You may not have heard about virtual sports betting but it is becoming more popular all the time. You can bet on many different virtual sports leagues at a pretty wide selection of online bookies these days, with virtual football, virtual greyhound racing, virtual cycling, and virtual basketball all attracting large crowds of bettors.
Our focus in this article will be on virtual horse racing and how you can bet on it. We’ll tell you exactly what virtual horse racing betting is, as well as where you can find great sites for betting on this particular virtual sport. You’ll discover what criteria to check before you open an account at a site, and we’ll even you a few tips on how to put together a strategy that should bring you more success when wagering on virtual horse racing results. Read on to find out more!
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Best Virtual Horse Racing Betting Sites
There is a growing number of virtual horse racing betting sites out there these days. The range of options for fans of virtual sports betting is increasing at a rapid rate. You can see a full selection of options in the table below, but it is still worth pointing out that Bet365 and Betway are among the front runners when it comes to offering a tempting selection of virtual horse racing betting markets.
What is Virtual Horse Racing betting?
So what is virtual horse racing and how do you bet on it? Before we go any further, it is a good idea to tell any newcomers to the world of betting just what we mean when we say ‘virtual sports’. Virtual sports are computer-generated sporting competitions on which you can bet. The outcome of the contests is determined by something called a Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure fairness. Although the outcomes are therefore random, the RNG does take into account the various statistical values that determine the relative abilities of opponents in each contest.
That means that, just as with an actual horse race, the short-priced favorite has the best chance of winning. But as we know, the favorite doesn’t always win and sometimes the rank outsider has a good day!
Virtual sports have become very popular with bettors in recent years, not least because it is possible to watch and bet on an entire season of virtual sporting contests within a matter of hours. The opportunities for betting are plentiful, and there is a terrific range of virtual sports on which you can get nowadays.
Betting on virtual horse racing is very similar to placing wagers on real-life horse races. If you are already experienced in betting on horse racing, you will certainly enjoy this virtual alternative to the real thing.
The viewing experience
A realistic commentary adds to the ambiance – although generally numbers rather than horse names will be called out – while crowd noises also enhance the viewing experience and trick you into thinking you are watching the real deal.
In addition to this, a number of more recently released games also allow players to bet on a Virtual Grand National, which is based on the famous National Hunt race that takes place at Aintree Racecourse every year. This software has also been featured over the last couple of years on ITV Sport’s coverage of the race.
Indeed, the company also ran a Winner’s Grand National, which featured 40 winners of the race from modern and bygone times and the winner of that virtual race was the legendary Red Rum, which was one of the most popular virtual horse racing results in history!
How to bet on Virtual horse racing
The first step towards betting on virtual horse racing is to open an account at a top online bookmaker that offers a good selection of markets. When you’re looking for virtual horse racing betting sites, there are certain criteria for which you should check. These include these features.
- Is there a good selection of sports on offer? Always make sure you have plenty of betting options before you commit to opening an account.
- What is the welcome bonus like? A good bookmaker always offers new customers something tempting, whether extra bets or bonus credit, to help sweeten the deal when you open an account.
- How does customer service measure up? Contact customer service about the welcome bonus and see what response you get. If it is prompt, efficient, and courteous the site is probably a good choice.
- What payment methods are available for deposits and withdrawals? You need to check that the betting site provides you with a good selection of convenient and secure payment methods. Check the transaction processing times too. No one wants to be kept waiting when they have winnings to withdraw or need to make a deposit so that they’ve got betting funds.
- Is there a mobile app available? Betting on mobile devices is now something that millions of people do across the world, because it is so convenient. The best way to use a betting site on your mobile site is via a good app. Check the design of the app, make sure it is easy to download, and also that you have full access to the site’s full range of services via it.
Once you have opened an account at a good online bookmaker, you can place a bet by following this process.
- Find the virtual horse racing page at your chosen bookie.
- Select the event on which you want to bet.
- Check the available markets and click on your selection.
- Your bet slip should appear with your selection on it.
- Check your account balance before you select your stake size.
- When you have decided your stake and checked your slip, click Place Bet or its equivalent.
- Watch the stream of the race, and check the results to see if you won.
