Necessity is the mother of invention, and bookmakers know this well. At a time when global sporting events were getting canceled, due to COVID-19 restrictions, betting operators had to find additional income streams that would satisfy bettors in their quest for thrilling, engaging experiences.
Some sportsbook operators showed flexibility and enriched their offerings by adding virtual simulated sports to their offering. An innovation in the world of online sports betting, OddsMatrix supports bookmakers by offering simulated and esports data feeds through our sports data APIs. This contributes to the creation of new opportunities for online betting operators and their customers.
Two years later, what appeared to be a temporary solution is an official business direction that has gained its share of fans. This article focuses on whether simulation sports will gain even more traction when it comes to bettor preferences.
Simulation sports betting refers to wagering on computer-generated sports events that mimic real-world games in structure, visuals, and outcomes. These events run on sophisticated engines powered by AI, machine learning, and statistical models, ensuring realistic gameplay and unpredictable results.
Unlike traditional virtual sports, which often rely on pre-rendered outcomes, our simulation sports can dynamically respond to live betting inputs, offering a more authentic and strategic experience.
Simulation sports betting appeals to a broad spectrum of user personas, each with distinct motivations and engagement patterns. Understanding these segments is critical for operators aiming to design more personalized, compelling experiences. The versatility of simulation sports lies in their ability to satisfy both the entertainment-seeking casual user and the data-driven bettor, creating a rare convergence of gaming and wagering.
Casual gamers are perhaps the largest and most accessible segment. These users are not primarily driven by financial gain but by the excitement of gameplay, visual appeal, and ease of access. For them, simulation sports act as a bridge between traditional mobile gaming and sports entertainment. The low-stakes environment and intuitive interfaces allow them to engage without needing a deep understanding of betting mechanics — creating a sense of familiarity and instant gratification. This segment is highly responsive to gamified features like progress bars, virtual currencies, and unlockable achievements.
New or inexperienced bettors represent a strategic entry point for sportsbooks looking to grow their user base. These individuals are often hesitant to place real-money wagers due to a lack of knowledge or confidence. Simulation sports provide a zero-risk sandbox where they can explore betting mechanics, test strategies, and observe outcomes without financial consequences. By creating a frictionless onboarding experience, operators can gradually build trust and understanding — eventually guiding these users toward traditional sportsbook offerings.
Hardcore sports fans also find strong value in simulation sports, particularly during off-seasons, match delays, or periods of limited live events. For them, simulation betting offers an ongoing extension of their sports fandom. Whether it’s tracking the simulated performance of their favorite team or analyzing AI-generated statistics, these users engage deeply with the content and often contribute to higher lifetime value. They’re also more likely to adopt multiple betting formats and play across platforms, especially when simulation data is presented with realism and continuity.
eSports enthusiasts and competitive gamers represent an emerging, fast-growing audience. Accustomed to digital environments and rapid gameplay, this group is naturally inclined toward fast-paced, skill-influenced simulation betting formats. They value systems that mirror game logic and reward strategic input, making them ideal candidates for esports-style simulations that blend elements of prediction, reaction, and probability. This segment also brings a strong social layer — often sharing bets, results, and strategies across platforms, making them key drivers of organic growth and community engagement.
Together, these diverse user profiles demonstrate why simulation sports are more than a novelty — they’re a multi-purpose tool for audience expansion, engagement, and retention. For sportsbook operators, simulators serve not just as a parallel product but as a strategic conversion funnel — guiding users from curiosity to confidence.
Simulated sports betting happens when people bet on virtual competitions played out by artificial intelligence (AI) without human involvement.
Using algorithms that consider various factors, like team stats and player data, AI-powered computers are matched up against each other and people can bet on these virtual games.
In the beginning, the only alternatives to traditional sports we had consisted in esports played by humans. Today, we have a whole new world of sports betting opportunities that is based on AI technology.
Simulated or virtual sports shouldn’t be confused with esports, as they have several differences.
Simulation sports or virtual sports are inspired by traditional sports. In this case, a random number generator (RNG) establishes the results, through advanced algorithms, and there is no human agency involved in the outcome of the match.
Virtual sports are devoid of human agency, since the matches and their outcome are simulations based on several variables, such as the teams’ actual statistics, players’ abilities and conditions. This means that bettors will need to have different strategies for simulation sports betting versus esports, where human traits or errors are taken into account as well.
