ꦰ Looking for a new, exciting way to bet? A sports betting simulator, which pits the AI of your favourite computer games against each other in a masterful hybrid of virtuals and esports, could be the perfect solution! Here we’ll be checking out the best sports simulation betting sites, plus everything you need to know to tackle these original, innovative betting markets.
- 1 ꦆBest Betting Sites We Recommend for Virtual Sports Betting in 2024
- 2 What Is a Sports Betting Simulator?
- 3 Is It Safe To Bet on a Sports Betting Simulator?
- 4 Sports Simulation Compared To Virtual Sports
- 5 🐈What Variety of Simulated Sports Titles Are Available?
- 6 Advantages of Simulated Sports Betting
- 7 Simulation Sports Betting Tips and Strategies
- 8 Can Sports Simulations Use Promotions?
- 9 🏅Will My Sports Betting Simulator Be Available on Mobile?
- 10 More Articles
- 11 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 12 Sport Simulation Betting FAQs
Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Virtual Sports Betting in 2024
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Bet £10 & Get £50
Payment methods:
    
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. #ad |
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Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
Payment methods:
 
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. #ad |
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Up to £50 in free bets
Payment methods:
18+ Free bets and spins must be claimed within 28 days of opening. Free bet/spin stake not included in any winnings. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet £10 get £40
Payment methods:
18+ New UK & ROI Customers only. Min deposit & bet £/€10 at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for 4x £/€10 Free Bets. Certain deposit methods and bet types excl. Free Bet valid 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions +Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
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Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
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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. #ad |
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Up to £50 in Free Bets, Odds Boost Token, 20 Free Spins & £10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods:
Up to £50 in Free Bets, Odds Boost Token, 20 Free Spins & £10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods:
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. #ad |
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Bet £10 Get £40
Payment methods:
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. #ad |
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Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Payment methods:
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. #ad |
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🌃£40 Money Back Offer + £10 Casino Bonus
Payment methods:
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. #ad |
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£20 Backup Bet
Payment methods:
18+ New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. #ad |
What Is a Sports Betting Simulator?
ಞ Have you ever set up a game on FIFA where you put one computer team against the other just to see what it looks like? If so, you have created a simulated match.
What does a simulated match mean?
It is a CPU vs CPU simulated match that you can bet on.
So what is a simulate bet, in essence?
It can be done on any video gameဣ theoretically, as long as it is pitting the AI against each other.
A simulate bet can be easily confused with some other betting options, such as virtuals and esports bettingꩲ. We’ve also seen it confused for the simulation of sports betting, as in, betting on real sports with fake cash to experience it without betting real money.
However, as mentioned, it is none of these things. What makes sports simulating betting a different beast is CPU vs CPU, utilising artificial intelligence.
🌼 This makes it distinct from virtual sports and esports, and we’ll go into detail on exactly how a little further down this page.
Is It Safe To Bet on a Sports Betting Simulator?
🦩 Likely because simulated sports betting is so new and people are always more anxious when it comes to things that aren’t as tried and tested, some have concerns over the safety of those wishing to simulate bet on their favourite sports.
There are no additional safety concerns for a simulated match; it is the same as any kind of traditional sport with regards to security.
If you use a quality, licensed, secure operator, you will be every bit as safe as betting on the Premier League or The Ashes.
As far as concerns about rigging the game go, there is no reason that this wouldn’t be as simple to execute as it would on virtual football betting or a casino game. However, safe betting sites are independently tested and verified for their fair and random credentials, and that would apply to sports simulation betting as it would a game of blackjack. So put simply, yes, simulation sports betting is safe – just as it safe as it is to bet on the best casino sites.
Sports Simulation Compared To Virtual Sports
𒀰 The most common misunderstanding about the sports betting simulator markets is that they are pretty much the same as virtual sports markets.
🐻 Perhaps some minor technical differences, you may think. After all, you are betting on a computer-generated sport without human players, right?
That may be, but the way in which the results and the game is played is vastly different. Virtuals work on random number generators – for all of the complexity on the screen, the winner is largely dictated by something similar to a very complex roulette wheel, where better odds provide more chances for the favourites to win.
♋ It’s a straightforward, elegant system, and its simplicity and presentation appeal to many.
It’s also worth pointing out that both sports betting simulation and virtual sports have proven their ability to produce big events such as the Grand National Virtual๊, while sports betting simulation was used to replicate World Cup games during that postponement.
🎃 We love both virtual and simulated sports betting for their differences and similarities, and you can even argue there is more of the latter.
So what is the key difference?
🉐A sports betting simulator pits one AI team (or character in the case of some) against the AI of another team. The artificial intelligence for each is often incredibly complicated and is based on the qualities of their real-life counterparts. That makes them much more capable of replicating real-life sporting events, hence, sports simulations.
