Computerised horse races allow punters to place bets on virtual events even after the actual, real-life horse racing has finished for the day. Our guide below answers all the questions you have about virtual horse racing betting, including how it works and the best sites to bet with!
- 1 Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Virtual Horse Racing
- 2 What is Virtual Betting on Horse Racing?
- 3 Virtual Horse Racing Bookies Ranked And Reviewed
- 4 Types of Virtual Horse Races
- 5 Virtual Horse Racing Tips And Strategies
- 6 Advantages of Virtual Horse Racing Betting
- 7 More Articles
- 8 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 9 Virtual Horse Racing FAQs
Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Virtual Horse Racing
UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (6):
    18+ Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. 18+ www.gambleaware.org. Place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 each-way bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (4):
 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. Get 4x£10 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 10 days. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (11):
18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (6):
 Up to £50 in Free Bets, Odds Boost Token, 20 Free Spins & £10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods (6):
18+ New players only | Available until 23:59 GMT 31.12.2025 Each challenge has its own TCs. Eligible Bets must be placed for each respective Challenge during the Promotional Period including the following: ACCA, Football, In-Play, and Casino. Each challenge has its own set of TCs and can only be completed 1x. Available to claim: 20 Free Spins, Odds Boost Token, £10 Free Bet, 50% Back up Free Bet up to £20, £10 Casino Bonus when you wager £50+. If all are completed you will receive Max £20 Free Bet to be used on any sport. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (5):
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 or more on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds within 7 days of registration. No cash out. Get £30 in Free Football Bets, selected markets. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (9):
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (7):
18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (7):
 18+ New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (8):
 18+ New GB customers only. Min £10 debit card deposit. Place a £10+ bet at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days. Opt in for £20 in free bets and £20 Casino Bonus. Valid for 7 days. Geographical restrictions. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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UK Gambling Commission
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
Payment methods (7):
18+ New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
What is Virtual Betting on Horse Racing?
Virtual Horse Racing works in the same way as real horse racing. You make a selection and bet on it in all the normal ways: outright win, each way, forecasts and tricasts. The only difference is that the race is a computer-generated with results powered by random number generators (RNGs). Races take place on made-up courses, such as Neighmarket, with invented horses.
All of these horses are completely fictitious, so even if you don’t want to bet big in order to win big sums, you can still play along for fun. If you do want to bet to win, then you have the option to study some “form” and all of the information you will be looking for is displayed in race card form just like in real life.
Is Wagering On Virtual Horse Racing Fair?
Yes, it is fair, especially so long as you make sure that you only bet at the bookmakers we recommend. Like slots, blackjack and video poker games, etc, these computerised games use RNGs in order to generate results. The clue is in the word random. That said, horses’ ‘form’ is still included in the computer, meaning that favourites, while not guaranteed, will still win more often than others.
Virtual Horse Racing Bookies Ranked And Reviewed
Below we have compiled a list of some of the best bookies in the UK offering bets on virtual horse races.
bet365
bet365 has definitely put on the best display for their virtual horse racing. Races are staged every single minute and the graphics and commentary far outstrip all of the others. Product-wise, it’s hard not to be impressed here. Just be sure to know your horse’s number rather than name because the commentary, as it does everywhere else to be fair, focuses on numbers, not names. On other sites, names of the leading horses are displayed on the footage but at bet365, both audio and visual commentary focus solely on numbers.
Betfred
Betfred has jumped both feet first into virtual sports, and the virtual world is truly something to take in. Because of this, you can be sure that you will not be disappointed with what they have to offer for virtual horse racing, which even includes Dash Horses.
Ladbrokes
At Ladbrokes, races go off every three minutes with commentary, cheering crowds, galloping hooves and stadium announcements all included in the sound effects to keep things feeling as real as physically possible.
Coral
Coral really go to town with their virtual horse racing offering. With races staged every three minutes, including commentary on horse numbers rather than names, there is always something to bet on.
Paddy Power
Paddy Power set their races off every two minutes and, much like the others, the races are fast and furious - but most of all, fun. The graphics are great; however, the commentary is very mundane - but no more so than elsewhere, and this is only a minor factor anyway.
BetVictor
BetVictor provides virtual horse racing all day every day, with races set two minutes apart.The footage is great and comes as close as possible to replicating the real thing with tangy announcements, crowd chats and race commentary included.
NetBet
Powered by Inspired Gaming, NetBet’s virtual horse racing is a powerful, if reduced, offering. Players can bet on wins, each-way, forecasts and tricasts, but only on one format.
BoyleSports
BoyleSports have gone all in when it comes to virtual horse races. Lucky punters of the Irish bookmakers can enjoy National Hunt races, flat races as well as sprints, and can bet in the usual way in each of them.
Betfair
At Betfair, flat races, jumps races and sprints are under starters orders, or in the virtual world, “no more bets”, every two minutes. The actions are good and do well as a replica of the real thing, but you really wouldn’t expect much less of Betfair.
Types of Virtual Horse Races
The whole point of virtual horse racing is to replicate its real, physical counterpart as closely as possible. Therefore, the races being replicated are based on the numerous types of real races that exist in reality such as the following.
| Type of Virtual Horse Race | Definition |
|---|---|
| Flat Racing | As in real life, flat races are generally shorter and raced without hurdles. |
| Jump Racing | Just like the real thing, these races included fences that must be jumped. |
| Sprint Racing | Short, quick and fast, just as it is in real life. |
| Trotting | Sometimes known as harness racing, the horses carry traps along behind them while racing. |
Virtual Horse Racing Tips And Strategies
Remember, as with real horse racing, the shorter the betting odds on a horse, the better their chances of winning the upcoming race. There is little reason to study the form of a horse and backing it according to its previous runs. But just because the racecards and form are all synthetic, that doesn’t mean that all of the horses have an equal chance of success.
Instead, look to control your bankroll by betting small at first, not risking more than you can afford to lose. Even though the form is bogus, favourites have been deemed the favourites for a reason, so compare how short their price is against the rest of the runners, especially the longest odds in the field. Also, we believe it’s advantageous to reverse forecast in these events or, if you so wish, try the tricast bet type selections for higher payout.
Advantages of Virtual Horse Racing Betting
One of the first advantageous aspects of virtual horse racing that you will notice is that you can bet pretty much on demand. Races go off all day, every day - meaning bettors will never have to wait a long time for a race to start again. Also, because each race is entirely independent of the previous one, there is no need to study horse form. These races cannot be postponed or cancelled due to bad weather either!
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ThePuntersPage Final Say
As you can see, there are plenty of good reasons to give virtual horse racing a try, and as just as many good reasons to help explain why it has become popular, so quickly. While it can’t quite replace the real thing, it's a worthy fallback option!
Virtual Horse Racing FAQs
No, not really. The idea is that the action keeps rolling all day long.
Again, not really. The form isn’t real, it’s just there to help you if you need it. It’s far better to bet according to the odds.
All results in virtual horse racing are determined by the same RNGs that keep online casinos fair.
Yes, RNGs are employed in order to generate a fair result.
No, all of the action is entirely fictional.