XML 77 R19.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Entity Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName VIRTUS OPPORTUNITIES TRUST
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Sep. 30, 2013
Entity Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0001005020
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol vot
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jan. 27, 2014
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jan. 28, 2014
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 28, 2014
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus AlphaSector® Rotation Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading
Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading
Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and under "Sales Charges" on page 215 of the fund's prospectus and "Alternative Purchase Arrangements" on page 103 of the fund’s statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance.During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 123% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 123.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock
Generally, Class A Shares are not subject to any charges by the Fund when redeemed; however, a contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder’s fee has been paid. The 18-month period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text] rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent
Restated to reflect current expenses.
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expense to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading
Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the Class C fee waiver remains in place for the period indicated. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock
The fund seeks to track the AlphaSector​® Rotation Index (ASRX), a public index published by NASDAQ. The fund may be invested in ETFs and/or securities representing the primary sectors of the S&P 500​® Index and in high-quality short-term securities. The primary sectors of the S&P 500​® Index represented by the ETFs are: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, materials, technology, and utilities.
Allocations are based on a proprietary quantitative model that seeks to evaluate “true” underlying trends within each sector by adjusting for unwarranted price distortions and changing levels of volatility in the market. The fund has the flexibility to be invested in any combination of the sector ETFs and/or securities, a combination of sector ETFs and/or securities and high-quality short-term securities, or 100% in high-quality short-term securities. The fund may invest in a basket of securities to represent a sector if it is determined that investment in the ETF for that sector is not feasible or otherwise not in the best interest of the fund. The fund may also deviate from tracking the AlphaSector​® Rotation Index and/or the model allocation if it is determined that tracking the Index and/or the model allocation is likely to violate applicable legal or regulatory restrictions or is otherwise result in adverse consequences for the fund.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock
The fund may not achieve its objective, and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. In addition, you will also be subject to the risks associated with the principal investment strategies of any ETFs in which the fund invests. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
 
>
  • Correlation to Index Risk. The risk that the performance of the fund and its index may vary somewhat due to factors such as fund flows, transaction costs, sample selection, and timing differences associated with additions to and deletions from its index.
>
  • Equity Securities Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests, will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
>
  • Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Risk. The risk that the value of an ETF will be more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track, or that the costs to the fund of owning shares of the ETF will exceed those the fund would incur by investing in such securities directly.
>
  • Fund of Funds Risk. The risk that the underlying funds in which the fund invests will expose the fund to negative performance and additional expenses associated with investment in such funds, and increased volatility.
>
  • Market Volatility Risk. The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
>
  • Model Portfolio Risk. The risk that investments selected using quantitative models may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.
>
  • Portfolio Turnover Risk. The risk that the fund’s principal investment strategies will result in a consistently high portfolio turnover rate. See the Portfolio Turnover section above for more information about the impact that portfolio turnover can have on fund performance.
>
  • Sector Focused Investing Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting a particular industry or market sector in which the fund focuses its investments will cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly. To the extent that the fund invests a significant portion of its portfolio in ETFs representing one or more of the primary sectors of the S&P 500 ® Index (such as consumer discretionary, energy, healthcare) or in an ETF representing U.S. Treasuries, the fund is more vulnerable to conditions that negatively affect such sectors as compared to a fund that is not significantly invested in such sectors.
>
  • U.S. Government Securities Risk. The risk that U.S. Government securities in the fund’s portfolio will be subject to price fluctuations, or that an agency or instrumentality will default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney
If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading
Performance Information
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a composite benchmark. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a composite benchmark.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 800-243-1574
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress virtus.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture
The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

Annual Return (%)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
 
Best Quarter:
 
 
Q2/2009:
 
 
14.28%
 
 
Worst Quarter:
 
 
Q4/2008:
 
 
-17.03%
 
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/13; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred
Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown
After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher
In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock
The S&P 500​® Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total return basis with dividends reinvested. The AlphaSector​® Rotation Linked Benchmark consists of the S&P 500​®Index since September 29, 2009. Prior to September 29, 2009, its performance represents an allocation consisting of 80% S&P 500​® Index and 20% Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market. The indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Bar Chart And Performance Table Supplemental [Heading] vot_BarChartAndPerformanceTableSupplementalHeading
Supplemental Performance Information
Performance Narrative Supplemental [Text Block] vot_PerformanceNarrativeSupplementalSupplemental
On September 29, 2009, F-Squared Investments, Inc. (“F-Squared”), an affiliate of F-Squared Institutional Advisors, LLC (“F-Squared Institutional”), became the fund’s subadviser and the fund’s principal strategies were changed to those described in the fund’s prospectus. (On January 1, 2013, F-Squared Institutional became the fund’s subadviser; however, the fund’s strategies were unaffected.) The bar chart and table below show performance only since F-Squared began as subadviser to the fund.
Bar Chart Supplemental [Heading] vot_BarChartSupplementalHeading
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares
Bar Chart Narrative Supplemental [Text Block] vot_BarChartNarrativeSupplemental

Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.