Sports Simulation Compared To Esports
In a way, a sports simulated match is a type of esports betting – it certainly appears on the betting sites of many esports pioneers.
🐈But again, the difference here is distinct yet simple, the sports simulation is CPU vs CPU and player vs player.
What’s interesting here is the crossover between the twoಞ. A sports betting simulator can be a really great way of better understanding a game before a big tournament starts, for instance. In fact, that crossover is getting rather literal, as some professional esports teams have faced off against highly-sophisticated CPU teams.
💞 If you've ever doubted the quality of the AI in a bet simulator, that just goes to show how advanced they truly are. Would that game count as traditional esports or a sports betting simulator? We’re honestly not sure, and that’s how closely aligned these two betting options are.
Sports Simulation Compared to Fantasy Betting
🌺 As simulated sports betting has the ability to create dream matches, the sports betting simulator is often compared to fantasy betting.
While sports simulation and fantasy betting certainly have imagination in common, the way fantasy betting works is totally different. You may make up your own team in fantasy football betting⛄, but your winnings are still based on the results from real matches and real players and teams.
What Variety of Simulated Sports Titles Are Available?
🍷 The most popular simulated sports are pretty much what you would expect, and that would be the most popular real-life sports-based esports. The biggest of them all from the United Kingdom would of course be football bet simulator FIFA, which has developed a simply incredible AI over the years and has limitless potential as a sports betting simulator. Everything that is needed is already built in; bookmakers simply needed to add the betting markets.
The use of real sport-based titles also has a benefit in that the AI is already based (however accurately) on real-life competitors, making for easier and more logistical tactical betting🌼. Aside from that, the kind of markets that can be available are already obvious, as the games follow the rules of the real-life sport.
This means you can have everything from Asian handicap betting to first touchdown already understood and built into the rules of the sports betting simulation. Put simply, there’s not much difference between betting on these and the real thingಌ, and this depth and variety is another reason every bet simulator is its own beast.
Of course, the best FIFA betting sites are but one example. Since we've already mentioned touchdowns, it's worth noting Madden as a really great example of sports titles, and UFC 3 and NBA 2k Basketball also make our list of most popular examples.
Ultimately, though, this is just what we have seen in the early days. We are already beginning to see less reality-based simulated sports titles, like Rocket League, Mortal Combat and League Of Legendsඣ. They are slowly changing the answer to the question: what is a simulated match?
🔥 Right now, sports-based video games (like the simulation football league) are the main base of simulated sports betting variety with some left-field options, but that is beginning to change.
What Is Simulated Match Variety? A Look at Five of Our Favourites
FIFA: The most popular simulation football league, and arguably the best sports betting simulator title out there right now – certainly the best football betting simulator for many.
NBA 2K Basketball:🐎 The naturally fast-paced action of the NBA is ideal for the sped-up world of simulation, of which this is the finest mainstream example.
Madden:ꦯ If you’re into American team sports, five minutes with a Madden sports betting simulator could be the perfect choice.
UFC 3:🅺 It’s not just team sports that get the simulation treatment, UFC 3 sees you bet on the finest MMA competitors throughout the world, who can fight here as much as you like without risking injury.
Rocket League:💎 One of the most popular and easily-accessible esports titles, it is ideal for the crossover between traditional sports betting simulator titles and more left-field options.
Advantages of Simulated Sports Betting
If you haven’t yet had the chance to enjoy simulated sports betting for yourself, this may all sound very theoretical. But it’s available right now, and is ever growing, meaning that there are real and new betting experiences to be enjoyed. For the uninitiated, here are five advantages𒅌 of simulated sports betting to whet your appetite for this game-changing sporting market.
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Great entertainment – Of course, if you've never actually seen a sports simulation betting event before, then you probably don’t know what to expect from an entertainment point of view. Well, we think even regular players of these games will be amazed. Being able to sit back and marvel (as an outsider) at the graphical quality and the intelligence of these games is an immersive, entertaining experience worthy of the sports simulation title.
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Works alongside virtuals and esports – Despite their differences, we view simulation sports betting, esports and virtuals as being part of one happy betting family, all in some way pushing the limits of what is possible. Plus, they have plenty in common too (so a fan of one will likely be a fan of the others), and together make for a cohesive alternate betting experience.
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Much faster games – Part of the problem with many sports is that they can take a while, and we just don’t always have enough time to watch the entire thing. Just like virtuals, part of the reason the sports betting simulator is such a great way to bet is that it can create the feeling of watching a full sporting contest in minutes rather than hours.
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Perfect for when real games aren’t possible – While there are usually a whole lot of sports available at any given time, the ones you want to watch aren't always on. Simulation betting therefore enables you to watch a realistic version of your favourite teams and favourite games whenever you want to, and that brings us to our final and arguably most important point.
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Limitless potential – Sports betting simulations have been around for a wrinkle in time compared to pretty much any traditional sport, or even virtuals or esports. Your football betting simulator is only just the beginning of a great adventure – simulated sports betting is just getting started. We’re excited for the future.
