaker Bonuses For Virtual Sports
Everyone likes a bonus, so here we list the different types of promotion available to bettors looking for virtual sports betting options.
Free Bets
Many bookmakers offer customers Free bets when they place a qualifying bet on a particular virtual sport. These are usually credited upon qualifying bet settlement. Take care to read the Terms and Conditions of each individual promotion, as there may be specific requirements that you must meet in order to receive and use the Free bet.
ACCA Insurance
Acca Insurance promotions allow you to place an accumulator bet with a given number of selections. If one of your selections loses, the bookmaker will return your stake, so you do not lose out. Take care to read the Terms and Conditions of this type of promotion, though, as some bookmakers do not allow Acca insurance on virtual sports bets.
Enhanced Odds/Boosted Odds
Enhanced or boosted odds are where bookmakers offer more favourable odds on specific selections, giving you, the bettor, better value for money. These enhanced odds are clearly signposted on the virtual markets page where you can make your bet selection.
Enhanced ACCAs
Enhanced Acca promotions offer increased winnings on accumulator bets with a given number of selections. Take time to read the bookmaker's Terms and Conditions for the promotion carefully, as the number of selections required can vary between bookmakers, and some bookies' enhanced Acca promotions do not apply to virtual sports betting markets.
Virtual Sports – Software Providers
The following companies provide support to online bookmakers for virtual sports betting:
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GlobalBet
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GoldenRace
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Kiron
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NSoft
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Leap Gaming
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1x2 Gaming
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Betradar
Conclusion
In conclusion, the world of virtual sports betting is growing rapidly, with many online bookmakers adding more and more games to their virtual sports offering. While there are pros and cons to virtual sports betting, we hope that by following this guide, you can have an informed and enjoyable virtual sports betting experience.
Top betting sites
By Features: Cash Out | £5 Minimum Deposit | Minimum Bet Sizing | Live Streaming | Betting Exchanges | Safest | Fast Withdrawal | Daily Free Games | New Betting Sites | Horse Betting Apps | Football Betting Apps | Virtual Sports Betting Sites
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the results of virtual sporting events are decided by a computer using an algorithm.
It is very straightforward to place a single bet on virtual sports. See our guide above for details.
It is not possible to combine virtual sports bets ad regular sports bets as part of one Acca bet on one bet slip.
Yes, it is legal to bet on virtual sports.
Many virtual sports betting websites offer welcome bonuses for new customers, so it may be worth creating accounts with multiple online bookmakers in order to take advantage of these.
No, once a virtual sports bet has been placed, it cannot be withdrawn or canceled.
Some online bookmakers have virtual football leagues, where virtual football teams play against each other in virtual matches, to move up and down within the league.
