So what did the players do? Many of them turned to virtual sports betting for their daily dose of excitement. Suddenly, there was nothing left for punters to bet on. However, in mid-2020 virtual sports betting experienced an incredible rise in popularity due to the COVID19 pandemic.ĭue to the pandemic, most countries around the world went into a state of lockdown, and as such, all the traditional sports leagues and tournaments ceased. The popularity of virtual sports betting has been growing slowly but steadily over the last couple of years. Why is virtual sports betting so popular?