Technology has enhanced our enjoyment of online betting in many ways, with virtual motor racing being one stellar example. Find out everything you need to know about virtual motor sports, and where to bet on them at the best bookies right here in this article.
- What Is Virtual Motor Racing?
- Best Bookies We Recommend for Virtual Motor Racing Betting
- A Closer Look at the Top Virtual Motor Sports Betting Sites
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- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
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- Why You Should Be Excited for Virtual Motor Racing
- Is There Any Strategy To Virtual Motor Racing?
- How Does It Look on Mobile?
- How Common Is Virtual Motor Racing?
- Virtual Motor Racing Betting FAQs
- ThePuntersPage Final Say
What Is Virtual Motor Racing?
For those of you who are unaware, virtual sports are an animated, virtual, video-game-like version of real sports, where you can bet on the winner just like the real thing. Unlike what you will find on the finest esports operators, where video games are played by real people in a test of thumb twiddling supremacy, virtual sports are automated videos where the winners are decided by a random number generator.
Betting on virtual motor sports is virtually identical to the process of doing so on the real thing, except the outcome is randomly generated and has nothing to do with the quality of the participants.
However, that doesn’t mean they are all the same – there are a variety of odds available, and the likelihood of a car winning is weighted based on those odds. The higher they are, the less likely that racer is to win. Races take a matter of minutes, unlike the real thing, and generally take place back-to-back, meaning there’s always something to bet on.
If you are unsure where to start, we strongly recommend you check out the five betting sites we've listed above see which is right for you. We think that, with the graphics and attention to detail of many modern iterations, you’ll be amazed by what is out there.
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#1
 Betway
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
New customers only. Min Deposit: £10. First deposit matched up to £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Terms apply #ad |
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#2
 William Hill
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#3
 bet365
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ - Offer for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#4
 Betfred
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#5
Paddy Power
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
New Customer 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 £10. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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A Closer Look at the Top Virtual Motor Sports Betting Sites
So, who has made it to our final countdown? Not only do our picks here represent a great virtual motor racing experience, but they are also some of our absolute favourite operators all-round, with amazing virtual sports options and tons of incredible markets, and in many cases, casino and online poker options too. Without further ado, here’s the best of the best.
1. Betway Virtual Motor Racing
This operator is well-known for going above and beyond in practically everything they do, and that is certainly the case when it comes to their virtual motor racing. Absolutely everything here is top-notch, including commentary, graphics, all-around presentations and odds balance.
Speaking of those odds, Betway go even further than most by offering the ability to lower your odds and improve your chances of winning by making your selection a top-two pick as opposed to an overall winner. Moreover, if you are generally a fan of virtuals, it joins a wide variety of other awesome virtual sports options, including everything from speedway to cycling, with plenty in between.
Positive
- Great odds balance
- Joins wide variety of other virtuals
- Allows you to make your selection each-way
Negative
- Decimal odds won’t be for everyone
2. William Hill Virtual Motor Racing
With one race option playing every three minutes along with twelve racers to choose from, this bookie's offering may seem a little simplistic. However, from a presentation point of view, William Hill’s virtual F1 betting options are tough to beat. The design, structure and the commentary all come together to create one of the most involving virtual experiences we’ve ever seen.
In addition, it has some of most-well balanced options out there. You'll find a great blend of odds, meaning that you’ll be catered for regardless of whether you like to back the underdog or play it safer with the favourites. Another five-star offering from the international industry standout known as William Hill.
Positive
- Fantastic visual experience
- Commentary is wonderfully well-realised
- Odds selection is well-balanced
Negative
- We’d simply like a wider variety of racing betting options
3. bet365 Virtual Motor Racing
What’s that – bet365 make another best-of list? Their virtual motor sport offering is a perfect example of not just their general quality, but also their astounding technical prowess, with some of the most action-packed virtual F1 options around.
Just like William Hill, things are kept fairly simple here – races take place every four minutes and there's nothing too off-the-wall idea-wise. However, the execution is practically perfect, meaning if you are looking for some straightforward virtual motor racing fun, you’ve come to the right place.
Positive
- Incredible sound effects
- Easy to follow rankings
- Rock solid technical performance
Negative
- Straightforward approach may leave some wanting more
4. Betfred Virtual Motor Racing
It’s appropriate that Betfred call their selection of amazing virtual sports their “virtual world”, as they have clearly gone above and beyond what most operators offer in order to craft as engrossing and immersive an experience as possible.
Joining the likes of darts, cycling, football and more is their absolutely world-class virtual motor racing effort, taking place every three minutes and even available to view without the need to log in. That means you can check this one out and see if it's right for you before registration. And why wouldn’t you want to showcase this to newcomers as much as possible? It’s exquisite stuff.
Punters will be offered thrilling coverage of top-tier virtual racing goodness. Odds here are generally weighted on the lower side, with 33/1 being the highest we found. Unless you’re going for super long odds, though, you’ll find plenty to love here.
Positive
- Joins an incredible roster of great virtuals
- Plenty of potential winners in line
- Another amazing graphical and presentation effort
Negative
- Not many long odds options
5. Paddy Power Virtual Racing
You can really feel the rumble of the engines with this one, as Paddy Power put all their juggernaut power into producing one of the finest virtual racing products you’ve ever seen.
Commentary is as engrossing as it is informative, and we get a really nice mix of different cars, styles and odds to keep things interesting, even on a relatively simplistic track. Best of all, they also let you bet each-way (that’s a win whether your picks place first, second or third) so that there’s more ways to win. A more complete and varied experience down at Goldrock Circuit can also be found.
Paddy Power's mobile option also works beautifully – we didn’t notice a single semblance of slowdown during our time with the app.
