What is a simulated reality league – all you need to know

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What is a Simulated Reality League?

Welcome to SRL’s – a form of betting based on historical data, determined by an algorithm, and supported by many major UK bookmakers. As you can see from the name, these are simulations of sporting events. So just to clarify, a simulated reality league does not involve any real-life sports games. With that said, the games are very much attached to real-life teams and individuals, which is where the algorithm comes into play.

These algorithms take into consideration years and years of data from team/individual performances in real life. This is how the results are determined, which keeps things more realistic than virtual sports betting. Then again, people still get confused between simulated leagues and virtual sports betting. That’s why we’d like to clear things up right now.

Key differences between simulated reality league and virtual sports betting

As we’ve established above, while these two are somewhat similar, look beneath the surface and you’ll see that they are quite different. Let us show you the main differences now:

How outcomes are determined

With a simulated reality league, real-life statistics and performances are relevant. After all, these are factored into the algorithm that determines the outcomes. That’s why you’ll usually see that such leagues are more relevant and logical than virtual sports betting events. Speaking of those, they are purely fictitious and they are determined by RNG (random number generator) software.

This is the software that is used to keep things random in casino gaming, so there isn’t really any consistency with virtual sports betting. It is purely a game of luck to walk down that avenue.

Closeness to reality

You have probably made this connection already, but we will still point it out. A simulated reality league is most certainly linked to reality. Real-life events can and do have an impact on the outcomes of games in such leagues. But with that said, historical data is factored in, which is why current form can actually be a bit misleading. In contrast, virtual sports betting is completely detached from reality.

That’s why you will find all kinds of weird and wonderful teams, individuals, and competitions for virtual sports betting compared with simulated leagues.

Popularity

In all honesty, simulated reality leagues are more popular than virtual sports races. That’s because they are more realistic and they stay true to the values of sports betting. After all, sports betting lends itself to more predictable measures compared with virtual sports betting, which is what many punters like. A great example of this would be the virtual Grand National that was held in 2020 in the UK.

While yes, the race was simulated, the outcome was determined by an algorithm. People also have more faith in simulated leagues than virtual competitions, understandably.

What sports have these leagues?

Now that we’ve established how these kinds of leagues work and how they are different from virtual sports betting, let’s get more specific. There are various sports that have full support for simulated leagues, and many of them are listed at major UK bookies. Here they are:

Football

This is right up there with some of the most popular simulated reality sports. Why? Because there are so many top-flight football leagues in Europe. This creates an extensive pool of games for bookies to offer, and plenty of leagues to track means more betting opportunities for punters. Leagues such as the Premier League are enticing to most people, and this is a good league to start with.

Horse racing

Horse racing is another major sport for simulated reality leagues. While these wouldn’t technically be viewed as a ‘league’, since the sport hosts individual races only, it’s still a go-to for many punters. Not only are there plenty of races to bet on, but the variety of markets on offer for simulated horse racing leagues are pretty spectacular too.

Basketball

With basketball, you will often find simulated reality leagues for the NBA. Of course, this is the highest level of basketball in the league. And all major teams are involved in these leagues, much like they are in real life. If a betting site does have a simulated reality league for basketball, it usually covers regular and post-season games too. This keeps things fun and exciting.

American Football

Now we have another mainstream US league – the NFL. This is right up there with the NBA, MLB, and NHL in terms of popularity, and deservedly so. With loads of teams and games to track, as well as bet on, the NFL really is the perfect platform to host virtual betting leagues.

Tennis

Again, this sport doesn’t really have a league as such. Instead, it has a bunch of tournaments that take place all year round. This is one of the main reasons why tennis is popular for this kind of betting. The range of tournaments is epic, and at Grand Slam level, you have a ton of games and markets to wager on.

What kind of bets can you make?

Finally, let us show you some of the more common bets that apply to simulated reality leagues:

1×2

This is the main market for all sports, and it indicates who will win the game. For all simulated reality events, you can back a winner, or you can back a draw in sports like football. This is the most basic market out there – perfect for beginners.

Futures

Futures, by definition, relate to any outcome that is taking place in the future. For example, you could bet on the winner of the Premier League before the season even begins. This is a fun way of betting, and it ensures that you’ll remain interested throughout the season.

Handicaps

Handicaps are a way of levelling the playing field when one team/individual is clearly much better than the other. In this instance, the 1×2 markets wouldn’t display great value. However, this can be flipped on its head by exploring the handicap markets.