Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Document Type

dei_DocumentType

485BPOS

Document Period End Date

dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate

Sep. 30, 2014

Registrant Name

dei_EntityRegistrantName

VIRTUS OPPORTUNITIES TRUST

Central Index Key

dei_EntityCentralIndexKey

0001005020

Amendment Flag

dei_AmendmentFlag

false

Trading Symbol

dei_TradingSymbol

VOT

Document Creation Date

dei_DocumentCreationDate

Jan. 26, 2015

Document Effective Date

dei_DocumentEffectiveDate

Jan. 28, 2015

Prospectus Date

rr_ProspectusDate

Jan. 28, 2015

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and income.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below illustrate the 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 214 of the fund’s prospectus and “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 108 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 72%of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

72.00%

Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]

rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock

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 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 and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place only 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

This fund offers investors exposure to emerging markets. The securities chosen for inclusion in the fund are those that, in the opinion of the subadviser, are high quality companies that pay above average dividends, have above average dividend growth potential, strong balance sheets and cash flow, and adhere to better corporate governance. Companies selected must have the financial strength to maintain and grow their dividend payout commitments. The subadviser's investment process is focused on identifying companies that have chosen to generate high levels of cash flow and to pay a high proportion of it to their shareholders. It is the belief of the subadviser that those companies offer the best opportunity for capital appreciation as well as superior income generation.

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of issuers located in emerging markets countries; such issuers may be of any capitalization. The equity securities in which the fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs). Emerging markets countries generally include every nation in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most nations located in Western Europe. The fund intends to diversify its investments among countries and normally to have represented in the portfolio business activities of a number of different countries. In determining “location” of an issuer, the subadviser primarily relies on the country where the issuer is incorporated. However, the country of risk is ultimately determined based on analysis of the following criteria: actual building address (domicile), primary exchange on which the security is traded and country in which the greatest percentage of company revenue is generated. This evaluation is conducted so as to determine that the issuer’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of the designated country.

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. The principal risks of investing in the fund are: 

>

• Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investment in securities of foreign issuers.

>

• Emerging Market Investing Risk.  The risk that prices of emerging markets securities will be more volatile, or will be more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

>

• 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.

>

• Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs) Risk.  The risk that the value of an ETN will be more volatile than securities making up the index the ETN is designed to track, or that the costs to the fund of owning shares of the ETN will exceed those the fund would incur by investing in the underlying securities directly.

>

• Foreign Investing Risks.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations or economic, political or other developments.

>

• Geographic Concentration Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting the geographic location where the fund focuses its investments will cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly.

>

• 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.

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 the life of the fund. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. 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 the life of the fund. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.

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

Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]

rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

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

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: Q2/2014: 6.20% Worst Quarter: Q2/2013: -6.61%

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/14)

Performance Table Does Reflect Sales Loads

rr_PerformanceTableDoesReflectSalesLoads

Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.

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 MSCI Emerging Markets Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The index is 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.

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Trading Symbol

dei_TradingSymbol

VEIAX

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

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

1.05%

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.25%

Total Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.65%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.01%

^[1]

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

767

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

1,169

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

1,596

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

2,778

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

767

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

1,169

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

1,596

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

2,778

2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

(6.24%)

2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(1.13%)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter:

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2014

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

6.20%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter:

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2013

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(6.61%)

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return Before Taxes

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(6.81%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.17%)

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | Class C

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Trading Symbol

dei_TradingSymbol

VEICX

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%

^[2]

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

1.05%

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

1.00%

Total Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.65%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.76%

^[1]

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

379

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

856

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

1,459

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

3,090

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

279

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

856

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

1,459

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

3,090

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return Before Taxes

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(1.83%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.66%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | Class I

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Trading Symbol

dei_TradingSymbol

VEIIX

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

1.05%

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Total Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.65%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.76%

^[1]

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

179

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

554

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

954

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

2,073

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

179

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

554

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

954

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

2,073

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return Before Taxes

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.98%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.66%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return After Taxes on Distributions

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(6.85%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.36%)

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income 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

(2.86%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

0.32%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | MSCI Emerging Markets Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

Virtus Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | MSCI Emerging Markets Index | Class I

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

MSCI Emerging Markets Index (net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(2.19%)

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.16%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 05, 2012

[1] 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.

[2] The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.