7 Best Virtual Sports Betting Sites to Try in 2024

The digital replica of the most popular sports, virtual sports events is a great way for bookies and gamblers to enjoy some betting action at any time. 

Here is our list of the best virtual sports betting sites available to UK punters right now. 

What is Virtual Sports Betting?

Virtual sports betting is just like betting on real-life sports; you have the same types of bets and the same sports, starting from the most popular—football to tennis, motorsports and horse races. The biggest difference is that the outcome in virtual sports is determined by a Random Number Generator, unlike real-life sports, where the result depends on the tactics of the manager or the skills of the player. 

A Closer Look at the Top-Rated Virtual Sports Betting Sites 

1. Bet365 Virtual Sports Betting 

• Rating: 5
• Welcome bonus: Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets
• Virtual sports available: Horse Racing, Greyhounds, Soccer, Cricket, American Football, Darts, Basketball, Motorsports, Speedway, Trotting, Cycling, Tennis
• UK license: Yes 
• Customer support: Live chat, email & post
• Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Paysafecard

With 12 virtual sports to bet on, bet365 is the absolute leader in the online sports betting market. In fact, this bookie’s offer of virtual sports and markets is only topped by their coverage of real-life sports. Bet365 also has great odds on virtual football and horse races, while the site is sleek and user-friendly, suitable for both newbies and seasoned bettors. Best of all, their generous welcome offer of £50 in free bets extends to virtuals, so a win-win all around. 

2. BetVictor Virtual Sports Betting

• Rating: 4.9
• Welcome Bonus: £100 Matched Bet Offer 
• Virtual sports available: Horse Racing, Football Club, Dog racing, Basketball
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Live chat, email, help centre, Facebook, Twitter
• Payment methods: Debit cards, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill

BetVictor is one of Europe’s leading online virtual sports betting websites. With its fast and intuitive interface, no wagering welcome offer and great selection of virtuals, it certainly has the proof to live up to that title. Furthermore, BetVictor has the most diverse offer on virtual basketball, hosting two US Leagues and scheduling events almost on the minute. The streams are complete with live commentary and crowd sound effects, bringing them as close to the real thing as possible.  

3. Ladbrokes Virtual Sports Betting 

• Rating: 4.9
• Welcome bonus: Bet £5 to Get £20 in Free Bets 
• Virtual sports available: Horse Racing, Grand National, Greyhounds, Football, Basketball, Motorsports
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Help centre 
• Payment methods: Visa, Mastercards, Maestro, ApplePay, PayPal, Paysafecard

There is lots of fun to be had with Ladbrokes, as this renowned sportsbook is one of the best for virtual football betting. New virtual football matches are scheduled every three minutes, so there is always something to keep you busy. Plus, markets abound from over/under bets to handicaps, and the odds provided are even better than real-life football. Oh, £20 free bets bonus includes virtual sports as well. What more can an avid bettor on virtual football want?

4. William Hill Virtual Sports Betting

• Rating: 4.5
• Welcome Bonus: Bet £10 Get 2 x £15 in Free Bets 
• Virtual sports available: Horse Racing, Greyhounds, Football, Motorsports
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Live chat & Help Centre 
• Payment methods: Maestro, Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, ApplePay & more 

William Hill is an established name in the gambling world, offering a huge range of classic and virtual sports to satisfy even the pickiest punters. In addition, this bookie has one of the most varied virtual horse racing offers, including flat, jump and split races and a huge range of markets, from each-way bet to tricasts. And with races starting every two minutes, you will definitely be spoiled for choice.

5. Sportsbet.io Virtual Sports Betting 

• Rating: 4.6
• Welcome Bonus: /
• Virtual sports available: Football, Basketball, Tennis, Baseball 
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Help centre 
• Payment methods: MasterCard, Visa 

Once you land on Sportsbetio’s home page, you are greeted by a separate tab for virtual sports, so you know they have a lot to offer.  And offer they do! One of the rare bookies to host virtual sports events in baseball, Sportsbetio also has a varied selection of virtual basketball, tennis and a total of six football leagues. Topped off with high-end graphics, fast-loading streams, and in-play betting on virtual tennis and baseball, this is definitely the site every virtual bettor needs to bookmark. 

6. Betway Virtual Sports Betting

• Rating: 4.4
• Welcome Bonus: 100% Matched Bonus of up to £10 in free bets
• Virtual Sports available: Football, Horse racing, Cycling, Greyhounds, Motor racing, Speedway, Trotting
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Live chat and help centre 
• Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Neteller 

Betway has been around for a while, and it is certainly a crowd favourite. Thanks to its wide range of promos, mobile-friendly platform and one of the fastest payout rates on the market, it’s not hard to see why. On top of that, Betway has an enticing virtual sports offer, giving punters a pick from the most popular sports, including football, cycling, motor racing and trotting. There are events and markets aplenty too, so there is never a dull moment. 

