Marcus RichardsBack in 2018, the US Supreme Court repealed a ban on sports betting. Since then, more and more states have launched online betting markets. The shift from in-person sportsbooks to online betting has created a frontier of technology within the industry. Now, in addition to offering competitive welcome promotions, top sportsbooks are now rolling out leading mobile platforms that make it possible to wager on sports anywhere.
Along with live betting features, daily fantasy contests, and analysis guides from pundits, advances in technology are one of the most critical ways for oddsmakers to stay ahead of the pack. Recently, virtual sports has become a focus for bettors—and it’s changing the sports betting climate for good.
Automation Meets Live Stats
Virtual sports are simulated events created from computer software that emulates a real game. The software runs on actual data from live leagues, which helps inform the outcome of the virtual competition. Each software is programmed to run on different metrics, similar to how computer picks will make selections based on data input.
Virtual sports are popular because they can be run at any time, similar to a fantasy league. Want to know how Arsenal would hold up against the Blaugranas in a match right now? There’s a virtual competition using real data to hash out a likely outcome—and punters can bet on these matchups.
The most popular types of virtual sports are related to racing. These include horseracing, greyhound racing, moto racing, car racing, and other sports like football, basketball, and tennis. However, given virtual betting software runs on data input, virtual events can be created for just about any sport or competition.
A Bettor’s Bet
Clearly, virtual sports include an incredible range of betting opportunities. One of the most attractive aspects of betting on virtual sports is their availability—rather than wait for a matchday, bettors can bet on shorter timelines with virtual events.
Additionally, the event types and bets are constantly changing. This helps bettors flex their analytic muscles, as well as try out new sports and event types. Given virtual sports are constantly available, there’s always a new strategy or tactic to try out in a controlled environment.
However, the skills necessary for successful betting, whether traditional, DFS, or virtual, remain the same. A skilled punter always reviews the odds from a trusted source, diving into the most recent analysis available. They can hedge bets like a matched bettor, go all-in on a promising underdog, or back multiple selections to play the field.