Virtual horse racing bet types
You can bet on three types of races when you are wagering on virtual horses. These mirror the types of horse racing that you can watch in the real world. Flat races are where the horses do not have to jump over any obstacles and the course is flat. These races are usually quite short, though the exact time will depend on the bookie. You may also come across really short flat races called sprint races.
Jump races are where the horses race over fences over slightly longer distances than they do in flat races. These are less common in the world of virtual racing than they are in the real world but you will still find virtual jump races at betting sites. There is also a Virtual Grand National on which you can bet. This is a computer-generated version of the epic jump race that takes place at Aintree in the UK every year.
So what types of bets can you place on these virtual races? Here are some of the bets that you will find at good online bookies that offer virtual racing markets.
- Win: A very simple type of bet where you attempt to predict the winner of the race. Although it is a simple bet, you still need to make your selection carefully if you want to be successful!
- Each Way: This is where you place a bet on which horses will place in the race, usually in the first three. The odds are reduced in this type of bet but it offers more chances to win.
- Forecast: Punters who place forecast bets are attempting to predict which horses will finish in the first two places in the right order.
- Tricast: This type of bet is where the bettor attempts to predict which three horses will cross the finish first, with the order not being important.
Tips on virtual horse racing betting
Building a strategy for success for virtual horse racing betting follows much the same pattern for betting on real-life sports. If you follow the steps outlined below, you should be able to formulate a betting strategy that will bring you success at virtual horse racing betting sites.
- Make sure you properly understand odds and the types of bets that can be placed on virtual horse racing events. You need this knowledge to form a base for the rest of your strategy.
- Study the form. Even though the horses are merely collections of pixels controlled by a Random Number Generator, their form and designated abilities still play a major role in the results of races.
- Spread your stakes over several small bets rather than one large one. Betting is all about entertainment and experiencing the thrill of winning. Placing all of your available bankroll on one race therefore seriously reduces the amount of entertainment on offer. It also makes things much more stressful, as you will either be ecstatic or depressed when your selection wins or loses, and the greater likelihood is that you will end up depressed. Placing several small bets means that if your first one loses, you can look forward to the next race, which might bring more success.
- Manage your bankroll carefully at all times and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Any poker player will remind you of the importance of always keeping a close check on your money. You must select appropriate stake sizes as betting big and losing could see you in a situation where you are chasing your losses. This is where you place a series of ever bigger, ever riskier bets and it can spiral out of control.
- Never bet when you are feeling stressed, down or angry. Betting when you are in certain emotional states can be a mistake. If you are looking to relieve stress or betting out of frustration you should stop. In this kind of state of mind, you are much more likely to make unwise decisions that can end up costing you. Walk away if you feel like this. You can always come back to it later.
Conclusion
As you can see, virtual horse racing offers some enticing possibilities for bettors. The results of the virtual horse races are not fixed and fairness is ensured by the use of Random Number Generators. While these incorporate the element of chance into the outcomes of the various virtual sporting contests, results are determined to a large extent by the relative abilities of the virtual competitors, just like in real sport. This means that you still must study the form and learn about the horses’ history before you bet!
A growing range of betting sites now offer markets on virtual horse racing, so head over to one of them today and try some virtual horse betting for yourself. You might be surprised as to how much entertainment it offers. Whether you have experience of real-life horse race betting or not, virtual horses can be a great way to enjoy some betting fun.
Virtual Horse Racing FAQ’s
- Where can I bet on virtual horse racing?
There is a growing number of online bookmakers that offer punters the chance to bet on virtual horse racing cards. While the amount of operators offering virtual sports markets is now pretty extensive, it is always worth checking out Betway and Bet365 to see what entertainment they provide.
- How do virtual horse races work in betting?
Virtual horse races work in much the same way that real horse races do. The only difference is that they are the product of a virtual horse race generator rather than being real-life horses. The outcomes of races are controlled by Random Number Generators, but you can place a very similar range of bets as you are able to on more conventional horse racing.
- Is virtual horse racing fixed?
The outcomes of virtual horse races are not fixed. This is because they are controlled by Random Number Generators that work to ensure that all outcomes are fair. The RNG will always take into the relative digital abilities of each virtual horse, but the outcome is not fixed in advance.
- Can you win on virtual horse racing?
If you make successful predictions on your betting slips when you are placing wagers on virtual horse races you will win. It works in just the same way as conventional sports betting does. The odds and bet types are very similar to normal betting on horse races.