Virtual sports date back to 1961 when John Burgeson first used an IBM 1620 and a random number generator (RNG) to determine a game’s outcome. Since then, industry professionals have fine-tuned the RNG’s and added slick graphics to attract bettors to play their games. Since its early conception, technology has seen a substantial jump, and today’s virtual sports look more like fancy digital casino slots rather than outdated Atari games. 

Today virtual sports betting is so popular that many online sportsbooks have their own dedicated section for virtual games. You may also find similar renditions of virtual sports at domestic sports betting sites. Popular online virtual sports include soccer, car-racing, horse/camel racing, and basketball, among others. 

Virtual sports differ from sports simulations, because the teams, players, and organizations are all made-up and don’t exist in real life. Sims are often based on recent stats and contain entire teams and players in the virtual landscape. 

Betting on virtual sports opens a new realm for casual bettors that don’t follow traditional sports. Some online sportsbooks will accept US bettors over the age of 18, while most US domestic sportsbooks require patrons to be over 21. 

Depending on the virtual sport you are betting on, there are different factors to consider. Since the players, stats, and outcomes are all randomized by RNG’s, the odds give us the first clue as to which team or horse is favored. It is important to note that the favorite does not always win; in fact, the favorite often loses with racing. 

When placing a bet on a virtual event, it is important to know that the RNG’s will determine the outcome and that most of the time, you will only get to view a short portion of the game, unless it is an event like a horse race that is over in a few minutes. 

There are also several ways to bet on virtual sports, much like the sports they are virtually mimicking, racing often offers parlays, exacta, trifecta, and over/under, winner, place, and show odds. Basketball, football, and other sports provide money line odds but no spread or over-under betting. For someone looking to get into sports betting, virtual sports are a great start. 

Based on current US gambling laws, online sportsbooks can legally offer online betting services to anyone over 18; however, some state laws forbid the services from operating in their state. To learn more about your state gambling laws, see our 18+ US sports betting states guide. 

While there are similarities with each of the gaming methods mentioned above some key differences change how bets are placed on each. 

Virtual Sports

Virtual sports are computer-generated sporting events that use random numeric data to produce an outcome. Virtual sports typically use made-up team names and players with generated ratings that affect the team’s performance. These matchups are popular with 18+ online sportsbooks that offer betting lines on virtual sports, including basketball, soccer, horse racing, etc. 

Another significant part about these virtual games is that they only show a part of the action, the rest is simulated so you can move on and place other bets without having to wait the game out. A typical virtual sports bet can take between 1 to 5 mins depending on when you place your bet. 

Simulated Sports

Simulated sporting events are similar to virtual sports in the fact that the game uses numeric data to produce an outcome and winner. The main difference is that simulated sporting events use real teams and real statistics based on real player performances other than computer-generated data. Betting on sims has greatly gained popularity since sports were canceled due to the coronavirus. 

Typical games used for simulated sporting events include Madden 21, NBA2k, MLB the show, FIFA 21, and others. These games are super popular in their own right and attract a new fanbase that might be willing to bet on the outcomes. When betting on these events, it is essential to know if the rosters are current since most player deals go down in the offseason. 

Esports

Betting on eSports is just as entertaining as betting on sports for some people. Esports is competitive and organized video gaming played between teams or individuals. Popular esports games include Fortnite, League of Legends, Counterstrike, Overwatch, DOTA 2, and Madden 21. Esports competitions are usually played on gaming computers geeked out to offer an optimized visual and gaming experience. 

When betting on eSports, it is important to know the team and who is behind the controls. These games can take hours to complete, and teams are rewarded prize money to give both teams an incentive to win. Over the last few years, eSports has gained popularity and is now looking at expanding into new untapped gaming markets. 

Betting On Sports In 2020

Now that the world has learned to live with COVID-19, many sporting leagues are starting to resume operations without fans. The NBA is currently trying to salvage their 2020 season by operating in a Disney World bubble and playing a shorter than usual season. The MLB is presently playing a shorter season without fans in attendance. The NFL is expected to start a little late and limit the number of fans allowed to attend the games. 

