Live sports fixtures and events have come to a temporary halt, but that hasn't stopped the gaming industry from giving sports fans their betting fix and raising revenue for beleaguered sports leagues and rights holders across the globe.
As countless sporting events were cancelled or postponed this year, the gaming industry adapted and has focused its efforts on its virtual sports and eSports offerings. Esports has shown great potential for continued growth, regardless of what the future holds for regular sport events, and casino and skill games have seen a surge in popularity. Party Casino is one of several casino sites launching virtual sports, that will complement their main slot offerings.
The benefits of virtual sports and eSports for bettors is plain to see. These days, everything is 'on-demand' and virtual sports allow fans to bet and play 24/7, no matter where they are or what their sport of choice is, and this is good news as there's no telling when live sports events will take place as normal again.
No longer will you have to wait until Saturday to watch a football match or until the big Fight Night to watch the boxing, you'll have thousands of virtual sporting events at your fingertips.
If you love your live sporting action, you might wonder if virtual sports and eSports could ever be as good as the real deal, and the answer is a resounding yes.
Virtual and eSports, despite being different, have become increasingly popular in the last decade, but they have evolved dramatically in recent years. The introduction of state-of-the-art technology like motion capture technology and HD graphics, as well as features like real-life statistics and betting markets, in-play content, and the ability to play 'live' via your mobile or desktop means that sports and gaming enthusiasts can have a very life-like and immersive experience.
Compared to earlier sports games, the astonishing digital advancements mean that today's eSports fans could be forgiven for thinking that they are watching a high-definition film when they play.
Football, tennis, and horse-racing games have proven to be extremely popular, and fans can experience just about everything they'd get from a real match or race.
For sports fans who like a flutter, virtual and eSports have always been a way for them to get their sports fix in between live sporting events, but the pandemic has shown that virtual sports and games can hold their own against live sport, and they aren't going anywhere.
Even when the world returns to some kind of normal and live sporting events are allowed to go ahead, virtual and eSports will continue to grow in popularity, not least because sporting leagues and rights holders across the world have recognised the value of virtual and eSports in continuing to bring revenue in during these very uncertain times.
Far from being live sport's poor relation, virtual sports offer fans round the clock entertainment and the chance to bet and play whenever, wherever, and however.
