The curious case of virtual horse racing

It is developed through computer-generated races and the outcome is determined by algorithms and random number generators.

It is becoming more and more popular. The aim of this article is to compare virtual horse racing to its traditional horse racing counterpart, to see why its popularity is increasing.

If you are interested in horse racing and would like to learn more about it then please continue reading.

Opportunities and frequency

Virtual and traditional horse racing are quite similar if you look at them without investigating.

However, there are some core differences between the two. With one of them there are aspects of online betting opportunities, which you can find out more here.

Traditional horse racing has been around for quite a while and offers betting opportunities and options based on real horses and jockeys. 

Virtual horse racing provides simulated races that can be virtually run throughout the day, offering a higher number of betting opportunities.

Ethics and immersivity

From an ethical point of view, people have often discussed whether it is ethical or not to make animals run and potentially harm their health because of sports.

Many people would agree that this is not ethical and would, therefore, embrace the option of virtual horse racing as a great alternative to the exploitation of real-life animals.

However, people say that due to the virtual format of these events, there are many aspects of traditional horse racing that don’t quite translate into a virtual format.

For example, the social aspect of witnessing live horse races is completely lost. Virtual races are often much quicker and because there are so many of them to be witnessed, the buildup is much less impactful.

People would say that virtual horse racing is a great opportunity to witness something new and extremely low-maintenance due to its virtual format.

At the same time, many bettors agree on the fact that without the social engagement provided by traditional horse races, horse racing becomes much less appealing.

The matter of jockeys

From a job market point of view, there are some moral concerns about the role of jockeys.

People often forget that jockeys are investing in their careers through horse racing. A total preference towards virtual horse racing would mean the complete annihilation of an entire profession.

It is said that true supporters of the sport tend to prefer traditional horse racing events due to many factors, which are all related to the “reality” of the event and the involvement of animals and humans.

There is also an aspect of tradition that should be taken into account.

The coupling of tradition and a nostalgic idea of analogic entertainment, which is quite charming for people who grew up watching traditional horse racing do not consider the virtual format as a valuable alternative to the real thing.