Simulation sports may take place at any time without being impacted by restrictions, league schedules, or other factors that affect offline and online human competitions. Fans may choose between football, horse racing, trotting, tennis, darts, cricket, cycling, and basketball.
Expand your sportsbook offering by adding non-stop virtual and simulated sports betting options like Betradar’s Simulated Reality League or virtual ECOMP Football and Basketball from Beter.
Esports refers to a competition where two teams or individual contestants play against one another. In this case, the critical element that makes it stand apart from simulated sports is the human component, the fact that, behind each player, there are actual people who use their skills and strategies. This means that, when placing bets, punters may take into account the statistics and specifics of each player behind the screen. Popular esports include CS:GO, FIFA, NBA2k, DOTA, and LOL.
According to report, issued in May 2020 by EveryMatrix, esports has also increased in popularity as more and more bettors show interest in the phenomenon.
The idea of all simulation sports is to recreate the traditional sport as closely as possible. If betting on a simulation played out by AI seemed like a crazy idea before COVID, sports fans now realized that watching and betting on these games is actually a lot of fun.
Simulation sports give you a glimpse into what the world of sports would look like if it were played strictly at a virtual level. With technology advancing at the current pace, we can only expect sims to keep rising in popularity.
Sim sports bettors enjoy exciting games filled with surprises. The high quality of the streaming draws much attention to the phenomenon, as today’s Internet connections ensure followers a good, entertaining content experience. In this context, it is pretty understandable that bettors often get highly engaged in what is happening, as if they were watching the real thing.
Another aspect that makes bet simulations fun is that fans may enjoy seeing iconic teams in their prime, thus benefiting from the timeless technological approach.
These types of bet simulations are particularly exciting for those who appreciate the mathematics of winning, who focus on statistics, and want to remove variables like weather changes and players’ physical and emotional states.
Similar to traditional sports, the most popular simulation games that bettors enjoy are football, tennis, and cricket. Fans can enjoy and bet on their favorite sports that are played out in Simulated Reality Leagues (SRL) – sporting events that are made out of computer graphics imaging that simulates real-life events.
Born from the need for sports betting entertainment during the pandemic, SLRs are generated using information like the vital statistics of players, their form, and playing history and also simulate the climate where the games are set. All these factors add up to an accurate representation of the real-life sport.
Simulated Reality League Football offers pre-match and live-betting opportunities for important competitions like the English Premier League SRL, the Bundesliga SRL, the La Liga SRL, the Seria A SRL, the Russian Premier League SRL, the Turkish Super League SRL, the Greek Super League SRL, and many others.
Simulated Reality League Cricket brings fans betting opportunities on matches from competitions like the Premier League SRL, Pakistan Super League SRL, T20 International SRL, and more.
Simulated Reality League Tennis – ATP and WTA tournament fans can bet on their favorite simulated sport based on comprehensive, real-life data with year-round tennis betting opportunities.
Get game analysis and full-league results tables with OddsMatrix’s exclusive content for bookmakers and sportsbook providers.
Given the games’ complexity and realism, bookmakers have many opportunities to add betting markets to simulation sports, as they may use the same ones available for real-life events.
This includes everything from point spreads, Asian handicap betting, first goal/touchdown, and Over/ Under. Simulation sports are virtual alternatives to many (if not most) traditional sports and competitions, from football to greyhound and horse racing, thus the betting opportunities are also abundant.
At OddsMatrix, simulation sports aren’t just a novelty — they’re a cornerstone of our modern sportsbook technology suite. As operators seek innovative ways to engage users beyond live events, our fully customizable API solution brings simulation sports to life with unmatched realism and operational flexibility. Whether you’re launching a new betting platform or enhancing an existing one, OddsMatrix enables you to tap into continuous betting action without dependency on real-world events.
Our AI-powered simulation engine is the heartbeat of the product. We use advanced algorithms to simulate gameplay that mirrors real-world dynamics — from ball movement and player stamina to team strategies and event randomness. Unlike pre-rendered animations or static RNG outcomes, our simulations deliver immersive, evolving scenarios that make each match unpredictable and compelling.
Key features of our simulation technology include:
Seamless integration is another key advantage. Our sportsbook API suite is designed to be modular, developer-friendly, and scalable. Operators can plug simulation sports into:
The integration process is supported by comprehensive documentation, sandbox environments, and dedicated onboarding assistance — helping your product teams accelerate time to market with minimal friction.
