Along with Virtual Speedway, Virtual Cycling is the Virtual Sport which is the most indistinguishable from the real thing once the race is underway. So good are the graphics on the game, that you do feel like you are watching an actual race from inside a velodrome.
In terms of people actually betting on cycling in real life, it is not one of the primary sports when it comes to sports betting, but in terms of a Virtual Sport, cycling is perfectly suited as it features a varying number of competitors over what is generally a short race. Essentially, it is very similar to the Virtual Speedway option, just with a few additional runners and therefore a wider selection of odds to bet on in the races.
So how does Virtual Cycling stack up when compared to other Virtual Sports? Let’s take a look in this, our fourth article in the series looking at all the different Virtual Sports available at Betway, before we then move on to examine what is available at our other promoted site, 10Bet.
Virtual Cycling
- Time Between Events – 3 Minutes
- Number of Runners – Between 6 and 9 riders in each race
- Tracks : 1 – Michaux Velodrome
- Race Length: 2 1/2 Lap Race
- Time Split– 1.30 mins race preview/betting window – 1.30 seconds for the race & results.
Bets Available
- Race Winner
- Each Way Bet (1/4 odds on first 2 places)
- Top 2 Finish
- Top 3 Finish
- Forecast
- Tricast
- Reverse Forecast
- Combination Forecast
- Combination Tricast
Highlights
Virtual Cycling begins with a countdown of around 1 minute and 30 seconds to the start of the race. The action all comes from the Michaux Velodrome and as the timer counts down, you are presented with a view of the different riders in the race, their colours, number and their odds (in decimal format). The length of the race (which is always 750m) is also shown along with some computer-generated form for each of the competitors.
The quality of the graphics in this part of the game is truly superb and at times, it feels like you are watching a real race, rather than a computer simulation, such is the quality of the graphics and the high-definition of the velodrome and the animation of the riders.
As the countdown progresses, punters can place their bets on the race in the section below, but you can also place bets on up to 14 other races well in advance of their start time if you so wish by clicking on the different start times of each of the races listed underneath the main console screen.
In Virtual Cycling, the competitors don’t have a standing start, instead, they cycle around the track led by a motorised cycle to get up to speed and when the cycle leaves the track, that is when the actual race begins. The cyclists then complete 2 and half circuits of the track to complete the race.
As the race is in progress a list of the positions of the riders is shown in the top left-hand corner of the screen and this updates as the cyclists move up and down the pack. When the cyclists enter the final lap, a map of the circuit appears and displays where on the lap the riders are (although this is somewhat redundant as it is very apparent where they are in regards to the race).
One thing to note on Virtual cycling is that the positions of the cyclists can change a great deal, unlike say Virtual Horse Racing where horses move up and down the list relatively steadily, in cycling, the changes can be many, varied and rapid depending on how bunched together pack of riders are.
At the end of the race a photo-finish of the finish is displayed along with the top three riders, their odds, form and the results of the Forecast and Tricast bets. The Event ID is also shown for punters that may have a query about a particular race. The game then resets back to the original betting section and the 90 second countdown to the start of the race.
Who will Virtual Cycling betting appeal to?
It’s fair to say that cycling itself is not the biggest of betting sports, although there are a fair few wagers made on big cycling events such as the Tour de France. However, in the Virtual world, cycling is a fantastic sport to bet on as it offers a lovely middle-range of variance in terms of the number of riders in a race and the odds available on each.
In a 6-rider race, you have a smaller range of betting odds available, which suits players that like to win more often, but if that increases up to nine riders, then you get a much wider range of betting odds on that race and picking the winner becomes more difficult (though you can get better odds on some longer shot options for that race).
In short, Virtual Cycling is a sport which will appeal to punters that like most forms of betting, whether that is backing the favourite, taking a longer odds option each way, or those that like to mix their bets up to include many different types of bets, including the multiple selection bets offered on this particular Virtual Sport.
What are my chances of winning on Virtual Cycling compared to other Virtual Sports?
In terms of the Virtual race type of games, Virtual Cycling comes in the middle when it comes to the chances of you winning. The fact that there are between 6 and 9 competitors in each race does give this particular virtual offering a somewhat wider variance than other sports, which tend to have just a standard number of competitors (Greyhounds has six, while Speedway has four).
What this means is that you can bet on Virtual Cycling and receive a good mix of runners in your races which offer you slightly more or slightly less chance of picking the winner. Indeed, it is more like Virtual Horse Racing (which also has a varying number of runners) although it is not quite as volatile as horse racing and nor does it offer quite the same range of betting odds for its selections.
You can of course increase your odds betting on just the races with the fewest number of riders in but that does kind of defeat the object of betting on Virtual Cycling and in this case, you’d be better off with Greyhounds or Speedway. Virtual Cycling is for those punters who like to mix things up with their betting and bet on favourites in one race and then outsiders with an each way punt in the next.
With the number of riders in Virtual Cycling still relatively small, your chances of picking a winner, even with the random nature of the game, is still pretty decent and I feel this is one of the best Virtual Sports in terms of value for money and entertainment for the punter.