Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Document Type	dei_DocumentType	497
Document Period End Date	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate	Sep. 30, 2015
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	Apr. 14, 2016
Document Effective Date	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate	Apr. 14, 2016
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 28, 2016
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Virtus Real Estate Securities Fund
Supplement [Text Block]	vot_SupplementTextBlock	Virtus Real Estate Securities Fund The Average Annual Total Return table in the fund’s summary prospectus and in the summary section of the fund’s statutory prospectus is hereby amended by restating the one-year return for Class B Shares as -2.02%. Investors should retain this supplement with the Prospectuses for future reference.
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND \| Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	PHRAX
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND \| Class B
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	PHRBX
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND \| Class C
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	PHRCX
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND \| Class I
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	PHRIX
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND \| Class R6
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	VRREX

If the value is true, then the document is an amendment to previously-filed/accepted document.

No definition available.

Name:	dei_AmendmentFlag
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:booleanItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date the document was made available and submitted, in CCYY-MM-DD format. The date of submission, date of acceptance by the recipient, and the document effective date are all potentially different.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentCreationDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date when a document, upon receipt and acceptance, becomes officially effective, in CCYY-MM-DD format. Usually it is a system-assigned date time value, but it may be declared by the submitter in some cases.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The end date of the period reflected on the cover page if a periodic report. For all other reports and registration statements containing historical data, it is the date up through which that historical data is presented. If there is no historical data in the report, use the filing date. The format of the date is CCYY-MM-DD.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The type of document being provided (such as 10-K, 10-Q, 485BPOS, etc). The document type is limited to the same value as the supporting SEC submission type, or the word "Other".

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentType
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:submissionTypeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A unique 10-digit SEC-issued value to identify entities that have filed disclosures with the SEC. It is commonly abbreviated as CIK.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation 12B
-Number 240
-Section 12b
-Subsection 1

+ Details

Name:	dei_EntityCentralIndexKey
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:centralIndexKeyItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The exact name of the entity filing the report as specified in its charter, which is required by forms filed with the SEC.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation 12B
-Number 240
-Section 12b
-Subsection 1

+ Details

Name:	dei_EntityRegistrantName
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:normalizedStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Trading symbol of an instrument as listed on an exchange.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_TradingSymbol
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:normalizedStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date of the prospectus.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Form
-Number N-1A
-Chapter A
-Section 1
-Subsection a
-Paragraph 3

+ Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusDate
Namespace Prefix:	rr_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	rr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Risk/Return Summary Investment Objectives/Goals Include the following information, in plain English under rule 421(d) under the Securities Act, in the order and subject matter indicated

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Form
-Number N-1A
-Chapter A
-Section 2

+ Details

Name:	rr_RiskReturnHeading
Namespace Prefix:	rr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vot_SupplementTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	vot_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vot_S000018002Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis=vot_C000049901Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis=vot_C000049902Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis=vot_C000049903Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis=vot_C000049904Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis=vot_C000148854Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: