Virtual Betting Expected to Surge Due to COVID-19

Since mid-March 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled mainstream sports betting online and offline. Land-based shops have been forced to close their doors to help stop the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, even though online sportsbooks remain operational, they are unable to provide their punters with offers for major football, horse racing and other major international sports markets as all events have either been postponed or canceled.

What has this meant for big-name brands that usually draw in punters with their online sportsbooks and football betting apps? It means that they have had to cater to the gambling desires of their online and mobile customers by placing greater focus on other lesser-known events like virtual sports.

These electronic games that have been inspired by real sports use a random number generator (RNG) to decide the outcome of the match, race, etc. Although they’re not new to the digital bookmaker experience, since the novel coronavirus struck, virtual sports have garnered the interests of more punters.

For instance, the Virtual Grand National 2020 replaced the real event this year that was canceled due to the pandemic. While certainly not the same betting experience by any shade, this televised virtual version of one of the world’s most famous and unpredictable horse races involved forty runners who would have been the most likely to line up at Aintree. These runners took part in the virtual event with the help of CGI technology and special algorithms.

The resulting computer-generated version included much of the action for which the race is known. Among the animations were virtual ambulances trailing the runners and riders around the course as well as shots of the excited animated spectators. Bookmakers offered odds, with profits sent to NHS Charities Together. Potters Corner, the winner of the real-life Welsh Grand National back in December, won the virtual race, finishing 18-1.

That said, it’s not just virtual sports that are gaining popularity during this time of crisis, Esports might also be on the rise as it is yet another type of entertainment that continues to thrive in spite of the turmoil caused by the disease. The reason is that while live esports tournaments hosted in stadiums has become hugely popular, these events do not require these land-based venues to take place.

On the contrary, eSports can easily function online as it has done before, with many of its viewers used to watching these events from home via a live stream on Twitch or YouTube. As such, esports continues to be strong and shows no signs of slowing down. It is quickly becoming a primary target of punters across the globe eager to bet on live-action.

In fact, according to Forbes, the Online Betting Guide claims that it has witnessed a whopping 943% boost in traffic to its esports betting tips page, which would suggest that punters are looking to spend their money on new thrills.

It is likely that in the coming months, bookmakers will place greater value on this entertainment to draw in players who may base the deciding factor on their choice of bookie on the esports they offer.

Of course, bookmakers will do what they must to stay alive and profitable while gamblers hungry to place bets will be keen to spend money on other markets that wouldn’t normally interest them to fill the void left behind by the postponement and cancellation of major mainstream sporting events.

This creates an ideal environment to allow virtual sports, esports and other similar forms of digital and online-based entertainment to flourish. Still, it will be interesting to see if these betting markets will continue to maintain their popularity once the COVID-19 crisis is over and the sports world returns to normal.