With the current situation when sports events are being cancelled across the world starting early March 2020, Virtual Sports have filled this gap and are ready to take over the iGaming world.Meeting sport and casino in-between, Virtual sports bring excitement and entertainment options to sports fans left with limited betting options during the coronavirus pandemic. Virtual sports betting is the one of the latest innovations in the larger sports betting industry. Controlling sports events virtually — via computer software — is revealing a whole new avenue for sportsbooks and bettors around the world.

Virtual sports are derived from fantasy sports and they are inspired by real sporting events, even though there are  a number of similarities with casino games, that can be noticed. They are electronic games, or simulations of sporting events that are generated by a software programmed to comply with a set of rules. As a betting category, virtual sports can be placed in-between sports and casino games.We can probably follow the their roots to the fascination towards fantasy sports and video games, such as Football Manager or FIFA, they allow punters to choose from a multitude of games.

Although these  kinds of sports are in fact software programs that have been customised  to fit a number of requirements, players can easily make the connection with real sports in order to understand the way they are functioning and what factors they should consider when placing a bet on such an event.The main advantage in virtual gaming, compared to real-life sports betting, is the possibility to access a wider range of sports at any time of the day and settle bets in a way shorter amount of time. Because of their nature, virtual games draw the attention of  both the video-game players and the casino fans. Both of these categories, as well as the traditional, real-life sports betters, are now seeing the full potential.

Virtual sports are considered  a separate category of gaming content, with their own complex environment, and they can be better understood when  compared to  a real-life sporting events and real-life sports betting.

Virtual sports exist for almost each one  of the most popular sports worldwide. Almost any sport can have a virtual equivalent, and many gaming platforms even provide simulations of matches, fights, or races with 3D graphics. From the perspective of the bettor, the experience looks very similar to betting on real sports, but the actual outcome is determined by an RNG. Here are some of the most common virtual sports:

• Football
• Horse racing
• Dog racing
• Motor sports
• Tennis
• Basketball

Virtual sports are offered by a variety of online and land-based betting platforms. Betting on virtual sports is almost the same  like betting on a real-world sporting event. The only differences are the bookmakers determine when the virtual events occur — normally at fast-paced and regular intervals — and who is taking part.

Other than that, the technical part is  just like normal sports betting. The most frequently used  bet would be to bet on the winner of an event, like a football match or a horse race, based on odds or a money line. A variety of proposition bets are often available for each virtual sports event. For example, exactas or trifectas in horse racing, or the number of goals that will be scored in a soccer match.

In spite of  being very different from a technical point of view, virtual and live sports betting attract a similar audience. Gamblers choose a sport that they find interesting and easy to understand, and then either examine the odds or just bet on their what their heart desires. At the end of the day, the experience is not that different.