7. 888Sport Virtual Sports Betting

• Rating: 4.4
• Welcome Bonus: Bet £10 get £30 free bets +  £10 Casino bonus
• Virtual sports available: Football, Tennis, Motor Racing, Horse Racing, Greyhounds, Trotting, Speedway, Velodrome
• UK license: Yes
• Customer support: Help centre & email 
• Payment methods: MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, E-Check, Trustly, EcoPayz, ApplePay & more 

888Sport is one of the heavyweights in the online gambling scene, so it’s no surprise that it’s a provider of some of the most competitive odds on virtual sports. 888Sports’ virtual sports portfolio encompasses all the popular disciplines, while events are streamed in the highest quality without glitches or delays. What’s more, this bookmaker and their variety of banking methods gives customers much-needed wiggle room for whatever payment method they’re currently using. 

The Punters’ Ultimate Guide to Virtual Sports Betting 

From the most popular virtual sports to tips on how to maximise fun and profits, our guide will give you all the basics of virtual sports betting. 

How to choose a virtual sports website 

Ultimately, the criteria for choosing a virtual sportsbook are up to your preferences. 

But here’s a handy list of what bettors should usually look for: 

• License: Only go for sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
• A UX and UI that’s professional, functional, and fast. 
• Real money rewards, bonuses, and promotional offers.
• Competitive odds that will make sure your stake goes a long way. 
• A diverse set of payment options.
• Prompt and responsive customer service.

Most popular virtual sports to bet on

Most real-life sports have their virtual counterparts, and you can choose from thousands of games to your liking. Nevertheless, most betting sites offer the following virtual sports:

• Football
• Horse racing
• Dog racing
• Motorsports
• Tennis
• Basketball
• Trotting
• Cycling 

Advantages and disadvantages of virtual sports betting 

Even though you’re not in the thick of the crowd’s adrenaline rush, there are some advantages to betting on sports events on gaming consoles. Here are a few to mention: 

• 24/7 Availability
• Betting comfortably in your own home
• Absence of human error or external factors that might influence the results
• High-Definition graphics
• Wide variety of online sports available to choose from
• Easy to learn and play

Along with the good, there is also the bad. Here’s a head’s up on what you need to look out for, in case you want to get into the virtual sports world:

• Not as exciting as real-life games 
• Games are purely down to chance, and the outcome is completely random
• It may lead to huge losses since events have a short game span

Virtual Sports Betting Tips

Now for some tips and strategies that will help you win at virtual sports betting. 

• Select your virtual sport wisely. Find what sport and sportsbooks fit your preferences. But make sure to choose established and trusted virtual betting sites and look for warning signs such as slow payouts, murky terms and conditions, and poor customer service.
• Be responsible. You can use proper bankroll management in order to keep track of your bets. A good tip is to bet small amounts and not to chase losses.
• Look for good promotions. Virtual sports betting always has promotions and bonuses, so make sure to take advantage of that. 
• Review and analyse the odds. You can’t spot patterns with virtual betting because it relies on algorithms. However, if match stats favour one team, it’s highly likely that team will also prevail in the virtual event.

Wrapping Up

You are now all set to place your bet on virtual sports. Choose a good site, think about which sport you want to wager on, start off with small amounts and enjoy the fun!

FAQs

How big is the virtual betting market?

The virtual betting market currently makes up 3.2% of the one billion pound-worth remote betting market. Just for comparison, football takes up 46.1%, while tennis accounts for 2.5%.

Is virtual sports betting fair?

Yes, virtual sports betting is absolutely fair as the results are determined by an RNG and do not depend on the bookie or the games provider. 

What types of games do a virtual sports betting site offer?

Since these games are essentially video games of the actual real-life sports event, you can find a wide range of sports, from football, horse racing, greyhounds, to tennis, basketball, and motorsports.

Can I combine real and virtual sports selections in my bet slip?

No, most sportsbooks do not allow you to combine a sports bet and virtual sports wager on one slip. 

Is betting on virtual sports legal?

In the UK, betting on virtual and other sports is legal. 

Are virtual sports betting sites safe?

Absolutely! Most virtual sports betting sites have multiple licenses, hence perfectly safe to use. And since most websites are well-established, they can be trusted to treat their customers right.