Open a virtual racecard at talkSPORT BET and you'll see a field of named horses, jockeys and a price for each runner. The names look familiar to a racing fan, but these are computer-generated events. You'll find them in our virtual sports betting section, with separate flat and jumps schedules and markets to browse before each race closes for bets.

A win bet concerns one horse and one position. Once you move to forecasts or tricasts, there are more names to read back on the slip. You'll be putting runners into particular finishing positions, and the order matters as much as which horses you've chosen.

There isn't a real horse or rider behind the race you're watching. Software generates the event, using random number generation to determine outcomes under the game's rules.

You might notice several runners at short prices and others much further out in the betting. Randomness doesn't require identical chances for every horse. The event works with its stated probabilities, and those aren't necessarily equal across the field.

What the screen can't give you is a real trainer's assessment of a horse's fitness. There is no yard to contact and no morning gallop to study. Even if form figures appear on the card, you are looking at information within a virtual product, rather than a record of real horses competing at physical meetings.

Virtual Flat Racing

There are no fences in the flat version. The winning post is where the order is decided, however the runners have travelled along the course. Before choosing a horse, take another look at the scheduled time if you've moved between racecards.

A runner making up ground from the rear is a familiar sight in racing. Here, though, it isn't a clue about the runner's training or a jockey deciding to use different tactics next time. The race belongs to the virtual schedule and has been generated through software.

Virtual Jumps Racing

The field takes fences in virtual horse racing jumps. That changes what you see on screen: horses clear obstacles along the way, instead of having an uninterrupted run to the line.

The lead over the final fence isn't necessarily the lead at the winning post. A replay lets you follow where the positions changed in that particular event. It doesn't tell you who will lead over the last fence in a later race.

Changing the tab you are watching doesn't automatically change a selection you've already added to your slip.

Backing a Horse to Win

For a win-only selection, your horse has to be first. A second-place finish won't do, however close the result looks.

On a virtual card, you may see the heading Outright - Race. The word outright refers to that event's winner.

Each-Way Selections

Look for the each-way option on the race you have opened. Where offered, it divides the selection into a win bet and a place bet. Your total stake pays for both, something to keep in mind if you have entered a figure for each part.

The next thing to read is the place information. How many positions qualify? You'll also need the fraction used for the place odds. Take those details from the virtual event you've opened, even if you remember different terms from a recent real meeting.

A runner finishing outside the stated places loses both parts. Choosing each-way doesn't remove that possibility.

Forecasts: First and Second

Think of a straight forecast as a result with two positions written down. Write down 4 as your winner, followed by 7. The finish you're looking for is now 4, 7. When runner 7 beats runner 4 home, that straight forecast has lost, despite both your horses filling the leading positions.

A reverse forecast, if listed, covers both arrangements of that pair. It consists of two straight forecasts, so the total stake needs to cover two bets. It won't help if runner 4 finishes first and runner 7 comes third: the pair still have to fill the first two places.

Tricasts: Adding Third Place

Now put runner 2 behind that pair. For the straight tricast, you now have 4 ahead of 7, with 2 behind them both. If runner 2 passes either of the others, you've lost that selection. Naming all three at the front of the field isn't enough on its own.

A combination tricast works through several bets covering different orders. There are six ways for a trio to fill those three positions. Covering them all requires six bets, which you should see reflected in the total stake. Check the offered combination carefully before you confirm it.

Two runners can have very different prices in the same race. The implied likelihood is higher for the one with shorter odds. Whether it actually wins is another matter, as favourites can finish behind other horses.

Changing the format changes how a price is written: 4/1 becomes 5.00 in decimals, for instance. It hasn't become a different selection. These are example figures, so use the racecard when you want the odds attached to a listed runner.

You can't find a forecast price by adding together the win odds of your two horses. What you're selecting is their ordered finish, and a tricast goes further by specifying the runner behind them. Read whatever price or settlement basis is attached to your chosen market.

A losing favourite in the previous race doesn't make the next favourite due a win. Nor can a run of winning outsiders identify the winner of another event.

For customers aged 18 or over with an eligible, verified account, the starting point is the virtuals menu. Choose flat or jumps, find the scheduled race you want and take a look at its available markets.

After adding a selection, there is still a chance to review it. Read back the race time and bet type with the stake. If you've chosen a finishing order, look through each position on the slip before confirming.

The closing point comes before the start, and your bet needs an acceptance confirmation. Until then, what's in the slip is only a proposed selection. Check the details again if the race closes while you're reviewing them.

With horse racing betting on real meetings, you might read about the going, a trainer's recent runners or a change of jockey. There is an actual horse being prepared for a particular course and distance. Virtual racing doesn't provide that same situation to research.

The shared market names can make the two formats seem alike. A forecast asks for the first two in order in either case, but looking up a real jockey's strike rate won't explain a digital runner's chances.

Virtual greyhound racing also has a numbered field and a race winner. Its event details need a separate read, even if you recognise the market names from the horse racing card.

There are different questions in virtual football betting, including match results and goals. The sides are virtual, so real team news won't tell you who is available in these fixtures. Their rules and listings need their own read.

The schedule contains races at frequent intervals. There's no need to select a horse in each one. With time and spending limits decided beforehand, you can stop at the point you planned rather than follow the countdown into another selection.

After a loss, another race isn't a means of putting things right. Keep to your limits rather than raising your stake, and take a break when you want one.