With sports shut down for some time due to the coronavirus pandemic, sports betting companies and sports leagues are looking for new ways to fill the void. The Association of Tennis Professionals has teamed up with IMG Media to create a new virtual tennis game.
ATP Media is the broadcast and media partner of the ATP Tour, and they have been working hard for weeks to come up with a virtual tennis game that can be enjoyed by fans and offered by sportsbooks around the country.
IMG Arena and ATP Media have had a longstanding partnership, but both sides worked together to come up with this new product. This is the first time that either company has produced a virtual tennis game, but they were able to come up with the idea and get the game launched quickly.
The ATP was set to launch its tour in April, but those events have now been postponed. It’s unclear when tennis tournaments will be able to take place in the United States or other parts of the world. This new game should help keep people interested in the sport, and could even bring in new fans.
Not only is this the first crack at virtual tennis betting by both companies, but it is also the first officially branded virtual tennis game. IMG Arena was granted permission from the ATP Tour to use their official logos, including all of the ATP Masters 1000 series.
While most virtual sports games don’t feature the official tournament names or stadiums, that is not the case with this game. Tournaments will have the same name as the live tournaments, and the stadium names will be the same as well.
Even though both companies have tried to make this a great experience for tennis fans, it might not be available for many people across the country. Most states across the country have yet to legalize virtual sports betting, including those states where sports betting has already been legalized.
The state of Nevada set a precedent when they deemed that virtual sports betting was banned, and only betting on live sporting events could be offered.
While states have yet to legalize virtual sports betting, there is some belief that states will explore the possibility in the future. Sportsbooks will put tremendous pressure on state lawmakers to make an emergency law based on the fact that no live sports are being played.
Offshore sportsbooks such as Bovada prominently feature virtual sports betting, and they are expected to include this virtual tennis game.
Virtual Leaders
IMG Arena is no stranger to the virtual sports industry, as they are considered one of the leaders in the market. They have developed games that include motorsports, golf, cycling, football, horse racing, and greyhound racing.
One of IMG Arena’s biggest competitors in the virtual sports betting industry is Sportradar. This company has been around for close to 10 years, and they have deals in place with over 180 sportsbooks from around the world.
Sportradar does not provide any virtual tennis, but they have some terrific partners in the sports betting world. The company has been able to land deals with Major League Baseball, FIFA, and UEFA.
Virtual sports betting works in much of the same way as live sports betting does. The outcomes of each game or match are determined based on a set of algorithms that each sportsbook creates.
Both sides in the match will be given odds by the sportsbooks, and there will also be “fictional” betting trends and profiles created for each team.
