The emergence of virtual sports betting as a viable option at USA sportsbook sites has provided additional income for the industry at a time when other wagering avenues have suspended play.
What at first seemed like an almost comedic presentation of artificial sports replication is now giving a substantial boost to a gaming industry that is lagging in revenue due to limited opportunities for betting. With gamblers stuck at home due to the Coronavirus, they have more time on their hands to spend betting online.
That is precisely why virtual sports have risen in popularity. They allow for wagering on sports that are similar to real contests, and the visual presentation is just the right mix of betting action and unintentional comedy.
Some of the team-based virtual games feature an attempt at live commentary that is amusingly authentic. The games look strikingly similar to popular video game sports franchises such as FIFA 20 and NBA 2K20, but the duration of these matchups lasts under ten minutes and is shown in the form of highlights.
The betting lines are somewhat similar to what you would see when betting on the NBA, or wagering on Soccer, but are mostly focused on money line odds for a variety of totals.
Racing games feature similar lines to the ones that you’d find when spending a day at the tracks betting on horse racing or NASCAR. The best part about virtual racing is that the contests are shown through to completion, delivering the thrill that only a simulated final turn can provide.
Scoff if you will, but talk to us after your greyhound is gaining on the top spot and you’ve got some real money on the line, or you’ve bet some serious coin on camel #5 to finish in the top two, and he is closing in at the finish line.
Virtual contests recur every ten minutes or so, allowing for betting at any time of day without having to adhere to any athletic or racing schedules. The convenience is a major factor of what is driving the additional business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although betting on virtual sports has been limited to online venues thus far, Vegas is warming up to the simulated sports world. ESPN is reporting that Vegas casinos are allowing for betting on virtual NASCAR races, but they have mislabeled this type of simulated sport.
Since the software being used for the simulated NASCAR races are based on real-life cars and drivers, and the participants are controlled by real-life players, the competition is actually eSports, which is also a rising trend at sportsbooks.
In order to qualify as a virtual sport, there can be no human player involvement, and the virtual combatants cannot resemble any real-world counterparts. A simulated game using a popular sports video game franchise would qualify as a video game sim, which is another trendy betting category that has popped up at offshore sportsbooks recently.
Between virtual sports, eSports, and video game simulations, enough betting action is on the docket to maintain the interest of any seasoned sports gambler until the Coronavirus pandemic subsides.