Ian JohnBack in 2016, when Virtual Sports gaming was very much in its infancy, I wrote an article that looked at the different options available at bet365 Sport for the Virtual Sports enthusiast.
Back then, there were just seven Virtual Sports on offer on the site and a relatively small number of bets available on each of the Virtual Sports offering.
Fast-forward in time six years almost to the day, and it is fair to say that the Virtual Sports industry has changed markedly in that period.
No longer is it a minority or fringe betting activity, with some sports books stating that their revenue generated from Virtuals betting outstrips all other sports bar horse racing and soccer betting.
Significant Improvements
As you would expect from a part of the site that has grown in importance over the years, bet365 Sport have taken a lot of time to develop their Virtual Sports offering, resulting not only in a greater number of Virtual Sports to play, but in many cases a wider selection of tournaments to bet on within each Virtual Sport.
However, the improvements made are more than in just the number of Virtuals and options within each Virtual sport.
There has also been a significant increase in the number of Virtual Sports betting markets available for each fixture which has given punters more choices when placing their bets on Virtual Sports.
This has meant not only an increase in options but also a corresponding increase in the range of odds available in Virtual Sports, allowing punters a greater choice of either short priced or longer odds betting options.
Arguably though, the biggest improvement in Virtual Sports over the last six years has been the development of the graphics, in-game engine, commentary and sounds and the ability to include real-life video footage (of either specially recorded highlights, or taken from actual professional games or races) within certain virtual sports.
Add to that the innovation of Virtual Sports development companies who keep coming up with new types if Virtual Game (such as a Virtual Soccer offering that emulates an entire football season and allows you to bet on any of the games played over any of the game weeks across a wide range of markets) and you can see why punters have been flocking to try these games.
What Virtual Sports Are Now Available At Bet365 Sport?
There are a wide number of Virtual Sports available to bet on at bet365, 13 different sports in total, with some having multiple competitions/races that you can bet on. These events are often staggered in terms of start time, which means you can flick from one to the other to enjoy more betting on Virtuals if you so wish.
In the list below we have also indicated how long it takes for each Virtual event to take from start (when you place your bets) until the event completes (when the final results and winning bets are displayed).
Virtual Horse Racing
- Trentham Park (1 minute Bullet Racing)
- Britannia Way (3 minute Flat Racing)
- Festival Downs (3 minute Flat Racing)
- Victoria Park (3 minute Jump Racing)
- Aintree Park (4 Minute Grand National)
There are now five Horse Racing Virtuals you can enjoy, the two Flat Racing and one Jump racing options have now been joined by a very speedy 1 minute Bullet Racing Virtual, which allows you to bet and get through a sprint race in just one minute.
However, the most intriguing option here is the Grand National Virtual from Aintree Park, which features a partial enactment of a Grand National race, and you can place bets on groups of horses to win the race, rather than just single horse selections.
This software has been used by ITV Racing over the last few years for its Virtual Grand National race, which they broadcast in the run up to the actual race in April and it has even successfully predicted the winner of the race at least once!
Virtual Greyhounds
- Bennett Park (1 minute Bullet Racing)
- Goldenhill Park (3 minute Hurdle Racing)
- Hillside Park (3 minute Flat Racing)
With Virtual Greyhounds there is an additional option of a 1 minute Bullet race alongside the hurdle and flat racing options now.
Virtual Soccer
- Euro Cup (3 minute – European Championships-based)
- Premiership (3 minute – Premier League-based)
- Super League (3 minute – World Club Championship-based)
- World Cup (3 minute – World Cup-based)
There is another Virtual Soccer option to add to the Euro Cup, Premiership and Super League options. This is the virtual World Cup, which features international games between nations from all over the world just as the real World Cup does.
Virtual Cricket
- Clayton Oval (4 minute – International Cricket)
- Greenway Field (4 Minute – IPL-based)
A new addition to Bet365 Virtuals since 2016 is Virtual Cricket and there are now two great options to choose from, with Phil Tufnel providing some of the commentary on these games. There is an international-based game and another based on the teams in the Indian Premier League.
Virtual American Football
- Bradwell Field (3 minute – NFL Alumni)
- Fenton Field (3 minute – NFL-based)
- Queensway Park (3 minute – One Drive-based)
Another new addition is Virtual American Football which has three different options. The first is a 3-minute full game simulation that is endorsed by the NFL Players Alumni and features former NFL players in the teams.
Fenton Fields features teams based on NFL teams and is also a full game simulation while the Queensway Park option features College teams and is based on a single drive and the outcome of that drive for a team.
Virtual Darts
- The Gatehouse (5 minute – Darts Legend Games)
Featuring some of the professionals from the seniors tour, this video captured Virtual shows players competing against each other in one leg of darts, with a variety of betting options available for the player to bet on.
Virtual Basketball
- Baker Gardens (4 minute – NBA-based)
- Waterport Arena (4 minute – European Basketball-based)
Another new Virtual Sports showcasing video footage into its presentation. Virtual Basketball offers two options, one based on NBA teams from the United States and the other based on European teams from the top league in Europe.
Virtual Motor Racing
- Mitchell Circuit (3 minute – Indycar-based)
Virtual Speedway
- Sterling Stadium (3 minute – Standard race
Virtual Trotting
- Etruria Gardens (3 minute – Standard race)
Virtual Cycling
- Franklin Velodrome (3 minute – Keirin-based)
Virtual Tennis
- Matthews Open (3 minute – One Game)
Bet365 has also kept its five Virtuals shown above for people to bet on from those that were available in 2016, although each has been updated significantly since then and offers a more immersive experience now.
Virtual Golf
- Milton Manor (8 minute – 1 Hole Match Up)
- Stone Field (8 minute – 1 Hole Match Up)
This exciting new Virtual features two players playing one hole of golf, and is one of the virtuals to have incorporated In-Play betting as part of the game.
It is going to be interesting to see how Virtual Sports develops still further over the next few years as we are just at the start of this exciting new wagering technology and there is certainly much more to come in terms of what these games have to offer.
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