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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Sep. 30, 2016
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. 20, 2017
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jan. 30, 2017
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 30, 2017
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus Real Estate Securities Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading
Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and income with approximately equal emphasis.
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 219 of the fund’s prospectus and “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 110 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 31% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 31.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock
The maximum deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B Shares redeemed during the first year; thereafter, it decreases 1% annually to 2% during the fourth and fifth years and to 0% after the fifth year. 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
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. In the case of Class B Shares, it assumes that your shares are converted to Class A Shares after eight years. 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 offers exposure to the equity real estate investment trust (“REIT”) market utilizing a Growth at a Reasonable Price style with macroeconomic and fundamental security analysis designed to identify the most attractive investment candidates. The subadviser believes the value of a REIT extends beyond the value of the underlying real estate and that through fundamental research, it can uncover and exploit inefficiencies in the market.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in publicly-traded REITs and companies that are principally engaged in the real estate industry. The fund concentrates its assets in the real estate industry.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration
The fund concentrates its assets in the real estate industry.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The fund may not achieve its objective(s), 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:

>     Equity Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Securities Risk.  The risk that, in addition to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry, the value of the fund's shares will be negatively affected by factors specific to investing through a pooled vehicle, such as through poor management of the REIT or REIT-like entity, concentration risk, or other risks typically associated with investing in small or medium market capitalization companies.

>     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.

>     Industry/Sector Concentration Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting real estate securities will cause the value of the fund's shares to decrease, perhaps significantly. Since the fund concentrates its assets in real estate related securities, the fund is more vulnerable to conditions that negatively affect real estate related securities as compared to a fund that does not concentrate holdings in such securities.

>     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 issuers 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 a 10-year period. 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 a 10-year period. 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 I Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
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:
 ​ ​
Q3/2009:
 ​ ​
32.93%
 ​ ​
Worst Quarter:
 ​ ​
Q4/2008:
 ​ ​
-38.68%
 ​ ​
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
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 I 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 FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index is a free-float market capitalization index measuring equity tax-qualified REITs, which meet minimum size and liquidity criteria, that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ National Market System. The FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index is calculated on a total return basis with 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 I 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 REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PHRAX
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 0.74%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.38%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 707
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 987
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,287
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,137
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 707
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 987
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,287
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,137
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.53%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.50%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.02%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Class B  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PHRBX
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 5.00% [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.13%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 616
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 867
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,144
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,271
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 216
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 667
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,144
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,271
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.38%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.97%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.85%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PHRCX
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% [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.13%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 316
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 667
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,144
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,462
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 216
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 667
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,144
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,462
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.92%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.98%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.86%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PHRIX
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 0.74%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.13%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 115
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 359
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 622
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,375
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 115
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 359
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 622
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,375
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 (15.90%)
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (37.09%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 28.28%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 27.87%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 9.92%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 16.80%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 0.45%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 31.66%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 2.38%
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 6.94%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel
Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 32.93%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel
Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (38.68%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.94%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.08%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.90%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Class R6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VRREX
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 0.74%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.22%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.96%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 98
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 306
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 531
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,178
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 98
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 306
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 531
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,178
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Returns Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.13%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.80%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 12, 2014
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.81%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 8.05%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.07%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.10%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 8.24%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.42%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 8.52%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 12.01%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.08%
VIRTUS REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND | FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index | Class R6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.55%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 12, 2014
[1] The maximum deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B Shares redeemed during the first year; thereafter, it decreases 1% annually to 2% during the fourth and fifth years and to 0% after the fifth year. The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.