What is a simulcast auction?
A simulcast auction runs a live in-room sale and live online bidding at the same time, on the same lots, with one auctioneer driving both. Here is how it works and when houses use it.
A simulcast auction is a live auction that is broadcast over the internet in real time, so that online bidders compete directly against the bidders in the room. The word "simulcast" means simultaneous broadcast: the floor sale and the online sale are not two separate events, they are one event experienced from two places. A single auctioneer calls the lots, and every bid — whether it comes from a paddle on the floor, a phone, or a browser — feeds into the same running price.
Mechanically, the platform streams audio or video of the auctioneer while displaying the current ask, the high bid, and the lot order as they change. When a remote bidder clicks to bid, that bid is relayed to the clerk and acknowledged by the auctioneer just like a raised hand. This is different from a timed online auction, where lots close on a clock with no live caller. In a simulcast the pace, the banter, and the gavel are real and immediate.
A concrete example: a heavy-equipment auction house holds a yard sale with two hundred buyers physically present. At the same moment, four hundred more bidders watch the live video feed from other states and countries, bidding on each excavator and dump truck as it crosses the block. A contractor in another time zone wins a loader without ever leaving the office — and the consignor sees a stronger price because the room just got six hundred buyers deep.
At Unovance Global, simulcast is one of 22 supported auction formats, built so the online experience is genuinely live: synchronized clocks, clear bid confirmation, and latency handling that keeps remote and floor bidders on equal footing — all on a branded platform the auctioneer owns, with the bidder data and buyer relationship staying with the house.
What defines a simulcast auction.
One live event, two audiences
A single auctioneer calls the sale while floor bidders, phone bidders, and online bidders all compete for the same lots in real time.
Synchronized clock and price
Online bidders see the current ask, the high bid, and the lot order exactly as they unfold in the room, with audio or video streamed alongside.
No geographic limit
Buyers who cannot travel to the sale site still bid as if they were standing in the room, widening the buyer pool for every consignor.
Distinct from timed online
Unlike a staggered timed sale that closes lots on a clock, a simulcast follows the live auctioneer's pace and gavel in the moment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a simulcast auction?+
A simulcast auction is a live auction that is broadcast online in real time so remote bidders can compete head-to-head with the audience in the room. The same auctioneer, the same lots, and the same clock drive both the floor and the internet bidders simultaneously.
How is a simulcast auction different from a timed online auction?+
A timed online auction has no live auctioneer; lots open and close on a preset schedule, much like an online listing. A simulcast is a genuine live sale, called by an auctioneer at speed, with online bidding layered on top so distant buyers participate as the gavel falls.
When is a simulcast auction used?+
Simulcast is common for equipment, vehicle, livestock, real estate, and fine-art sales where buyers value the energy of a live event but the seller wants to reach bidders far beyond the room. It is ideal when high-value lots benefit from a wider, more competitive audience.
Does an online bidder have any disadvantage in a simulcast?+
On a well-built platform, no. The online bidder sees the live ask and high bid, can place competing bids instantly, and is acknowledged by the auctioneer like any floor bidder. Latency handling and clear bid confirmation are what keep the remote experience fair.
Run true live + online sales on a platform you own.
Unovance Global powers simulcast auctions across 22 formats — keeping your brand, your bidder data, and your buyer relationship with you. Let's talk about your next sale.