Horse racing games at casinos

Virtual horse racing games provide an easy, on-call alternative to betting real money at online bookmaker sites. Several of our top-rated online casinos carry simulated racing titles, so let’s take a look at the options available and where you can play them.

What is virtual horse racing?

If you’ve ever seen a Trackside machine at your local pub or TAB outlet, then you should be familiar with the basic premise of virtual racing. Instead of betting on live horses and jockeys, you place wagers on a simulated race. Each runner pays different odds and you can choose from various bet types, just like you would at an online bookmaker.

These games are powered by random number generators (RNGs), which use complex algorithmic patterns to determine how each race pans out. This is the same technology that drives all your favourite Internet casino titles, from online pokies to real money roulette and everything in between.

Unlike many digital gaming options, however, virtual horse racing is not merely a case of clicking a button and seeing an instant result. You get to watch the whole race, from start to finish, and cheer on your runners just as you would when betting on live thoroughbred racing.

Of course, those who desire immediate gratification can opt to skip the track vision altogether – an option you certainly don’t get with real-time racing events.

Virtual racing games at online casinos

You might be surprised at the number of casino sites which stock real money horse racing games. Often you will find them under the ‘Other’ or ‘Variety’ tab in the casino lobby, while some operators have a dedicated section for virtual sports games. Below are our top picks for simulated horse racing online, all of which run fully certified RNG systems and can be found at our recommended gambling websites.

• Virtual Horses
  Available at recommended Playtech casino sites like Casino.com, Virtual Horses is a fun and straightforward virtual horse-racing game.
• Premier Racing
  Available at top Microgaming casinos like RoyalVegasCasino.com, Premier Racing is the most accessible virtual racing game for punters. It is also one of the very best, with highly immersive HD graphics, a nice spread of wagering options and an overall maximum bet of $1600 per race.
• Virtual Racebook 3D
  Like most BetSoft casino games, Virtual Racebook 3D is revered for its stunning animations and attention to detail. With several straight and exotic betting options to choose from, this G’day Casino favourite should be the first port of call for anyone chasing the really big bucks. The form guides and track info are a nice touch, too.
• Premier Trotting
  While it might not sound as sexy as its Microgaming stablemate, Premier Trotting is arguably the better of the two games. Besides the harnesses, the big difference here is an expanded betting slip which includes forecast (exacta) and dual forecast (quinella) wagers. You can also switch between fractional odds and decimal odds, which makes life much easier for born-and-bred Aussie punters.
• Virtual Derby
  This is a throwback to the older RNG horse racing games, but with better audio-visual quality and software performance. While the race animations may look a bit simple compared to the other titles on this list, the Virtual Derby betting screen is loaded with everything you need for an entertaining and authentic online gambling experience.

Betting options

While virtual racing games can’t possibly offer the same mind-boggling array of horse betting markets as the leading international sportbooks, the best releases do feature several fixed wagering options. Top-shelf titles like Virtual Racebook 3D and Premier Trotting allow for stakes of up to AUD $100 each on options like these:

• Straight bets
  Pick a horse to win the race.
• Place bets
  Pick a horse to finish in the top three. Sometimes called show bets.
• Lay bets
  Rather than ‘backing’ a runner, pick a horse not to win the race.
• Forecast bets
  The same as an exacta, where you pick two runners to finish first and second in exact order.
• Dual forecast bets
  The same as a quinella, where you pick two horses to finish first and second in either order.
• Tricast bets
  Just like a trifecta, where you pick three horses to run first, second and third in exact order.
• Boxed bets
  Wager on every possible finishing order for exotic bet types. For example: a box tricast with three horses covers six potential outcomes at once.

More virtual sports games online

Simulated gallops are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to virtual casino betting. GdayCasino.com, for example, stocks a number of digital sports releases from 1×2 Gaming, including Virtual Rugby, Touchdown and soccer variants like Virtual World Cup, Virtual Euros and Virtual Legends.

If you’re all about racing, however, the future is bright. It’s only a matter of time until popular games like Microgaming Premier Racing are made available for mobile play on smartphone and tablet devices. You can also expect better graphics and greater wagering variety from new releases down the track.