Virtual Horse Racing Betting – The Total Review
Since coming to the fore in the early 2000’s, virtual horse racing betting has really taken off and become one of the most popular sports betting products in the UK market. Recent bookmaker reports have shown that it accounts for as much as 20% of the overall number of horse racing bets, reaping up to £80,000,000 in profits every year. Read More
| Operator | Welcome Offer* | Details About the Virtual Races | Virtual Rating: | Secure Link | Terms: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ladbrokes | £20 Free Bet |
|
5.00 ★ out of 5
|
ladbrokes.com | Full T&Cs apply. 18+ New UK+IRE customers only. PayPal and certain deposit types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account registration at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. |
| 2. Coral | £20 4x £5 Free Bets |
|
4.50 ★ out of 5
|
lp.coral.co.uk | Full T&Cs apply. 18+. UK+IRE only. Min first bet £5 at odds 1/2 or more. Tote and Pool excluded. Must be placed within 14 days of account reg. £20 credited as 4 x £5 free bets. Not valid with CashOut. Free bet valid for 4 days. Free bet stake not returned. |
| 3. Paddy Power | £20 Money Back Special |
|
4.50 ★ out of 5
|
paddypower.com | Full T&Cs Apply! Risk Free 20: New customers only, limited to one per person. If you’ve previously had a Paddy Power account, you will not qualify for the offer. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Paypal will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy’s Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. |
If you’re wondering how and why it has grown to become such an important part of British sports betting culture and thinking that that you’d like to get in on the fun, look no further; our full-feature review includes everything you need to know about virtual horse racing.
On the following page, we’ll be highlighting which betting sites we think provide the best horse racing betting services. After carrying out a number of tests we’ll be providing you, our readers, with some important info explaining exactly what virtual horse racing is, what the pros and cons are, and what you can expect to find on offer at the bookies.
What is Virtual Horse Racing Betting?
Virtual horse races are computer-generated simulations that have been modeled on a real-life racing events. The real-life horse races is a whole industry, governed, administrated and regulated by BHB. Using state-of-the-art technology provided by some of the best software developers in the business, virtual horse races are streamed directly onto your desktop, mobile or tablet device or onto betting shop television monitors in regular three or four-minute intervals and feature first-rate graphics, audio commentary and action replays.
Virtual horse racing at bet365
Virtual horse racing at Coral
Virtual horse racing at Paddy Power
As can be seen from the images above, bookmakers offer a selection of both flat and jump racecourses. It is important to note that rather than the results being determined by the speed, stamina and discipline of the on-field competitors, virtual horse races are run on an algorithm. This means that the outcomes of the races are chosen completely at random, with no outside interference from the bookmaker or any other external parties, and the odds prices are always fixed. Races tend to last around 90 seconds, and the loading time between races is never normally more than a few minutes.
The Pros & Cons
Just as with any online betting product, virtual betting comes with its own set of pros and cons that should be considered before you start playing. Here you can see some of the most important highlighted in the section below.
- .Bet On-DemandMost bookmakers offer virtual horse races around-the-clock in three or four minute intervals. This means that rather than hanging around between races waiting for events to start again you can pretty much wager whenever you like.
- .Great TechnologyAs technology continues to advance, operators are able to offer virtual horse races that utilise the services of some of the best software developers in the world, meaning that first-rate graphics and flawless functioning is now the norm.
- .Rapid ResultsRather than sitting around waiting for official’s decisions or photo finish analyses before your bet is settled, the result of a virtual race is determined immediately as soon as the race finishes, making pay-outs super efficient.
- .Beginner-FriendlyResults are determined at random by a computer algorithm, so there’s no need to spend hours researching races. No extensive knowledge or skill is required, making virtual horses popular among beginners.
- .Licensing agreementsDue to licensing agreements, bookmakers aren’t allowed to replicate real-life stadiums or competitors in their virtual races. This means you won’t find any of your favoured horses, jockeys, trainers or locations mentioned in virtual betting platforms.
- .Limited AtmosphereIt almost goes without saying, but betting on a virtual race can never replicate the fun and excitement of a real-life race. This is why many punters tend to think of it more as an addition to regular horse racing betting rather than a like-for-like replacement.
- .Limited Bet Types Due to the simplified nature of virtual races, betting sites only offer a limited number of bet types per race. Whereas for real races you’ll find a great mix of straight, exotic and sometimes even tote pool bet types, virtual races only offer straight win or each way wagers, forecasts and tricasts.
We strongly advise taking the time to look at some of the pros and cons listed here so that you can decide whether or not betting on virtual horses is for you. There are of course a number of plus points, namely the availability of games and the ease of access for beginners, however, there are also a couple of drawbacks that limit the capacity of virtual races to completely replace betting on real horse races. This is why you should perhaps consider betting on virtual races alongside real races rather than thinking of them as an alternative.
Virtual Horse Racing Game Selection
When it comes to the different virtual horse racing betting games on offer, the selection tends to vary from bookmaker to bookmaker. For the most part, there isn’t an especially large pool of courses or races, with most operators having somewhere between 3-6. The betting sites features here all offer at least one flat race and one jump so that you have the option between the two and, as previously mentioned, new races begin every few minutes.
- Sprints & national jumps:Yes
- Bet types:4
- RTP:75-86%
- Maximum win:£250,000
- VISIT SITE!
Virtual Horse Racing Software
One of the most attractive features of virtual horse betting is the top-notch graphics on show at all the best betting sites. With world-renowned companies, Inspired Gaming Group and Betradar leading the way in the industry, virtual horse races perform extremely well with regard to loading times and streaming quality. Very seldom will you experience any glitches or problems with the interface, and the attention to detail shown toward the graphics means that it can, at times, be difficult to distinguish virtual races from the real thing! To make things even better, the technology today means that virtual horse racing apps are available on mobile and tablet, meaning that you can play whenever, wherever you like.
Virtual Horses – The Perfect Companion
When all is said and done, we believe that Virtual horse racing betting acts as a great supplement to betting on real horses. It’s straight-forward, dynamic, and allows you relive some of the atmosphere of betting on real races without any of the added stress of having to handicap horses, studying exhaustive form guides and waiting around for the right point in the season for your desired race to take place. The outstanding technology available these days means that it looks great, functions well, and allows for super-speedy results and pay-outs. All of the operators we’ve highlighted on this page offer a great virtual betting service. So, go ahead, sign-up and start playing for real!