Annual Return (%)
Performance Table Supplemental Narrative [Text Block] vot_PerformanceTableSupplementalNarrativeTextBlock
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/13)
Bar Chart Closing Supplemental Text Block vot_BarChartClosingSupplemental
 
Best Quarter:
 
 
Q3/2010:
 
 
13.11%
 
 
Worst Quarter:
 
 
Q2/2010:
 
 
-12.53%
 
Performance Table Supplemental Heading vot_PerformanceTableSupplementalHeading
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PWBAX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 0.50% [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.29% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.04% [3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.03%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 674
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 884
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,111
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,762
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 674
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 884
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,111
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 1,762
2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 10.26%
2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 3.65%
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 13.37%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 7.42%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (32.27%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 23.89%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 13.85%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 1.58%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 12.01%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 31.84%
Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 14.28%
Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (17.03%)
Highest Quarterly Return Label Supplemental vot_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabelSupplemental Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return Date Supplemental vot_HighestQuarterlyReturnDateSupplemental Sep. 30, 2010
Highest Quarterly Return Supplemental vot_HighestQuarterlyReturnSupplemental 13.11%
Lowest Quarterly Return Label Supplemental vot_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabelSupplemental Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return Supplemental vot_LowestQuarterlyReturnSupplemental (12.53%)
Lowest Quarterly Return Date Supplemental vot_LowestQuarterlyReturnDateSupplemental Jun. 30, 2010
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 24.26%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 14.80%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.51%
1 Year vot_OneYear 24.26%
Since 9/29/09 vot_SinceTwentyNineSepTwoThousandNine 13.08% [4]
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | Class C
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PWBCX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [5]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00% [6]
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.29% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.04% [3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.78%
Less: Fee Waiver or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.01%) [6]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.77%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 280
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 557
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 959
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,084
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 180
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 557
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 959
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,084
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 30.90%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.32%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.37%
1 Year vot_OneYear 30.90%
Since 9/29/09 vot_SinceTwentyNineSepTwoThousandNine 13.85% [4]
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VARIX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.29% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.04% [3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.78%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.78%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 80
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 249
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 433
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 966
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 80
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 249
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 433
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 966
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 32.17%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 15.87%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 01, 2009
1 Year vot_OneYear 32.17%
Since 10/1/09 vot_SinceFirstOctTwoThousandNine 15.87%
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 21.69%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 13.88%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.56%
1 Year vot_OneYear 21.69%
Since 9/29/09 vot_SinceTwentyNineSepTwoThousandNine 12.05% [4]
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 14.91%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.79%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.09%
1 Year vot_OneYear 16.22%
Since 9/29/09 vot_SinceTwentyNineSepTwoThousandNine 10.92% [4]
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 32.39%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 17.94%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.40%
1 Year vot_OneYear 32.39%
Since 9/29/09 vot_SinceTwentyNineSepTwoThousandNine 16.37% [4]
Since 10/1/09 vot_SinceFirstOctTwoThousandNine 17.20%
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 17.20%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 01, 2009
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | AlphaSector® Rotation Linked Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel AlphaSector® Rotation Linked Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 32.39%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 17.51%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 8.01%
VIRTUS ALPHASECTOR ROTATION FUND | AlphaSector® Rotation Linked Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel
AlphaSector​® Rotation Linked Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 17.20%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 01, 2009
[1] Generally, Class A Shares are not subject to any charges by the Fund when redeemed; however, a contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder's fee has been paid. The 18-month period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made.
[2] Restated to reflect current expenses.
[3] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expense to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
[4] F-Squared began managing the fund on September 29, 2009.
[5] The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
[6] The fund's distributor has contractually agreed to waive its 12b-1 fees applicable to Class C Shares to the extent that the fund's investments in underlying ETFs with their own 12b-1 fees would otherwise cause the total 12b-1 fees paid directly or indirectly by the fund to exceed the limits set forth in applicable law or regulation.