Simulation Sports Betting Tips and Strategies
You probably already have some idea of how to approach other types of betting strategically, even if you aren’t the type to pour over the stats on the recent horse racing forms.
However, for those of you who don't have any direct experience with any sports betting simulator, we’re going to take things back to basics with five simple strategic tipsജ to get you started. These are applicable for any kind of simulated match we can think of, whether you are looking for a football bet simulator wager or any other kind of wild and wonderful market you can think of.
1. Watch A Few Games Beforehand
Sure, sports simulations are very similar to the real thing and that gives you a foothold even if you are completely new to sport simulation betting itself. However, there are some differences, particularly in how fast paced these games are. So, to adjust, we recommend checking out some other matches from these titles before placing a betꦗ. Even one will help understand what a simulated match is.
2. Be Just As Vigilant In Your Research
The AI isn’t just deep and complex, it is based on real-life results, attributes and positive/negative qualities💞 of the teams and combatants. Therefore, your research on their real-life equivalents is very relevant here, so you should take that research just as seriously to be successful. There are even cases where AI teams are based on real-life professional esports teams, so research on their abilities would be just as useful and as valid strategically.
3. Use It As A Way Of Trying Out New Sports
Although this one is a strategic tip, it is more about how you can use these markets to enhance your betting experience elsewhere. Have you ever wanted to try out getting into a new sport but didn’t have the time to watch over a month-long tournament? Well, this is the perfect way to wrap your head around a sport without putting in that amount of timeꦑ, and can be a great way of learning the rules and fundamentals in a snap. Simulations are strategically useful for other markets and that is something pretty unique to them.
4. Don’t get carried away with fantasy elements
The ability of sports betting simulation to be a little bit fantastical is one of our favorite things about it, however, it can make logical analysis difficult when we are talking about dream matches𒊎 between your all-time favourites. We want you to enjoy the ability of a sports betting simulator to put any team (past or present) against each other, but when it comes to the betting markets, try and keep a level head.
5. Play the games!
It’s always a piece of advice we give for player vs player esports but its usefulness might be even more palpable here. What is the best sports betting simulated title? Get a unique perception into your favorites by actually playing the game yourself. 💛Not only that! You can personally play the teams you are betting on. Is there any greater insight than not just being able to see the winning attributes of a team, but feel them as they blast past your defenses to the back of the net? Plus, video games are fun, and if you’re enjoying yourself that will also increase your enjoyment when betting.
Can Sports Simulations Use Promotions?
The answer to this is yes, but with some caveats. We cannot stress enough how this is a new, revolutionary way of playing. And that means that some bookmakers haven’t quite caught up yet, therefore, the amount of greatest and latest betting promotions𝕴 specifically dedicated to the sports betting simulator markets remains quite low at the time of writing.
However, there are plenty of promotions that are focused on esports and these can generally also be utilised on sport simulation betting markets as well, especially on dedicated sites. So while there might not be a huge amount of dedicated simulated bet promotions, there still should be a decent amount of worthwhile bonuses if you make use of the best UK bookmakers.
Will My Sports Betting Simulator Be Available on Mobile?
There’s no reason why sports betting simulations wouldn’t be as easily available on mobile – including their live streams – as any other market example. We are aware that some bookmakers don’t manage a total conversion from desktop to mobile, thereby missing out on content. Because this is a relatively new and not as well-known market compared to others, it could more likely be missed than say, coverage of the Champions League or the Olympics. That said, the best betting apps♚ out there generally aim for everything on desktop to be available on mobile, so we’d say that for quality mobile experiences, an esports betting simulator would more likely than not be available on the smaller screen.
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ThePuntersPage Final Say
ꦉ Is a sports betting simulator a sign of the future of betting?
🅷 We would say that it reflects part of its future. Your traditional, physical sports are here to stay, and due to their popularity, the plethora of betting option opportunities available does not seem likely to change.
♒ Instead, what the sport betting simulator represents is a growing legion of alternative betting options. We don’t think the sports betting simulator is here to replace anything but rather is here to help expand who betting appeals to and what is available.
⛦ Considering just how impressive, immersive and entertaining these simulations can be, we are confident that many will surprise themselves and find a new kind of market common in their online gaming repertoire.
Sport Simulation Betting FAQs
🌳Put simply, a sports betting simulator is a CPU vs CPU contest based on popular video games, many of which already have fanbases in the world of betting through esports.
ไNo, esports uses real-life players whereas a sports betting simulator relies on artificial intelligence.
💖No, while they both emulate sports for betting purposes, a virtual uses a random number generator as opposed to AI to determine a winner.
꧙In many instances, yes, they use the same games and thus, the same technology.
ജYes, you can bet with real cash just like any other sports betting market. That part is certainly not simulated.