Maybe it should come as no surprise that Japan has introduced some forms of virtual horse racing. The country has long been known for the development of video gaming platforms like the Sony Playstation. It also seems that efforts are being made to allow for wagering on virtual horse racing in Japan. In fact, this type of betting has already made appearances in the United States.
Join us as we take a closer look at Japanese virtual horse racing. This exciting event could be coming soon to an online racebook that you like to use.
What is Japan Virtual Horse Racing?
By most accounts, Japanese virtual horse racing made its debut with a YouTube video. In the video, a virtual Japanese horse racing event is conducted with the most amusing entrants. There are horses which parade on two legs, a dolphin, and many other types of creatures. All are ridden by what appear to be Japanese horse racing jockeys.
Obviously, this is all fantasy. No such race has really occurred in Japan. But the popularity of the video cannot be denied. It prompted developers to look at creating virtual horse races where individuals could control the individual horses or other animals in the race. There were even attempts made to turn this type of event into an actual wagering sport.
The premise is simple. A game algorithm is created which uses a type of RNG, or random number generator. This RNG is capable of providing a random outcome to each race. In other words, thousands of virtual horse races could be ran with the same group of horses and produce a different result each time.
Virtual Horse Racing in Live and Online Casinos
The concept of virtual horse racing was so popular that live casinos began to investigate the addition of virtual horse racing to their live racing establishments. It has also begun to appear in online casinos that are legal in the US.
Caesars Casino and Sportsbook in New Jersey has an online virtual horse racing game. The same can be said for the live Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans. These games get a lot of attention, and their virtual nature makes them very profitable for the casinos. No one is required to work the game. Players insert their money or simply click a button online.
Once the bet has been made and the horse chosen, the race begins. In the casinos there are only horses involved in the contests. Still, it is obvious by watching the race that Japanese virtual horse racing was the inspiration for it all. People actually cheer for their horse to win when the gates open on the video screen.
In Japan virtual horse racing the events are almost always conducted on the turf. This means a grass course. If you were betting on an actual race this could make things more difficult to handicap. In virtual horse racing there is no handicapping required. You only need to be lucky enough to pick the winning horse of each race.
Is Skill Needed to Play Virtual Horse Racing?
There is no degree of handicapping skill that is needed for you to play virtual horse racing in Japan or in any other country. This is because the results of each race are randomly determined. This could hold appeal for those who want to bet on horse racing but don’t want to put in all the work that is required for the handicapping.
Imagine being able make a bet on the horse that you like simply because of its color, or because of the jockey’s name. With a little bit of luck you might even do as well as some of the handicappers that bet live races and spend time studying the races.
Will Virtual Horse Racing Be Offered at Online Japanese Racebooks?
Now, some of our EZ Horse Betting readers are probably asking when virtual horse racing will make its appearance at the online racebooks that we have recommended. We think that this could take some time. The reason for this is how racing betting is managed.
Many jurisdictions allow horse racing betting because it is parimutuel in nature. This means that bettors are competing among themselves and betting into a pool. A parimutuel type system would not really work when the skill element in picking winning horses is removed.
If an online racebook offered virtual horse racing they would be providing a game that is more casino-like in its nature. This would violate many of the existing laws for online horse racing betting.
It is interesting to note that some online and even live horse racing venues have found a way around this. They have managed to create a virtual horse racing game that actually uses historical races for betting. While technically the odds are still random, this can sometimes be enough for virtual horse racing betting to be permitted.
Did you know that you can watch and wager on live Japanese horse racing right now when you create an account with one of our recommended online racebooks? Check out AmWager, Bovada, 5dimes or even Betamerica or TwinSpires. It only takes a few minutes to sign up, and you can play with your computer, phone, or tablet. Many online racebooks will also provide you with free handicapping tools and also give you a bonus on your very first deposit.
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