I can prep my 'virtual Pi' with all the tools I need regardless of my physical Pi's use case.I can use Pi software (like Raspbian) in a virtual context.Faster feedback cycle compared to hardware.No hardware setup needed ( no more scratching around for a power supply).One option (and the one I most like) is to emulate a Raspberry Pi locally before ever hitting the device. If you're building software for the Raspberry Pi (like I sometimes do), it can be a pain to have to constantly keep Pi hardware around and spotting Pi-specific problems can be difficult until too late.