Positive
- Each-way betting will make this a must for many
- Another excellent mobile performance
- Goldrock Circuit provides plenty of action
Negative
- Commentary volume might make you jump
What Types of Virtual Motor Sports Are Available?
The overwhelming majority of virtual sports take on a Formula 1 aesthetic, and indeed, if you have any idea of how an F1 race works, you will be well at home here. The simplicity of the tracks and graphics this sport allows for make it ideal.
However, we have occasionally seen some bookmakers veer off into other interesting territory, including those which have a more NASCAR-style feel to them or MotoGP style racing, which makes a nice aesthetic change. Truthfully, though, they don’t impact the practicality of your betting that much; you are still predicting the winners of a race based on a random number generator and a set of odds.
What Kind of Virtual Motor Racing Markets Are Available?
Speaking of predictions, exactly what can you predict on virtual motor sport markets? Let’s take a look at a typical example below.
Generally, you will be predicting who wins the race, which will suit many thanks to the broad selection of racers and odds, with 12 being typical.
However, some popular betting sites do also allow you to extend that bet to include each-way betting or place betting, meaning you can pick a racers to end up in the first, second or third position. Because this type of sport more closely resembles a casino game, there’s not the level of market variety as a real sport, with simplicity being built into its premise and programming.
Why You Should Be Excited for Virtual Motor Racing
In this section, we break down five key reasons why we consider virtual motor racing to be one of the most interesting and exciting sports to bet on.
- 01SimplicityWe said before that virtual motor racing does not have as many markets as real-life sports
- 02Constant AvailabilityWhile this may disappoint some, that’s part of the appeal. Simplicity is key to what makes virtuals in general so enjoyable. While it’s great to pour over odds comparisons and betting strategy, sometimes you just want to take it easy and put a punt on a simple market and see whether your luck comes in. Furthermore, variety is often provided in the form of the sheer number of virtuals that are available from a single bookmaker
- 03Only takes a couple of minutesOne obvious issue with real-life sports is that there is a logistical limit to how often they can be played, even if there is a huge selection of markets from all over the world. Virtuals do not have this problem, as you can see from our recommendations
- 04Huge Variety Of OddsThey often play back-to-back, which brings us to our next point.
- 05An Amazing SpectacleIt’s good to think of virtual motor racing as a kind of hybrid between what makes sports betting and casino gambling so great. Obviously, it mimics sports in its presentation and excitement, but many sports take hours or even days. In contrast, the spin of a roulette wheel is over in a matter of moments. Simply put, there’s demand for a quicker kind of sports markets, and virtual motor racing, coming in at around 3-5 minutes a time, fits the bill perfectly.
How Does It Compare To Other Virtual Sports?
It is important to understand that, were there no presentation involved in virtuals, they would mostly operate the same. You’d pick from a selection of odds across a spectrum of markets, and would find out whether you won or not through the roll of a dice in the form of a rather complicated computer program.
However, they are not all the same because of their presentation. Every virtual is different in how it looks, feels and the ways in which you can win. Indeed, this is true across different virtual motor sport options – even more so when you consider the entire spectrum of options available at the best virtual sports betting sites.
In terms of what you should bet on? It simply depends on what you think the most interesting and entertaining. Here’s a typical list of options:
- Virtual trotting, Virtual cycling
- Virtual motorbike racing
- And of course, virtual motor racing
Is There Any Strategy To Virtual Motor Racing?
Yes, but not in the way we would approach strategy for a real-life sporting event. There is no form you can judge, no player injury news you may consider. Instead, it acts much like a casino game in a tactical sense.
Vitally, it is not a case of figuring out when the bookmaker has gotten the odds wrong and capitalising on the opportunity. Much like the spin of the roulette wheel, the probability of each betting option is not in doubt; it is merely a case of where the ball lands.
Instead, then, your strategy should be based on how you approach the different odds that are available to you, and vitally, how you manage your money and ensuring you gamble responsibly. Beyond that, it’s simply the luck of the draw.
How Does It Look on Mobile?
As is always the case, how a bookmaker operates on mobile, or even if it is available on mobile, comes down to the individual operator.
However, we can assure you that there’s plenty of options out there which look every bit as good on mobile as they do on desktop, especially on the best betting apps.
How Common Is Virtual Motor Racing?
While virtual motor racing isn’t quite as commonly found as some of its contemporaries – virtual football and virtual horse racing still remain the most common – it is pretty broadly available across a wide spectrum of quality bookmakers. Put it this way, if a site has any virtuals at all, we’d be more surprised to see motor racing not available, rather than the other way around.
Virtual Motor Racing Betting FAQs
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It is a computer-generated version of motor racing, usually resembling Formula 1, where the winner is determined by a random number generator.
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Many bookmakers only let you bet on a winner, but some allow for each-way betting (or “place” betting) where you can also win if your pick is a runner-up.
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While virtual motor racing and esports motor racing are often confused, they are very different, with the latter being a real-life contest based on the computer game skills of genuine competitors playing at an elite level.
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Races generally take place every three to five minutes.
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Yes, most of the time. It depends on the operator in question, but very often you can.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
The world of virtuals has come a long way in recent years, becoming not just more graphically impressive, but generally much more immersive and engrossing. If you love sports but also enjoy the quick convenience of casino betting, virtual motor sports are pretty much ideal.
We hope to see the potential of this kind of crossover between casino and sports betting benefits fulfilled in even more creative and satisfying ways than we are currently enjoying. That said, virtual motor sport remains impressive enough right now that, were it to stay just like this for a few more decades, we can’t see many people complaining.
Ben has been a copywriter for over a decade, with vast experience on just about everything sports related. If it has a ball in it, or someone gets to bet on it, he’s probably already obsessed with it. He resides in Yorkshire, where his articles are powered by the ever-present sound of a kettle.
