A simulcast auction broadcasts a live auction to remote bidders via the internet, allowing them to watch the auctioneer call bids in real time and place their own bids alongside in-room and phone bidders. The video, audio, and bid clock are synchronized.
Simulcast extends the bidder pool dramatically — a horse production sale that drew 200 in-person attendees might pick up 600 simulcast viewers, of whom 30–40 might bid. Older simulcast systems required expensive encoder hardware and dedicated bandwidth. Modern systems run from a single phone or tablet, with bid latency under 2 seconds.
Simulcast technology has democratized auction reach. Where previously only the largest auction houses could afford broadcast trucks and dedicated technical staff, modern platforms enable any auctioneer to add simulcast to a live sale at near-zero marginal cost. This has accelerated the “hybrid” trend across categories — specialty horse sales, classic car auctions, charity galas, livestock production sales — where local audiences are limited but global niche audiences are deep.