Betting on the NFL or other traditional sports is like betting on virtual sports and sims; however, esports add another element into the mix. It goes without saying that esports is an acquired taste, but the league has seen substantial growth due to games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and others. Despite what happens with the “Rona”, virtual sports betting is here to stay. 

Sports betting has been dramatically affected by the suspension of American sports, and online sportsbooks are doing all they can to offset the revenue loss. Sports bettors have also lost income, and for some professional sports bettors, the loss has been devastating. 

Virtual Sports

Since the NBA, MLS, and MLB suspensions, and the cancellation of the 2020 March Madness tournament, virtual sports have been the focus for many online books that offer the service. Virtual sports are simulated events that consist of fictional teams. Virtual sports typically include basketball, multiple variations of racing, and soccer. Camel racing is currently one of Bovada’s hot ticket items and there are multiple races that take place a day.

You can bet on virtual sports online by signing up for a sportsbook that offers the service. Once on the virtual sports page, betting lines are provided for the event you choose. You can watch the virtual events unfold on the site to see if your bet will payout. 

Simulation Sports

Betting on simulations is a lot like virtual sports but different because they have real teams. Popular simulation sports include NBA2k, NFL Madden, FIFA20, and MLB the Show. Since simulations are often streamed from other platforms (Youtube, Twitch), simulation betting lines are available on more sportsbook sites. 

Bovada Sim Bowl

To spice things up, Bovada has taken simulation to a new level by offering their first Sim Bowl. The Sim Bowl is a simulation of NFL games that will conclude on May 24th,2020. 

In the US, 18+ online sportsbooks can legally operate offshore and across numerous state lines due to the lack of US gambling laws. Online sportsbooks will also accept registrations from players over the age of 18, and only excludes players from 5 states Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, and Maryland. State restrictions are due to state gambling laws, not federal legislation. 

With no definite answer to when professional sports will resume, virtual games and sims will likely continue during their absence.

There are multiple ways to bet on the Sim Classic matchups, including futures, props, parlays, and live betting options. All of the simulated games can be watched for free at Bovada’s Sportsbook or on another platform, Twitch.

Before betting on Simulated NFL games, you will need to know how the games are set up. Computer skills are set to default, and the overall game skill is set to “Rookie.” The games will be simulated with weather conditions set to partly cloudy for all games. The time of the sim will determine the game daytime, either day or night. The team rosters are based on the end of the 2020 season.

In addition to the pre-game settings, there are also betting rules. In-game glitches will be considered part of the game, and if a glitch occurs, no game result will be voided. For player props, all wagers will have action if the player plays. Disputes must be made within ten days of the simulated event. If the stream is lost or disconnected, the game will be paused until the stream is available. If the stream cannot be reconnected, all incomplete game bets will be voided. Any playoff game that is voided will be replayed. There will also be no ties as each game will have to produce a winner. 

To make the tournament more competitive, venues will be neutral for conference semi-finals, finals, and tournament championship games. For tournament rounds 16 and over, the home team will be the highest-seeded team. For the group rounds, the home team will be decided on the previous year’s divisional standings. 

The Sim Classic is an excellent introduction to simulated sporting events. While sports are paused due to the coronavirus, simulation betting has helped fill the void felt by seasoned sports bettors. Players can bet multiple times on matchups and hedge their bets with futures or props. Click the link below to see the lines and matchups taking place today, and for a limited time, new accounts can get a $250 sports bonus for signing up and making a deposit. 

• Sim Classic Odds at Bovada

Over the past two months, sportsbooks have been left with little to offer in the form of traditional sports but have since ramped up their virtual sports betting opportunities. Online sites like Bovada’s Sportsbook offers a virtual sports spin on many classic games, including racing, basketball, and soccer. These matchups take place every couple of minutes or so and provide numerous betting lines for each event. 

