Virtual Sports Betting In South Africa – Betting Strategy & Tips

Not to be confused with esports, virtual sports offer bettors the exciting opportunity to wager on simulated sporting contests. Favourites like soccer, cycling, tennis, horse-racing and basketball abound, including many others. Computer generated games with advanced graphics make the experience feel pretty close to the real deal. In fact, due to the latest advancements in technology, the results are often indistinguishable from the real McCoy. Realistic sound effects also help the cause via adding cheering fans, commentator chatter and immersive sounds like sneakers squeaking on a basketball court or the roar of revving engines into the mix.

The genre’s fast paced, so strap in for a wild ride. Short games and quick turnaround times immediately after a bet has been placed means there’s very little waiting time before getting to the results. Another advantage is that outcomes cannot be manipulated since they’re decided by Random Number Generators (RNG’s) that are protected by strict security protocols. This technology is similar to those used by online slots games. 

Odds work the same for virtual sports as it does for traditional sports betting; the only difference is that virtual games will only take place after a wager has been made. Players don’t have to wait for scheduled matches to come around, since virtual games are available all the time. This offers punters betting opportunities around the clock, and as often as their hearts desire. Score!

For forward-thinkers fascinated by the metaverse and the potential it holds for the future of virtual sports betting, Times of Malta provides some interesting insight on the matter.

How Does Virtual Sports Betting Work?

Step one is to create an account in order to participate and wager on virtual games. Each individual betting platform will take you through the necessary step by step instructions. Since RNG’s decide the outcomes of any game or race, you’ll be on the edge of your seat once your bet has been placed. Besides the random number generator factor, further complicated mechanics behind virtual sports help decide on an unbiased outcome. Each participant in a virtual sports match or race is assigned an ability score, against which their probability of victory or defeat is weighted.

This mechanism determines favourites as well as those teams or competitors with lesser odds of winning. Not only does this produce a more realistic scenario, but it adds to the fun. As mentioned, RNG ultimately adds an element of randomness, better known as luck, to decide the final outcome. Pundits uninterested in researching how players or teams should perform will particularly enjoy virtual sports. It’s probably the easiest way for new players to enjoy the thrill of sports betting.

Some of the most popular markets in virtual sports betting include:

Virtual Sports vs. Real Sports Betting

While virtual sports’ popularity is on the rise, it has a long way to go to reach that of traditional sports betting popularity in South Africa. Even though many of the field’s best virtual exponents try to simulate its real life counterpart as closely as possible, there are still major differences. Virtual sports results are completely random, for example, and therefore an in-depth knowledge of any particular sport, player or team won’t help in making an informed betting decision. The opposite is true for real sporting events featuring actual, knowable players with confirmed stats and a well documented history of skill levels, psychological profiles and past performances.

Random number generator algorithms decide the outcome of virtual sports betting events; while the real life version is less random. Due to the nature of virtual sports’ software, the results are more volatile. This might make winning more difficult, but will keep players white-knuckle engaged from start to finish.

Where virtual sports betting really shine, though, is that it’s conveniently available to play at any time and from anywhere. There are no long waiting periods between games and betting opportunities. The outcomes of events are also quicker, e.g. a virtual soccer match can be decided in 90 seconds instead of 90 drawn-out, often highly frustrating minutes. While the number of betting markets for virtual sports still has a long way to go to catch up to its true counterpart, it fills the gap between actual sporting events admirably, keeping bettors thoroughly engaged and entertained.

With virtual sports betting opportunities expanding all the time, there’s no shortage of sports to wager on around the clock. Some of these include:

⚽ Virtual soccer

🐎Virtual horse racing

🏁 Virtual greyhound racing

🎾 Virtual tennis

🏀 Virtual basketball

🏎️ Virtual motorsport

🏈 Virtual American football

🚴 Virtual cycling

🎯 Virtual darts

🏍️ Virtual speedway

🐴 Virtual trotting

🐕 Virtual dog racing

Best Virtual Betting Sites 2024

South African bookmakers offer numerous exhilarating betting opportunities, virtual sports being a growing market among them. SA has legalised sports stakes for quite some time, which has resulted in an ever-expanding roster of sites that allow Mzansi players to freely and legally participate. The best local virtual sites that we recommend are:

To get your bet on, you’ll need to be FICA-verified. The FICA Act was passed in 2001 and enacted in 2003. To qualify, you’ll need to submit any of the following documents as proof that you’re a legal resident of South Africa:

• A valid passport
• A smart or green ID card
• A valid driving license

Further documentation serving as proof of residence can include:

• Bills for services no older than three months
• Bank statements showing financial transactions in Mzansi during the past three months
• Municipal rate and tax invoices (also no older than three months)

South African Online Casino Banking Methods popular with South African sites are:

• Visa and Mastercard
• OTT Voucher
• Kazang
• Ozow
• SID
• 1ForYou Voucher
• Easyload
• EFT
• MTN MoMo

Virtual Sports Betting Strategies and Tips

Here’s the rub: virtual sports betting outcomes are random, meaning there’s very little that strategizing can do to affect the outcome. There are, however, still a number of tips to boost your odds of success and add to your overall enjoyment. Here are our top recommendations:

Bet Modest Amounts

Since virtual sports tournaments and matches are constantly available and play out at a breakneck pace, you should never feel rushed to participate. Take your time. Since there’s no real skill involved in deciding which team, player or outcome to bet on (and also due to the volatility of results), it’s better to wager smaller amounts than you would typically bet on real events. 

Select Your Sport

Choosing which virtual sport to wager on can influence your odds of success. Betting on a race where eight runners compete instead of sixteen, for example, will automatically improve your likelihood of winning. This will naturally be reflected in the odds, as well. Your potential winnings won’t be as high, but your enjoyment and lack of exposure to risk will certainly increase.

Certain virtual sports such as tennis, basketball and soccer have limited betting result possibilities too, e.g. win – draw – win. This will naturally increase your odds of victory more than wagering on a racing event (with more participants equalling more potential outcomes) could ever do.

Bonuses and Promotions

A virtue of online casinos and betting sites is that they’re extremely competitive. As a result, they regularly offer bonuses and special promotions to help attract players to their platforms. Be sure to take advantage of these offers, because what’s more fun than wagering your own money? You got it – betting with the bookmaker’s! Before you do, always read the terms and conditions of every bonus or mahala bet, since they’re often accompanied by special requirements like minimum odds.

Bankroll Management

This key principle is valid for all forms of gambling at real-money online casinos. It boils down to setting a budget for your overall betting activity and having the discipline to keep to it. To gamble responsibly, always remember to:

• Keep your gambling funds separate from your personal finances. 

• Allow your bankroll to build over time without withdrawing funds from it.

• Keep tabs on your betting history and carefully log your wins and losses.

Let the Games Begin

And there you have it, folks. All set to venture beyond the arena of traditional sports and start betting on those in the virtual realm? Then take to the wide-open field and get in the game! 

A thrilling new world awaits...