From a user perspective, variety is essential — and OddsMatrix delivers. We offer an extensive catalog of popular simulated sports such as:
Each sport comes with a rich selection of betting markets, including:
This diversity allows operators to target different player segments and betting behaviors — from high-frequency micro-bettors to casual fans who enjoy strategic bets.
Beyond features, what truly sets OddsMatrix apart is our commitment to player retention and engagement. Simulation sports can be tightly woven into your CRM and promotion strategies through:
Combined with deep behavioral analytics, these tools help reduce churn, increase average session duration, and drive repeat visits — all while keeping operational costs low due to the self-contained nature of the simulation product.
Ultimately, simulation sports from OddsMatrix allow operators to scale content delivery, engagement, and monetization — without being constrained by real-world calendars, broadcaster rights, or live data feeds. This makes it an ideal offering for global sportsbooks looking to differentiate their portfolios, create round-the-clock betting opportunities, and future-proof their platforms in a highly competitive iGaming landscape.
For bookmakers seeking to remain competitive in an increasingly saturated market, simulation sports betting offers a powerful, forward-looking opportunity. Unlike traditional sports betting, which is constrained by seasonality, real-world schedules, and broadcasting rights, simulated sports create a 24/7 environment of continuous engagement. This always-on availability translates to more betting activity, more user interaction, and ultimately — more revenue. It’s a solution built not just for today’s players, but for the next generation of bettors.
One of the biggest wins for bookies lies in diversifying their revenue streams. Simulation sports allow operators to offer content even during downtime — whether it’s the off-season, pandemic-related shutdowns, or moments between major matches. Rather than seeing a dip in traffic during these periods, bookies can maintain steady engagement through virtual tournaments, AI-powered events, and custom leagues. With OddsMatrix, operators gain access to an extensive catalog of simulation sports tailored to global tastes — from virtual football to tennis and more — all backed by fast-paced gameplay and flexible market structures.
Another major benefit is reduced operational dependency on external providers. Traditional sports betting relies heavily on live data feeds, video streams, and real-time risk management. With simulation sports, operators control the environment — from event frequency to odds modeling. This not only lowers costs but also increases agility. Bookmakers can launch promotions, test new market types, or experiment with gamified experiences without being locked into the unpredictability of live sports logistics. With OddsMatrix’s API-driven architecture, these simulations can be deployed and customized with minimal disruption to existing systems.
Importantly, simulation betting enhances user lifecycle management. It’s a valuable tool for onboarding novice bettors who may find traditional markets intimidating. With features like simplified interfaces, instant outcomes, and tutorial-friendly environments, simulation games are ideal for teaching users the basics of betting in a low-pressure setting. Over time, these users can be nurtured into real-money bettors — guided by data-driven triggers, bonus campaigns, and targeted content. OddsMatrix supports this journey with built-in player engagement tools such as retention bonuses, push notifications, and achievement tracking.
Ultimately, simulation sports represent a strategic edge — not just a product add-on. Bookmakers that embrace this format can extend user engagement, improve operational efficiency, and unlock new audience segments that would otherwise remain untapped. With OddsMatrix as a partner, bookies don’t just get a simulation solution — they gain a robust, customizable framework designed to maximize performance and profitability in a rapidly evolving betting landscape.
Although they have existed for years, the pandemic has increased the popularity of simulation sports betting, offering those passionate about traditional sports betting a chance to enjoy the practice even in a world where games got canceled due to restrictions.
Nowadays, though, sim sports are no longer an alternative to real-life sports but an attraction themselves. Punters appreciate sim sports betting for its constant availability—they may gamble at any time, no matter the day, the hour, or the season. Moreover, unlike traditional games, sim game fans can watch as many games as they want without waiting for the real-life event.
Bettors are drawn by the games’ outcomes, which are often surprising since they are based on complex algorithms focusing on objective factors. This is why the results are less predictable than in traditional sports. As a downside, some conservative bettors may be less interested in betting money on AI-powered games, missing the human component that they feel adds flavor and excitement to games.
Looking at the future of sports, we can say that traditional sports betting isn’t going anywhere and will still be the essential source of income for the betting industry. However, the market is diversifying, and simulated sports betting attracts many fans.
OddsMatrix covers a wide range of traditional sports and popular simulated sports, like football, tennis, and cricket throughout BetRadar simulated Reality League data. Our solutions offer you real-time betting odds, scores, and settlements that enable you to provide entertaining and trusted betting experiences. Contact us and enjoy access to the most precise sim sports data services out there.