Virtual sports use random number generators (RNG) to produce outcomes for computer-generated events. Stats are inserted into the RNG’s to deliver results for the games that are taking bets. Team events such as basketball show highlights of the event, but most of the action is not viewable. Other virtual sports such as horse racing and dog racing show the action because the competition only lasts for a minute or so. 

Virtual Sports vs. Simulations

Virtual sports use made-up teams and players where simulations use real stats, players, and team logos. Simulations also differ due to the software that is used. Virtual Sports use software providers that embed gaming software into the sportsbook. This allows viewers to see some of the action that took place in the virtual competition. Simulations can also be viewed but often on another platform such as twitch or youtube. 

How To Bet On Virtual Sports

Betting on virtual sports is similar to betting on the NBA or other US sporting leagues, except the outcome is much faster. To bet on virtual games, you will need to sign up for a sportsbook that offers virtual events. Our top pick is Bovada since they accept 18-year-old players, have a stellar reputation, and offer US friendly deposit methods. Once your account is verified, you can deposit and navigate to the virtual sports page to see what events are being offered.  

Sports Post-Coronavirus

This weekend over 40 US states will have opened up in some form, but citizens are still wary about traveling to public settings. Casinos will remain closed for the most part until phase two of opening up the economy is initiated. Sporting leagues have slowly started opening up their facilities to athletes, but the majority of events are still on hold. Nascar and Golf will both host events with no fans later this month. 

The NBA announced the idea last week, and the first round of the tournament was played this past Friday. The tournament is being played on the Xbox One console, and players are seeded based on their in-game rating. The first two rounds of the playoff bracket were single elimination, but the semifinals and finals will be the best of three. The remainder of the tournament will be aired on ESPN or ESPN2.

The first two rounds were played over the weekend, and several of the tournament’s top seeds have already been dethroned. Below you will see the opening bracket and who has already been knocked out of the game. 

2k Players bracket:

1. Kevin Durant, Nets (96) – Eliminated
2. Trae Young, Hawks (90)
3. Hassan Whiteside, Trail Blazers (87) – Eliminated
4. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz (87) – Eliminated
5. Devin Booker, Suns (86)
6. Andre Drummond, Cavaliers (85)
7. Zach LaVine, Bulls (85) – Eliminated
8. Montrezl Harrell, Clippers (85)
9. Domantas Sabonis, Pacers (85) – Eliminated
10. Deandre Ayton, Suns (85)|
11. DeMarcus Cousins (81) – Eliminated
12. Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets (81) -Eliminated
13. Rui Hachimura, Wizards (79)
14. Patrick Beverley, Clippers (78)
15. Harrison Barnes, Kings (78) – Eliminated
16. Derrick Jones Jr., Heat (78) 

The quarterfinals will air on Tuesday, April 7th, at 7-pm on ESPN2. The Finals are scheduled for Tuesday, April 11th, and will be televised on ESPN. The quarterfinal matchups are also based on their game rankings, and the matchups will be played as followed. 

• Derrick Jones Jr. (16) vs. Montrezl Harrell (8)
• Devin Booker (5) vs. Rui Hachimura (13)
• Trae Young (2) vs. Deandre Ayton (10)
• Andre Drummond (6) vs. Patrick Beverley (14)  

While betting on NBA2k is not quite like betting on NBA basketball, it is quite possibly the next best thing, and there are odds that bettors can wager on. Below you will see that Pat Beverly is the current favorite to win the bracket with favorable odds at +225. 

Odds Available at BetOnline:

Players-Only Tournament Winner –
Pat Beverley +225
Devin Booker +275
Derrick Jones Jr. +450
Trae Young +500
Deandre Ayton +700
Montrezl Harrell +1400
Rui Hachimura +1400
Andre Drummond +1800   

BetOnline is one of the only 18+ online sportsbooks with current odds for the 2k tournament. In addition to betting on NBA2k, you will find there are other options, including an online casino, poker room, and a full sportsbook available to US players. We expect sports to resume sometime during the summer of 2020; however, for now, a lot is still unknown.