The popularity of online casinos is on an upward trend that doesn’t look like it will be slowing down any time soon. The convenience, variety, experience, and a long list of other benefits associated with playing casino games online, are drawing in more and more players to digital casinos every day. One of the most common questions these players have before making the switch from land-based to online gambling is, “Do Online Casinos Have Better Odds?”
Every gambler wants the best odds possible, whether they are playing online casino games or trying their luck at a live casino. It’s only natural to want the best possible edge when playing casino games, as winning is the ultimate goal at the end of the day.
So, are you more likely to win when you play casino games online, or are the odds of winning at a casino higher? In this blog, you’ll get a closer look at what winning odds are in relation to the types of casino games at a live casino vs. an online casino, what the RTP and house edge are, and whether the online casino odds of winning are better than those found at a live casino.
Comparing Traditional Casinos vs. Online Casinos
Regular and online casinos have specific attractions that draw in players, so before you decide where you want to play based solely on the odds, it’s worthwhile considering the other reasons players may choose one over the other.
Why People Could Prefer Regular Casinos
The casino industry has become synonymous with luxury, extravagance, excitement, and luck (to name a few). These categorizations have come from how casinos are depicted in popular culture and the incomparable atmosphere players experience when they gamble in person. Physical casinos have a few distinct advantages that some players prefer:
- Instant Payouts: When you gamble at a traditional casino, you can cash out your winnings immediately, whereas the digital payments you claim from an online casino can take a few days to clear, depending on the payment option you choose.
- Lively Atmosphere: The vibrant energy of a land-based casino can be hard to beat. From the lights and music to the clinks of slow machines and animated cheers coming from the gaming tables, the lively ambiance of a brick-and-mortar casino just adds a bit of extra excitement to the gaming experience.
- Social Interaction: Humans are social creatures, so many players prefer interacting with their opponents and dealers in person. While live dealer casino games have brought some of this social interaction into players’ homes, sometimes players just want an in-person gaming experience. Plus, whether you’re playing a table game or enjoying a drink at the bar, you’re bound to meet a hoard of interesting people with surprising stories to tell, making the experience a lot more memorable.
Why People Could Prefer Online Casinos
While you may not have any waiters bringing you drinks or feel the thrilling buzz of the casino when you play online, there is a unique appeal to online casinos that has made it a thriving industry.
- Jackpots from Your Couch: Online casinos have made it possible for players to enjoy potentially huge wins right from the comfort of their own homes. The games are available to play 24/7 as long as you’re of legal age and playing from a state where online gambling is legal. And, thanks to casino game developers looking to improve the online gaming experience, more and more games are becoming mobile-compatible for an added layer of convenience.
- Game Variety: When you play at an online casino, to say you’re spoiled for choice would be an understatement. Online casinos have a substantially larger library of games than traditional casinos. So, not only do they have all of the classic casino games available to play for real money, but they also offer many more additional games, from lesser-known variants of popular table games to thousands of online slots.
- Bonuses and Incentives: The cost of running an online casino is much lower than that of a standard casino, so they’re typically more generous with rewarding their players. Online casinos frequently allow players to win more and play more with exclusive casino bonuses and promotions. These enticing rewards range from unique in-game bonus features to generous sign-up and deposit bonuses, free spins on slot machines, loyalty points, and even cash bonuses.
So, now that you know a bit more about what factors drive the popularity of online and land-based casinos, it’s time to discuss the odds of the casino games to see if there is a difference depending on where you play.
What Are Casino Odds?
Before you play any kind of casino game, it’s essential to understand the concept of casino game odds. What are they, and how will they influence your success?
Casino odds are the mathematical chance of winning or losing a wager when playing a casino game. They are typically shown as a ratio of the number of ways to win, like 1:5,000 or 1 in 5,000 chances of winning. However, more often than not, a casino will give these to you as a percentage, which is the house edge or the RTP, which will be discussed below, as it’s important to know the difference.
The odds of a game, the RTP (Return To Player), and the house edge are all similar concepts. However, they differ slightly and are calculated in different ways. This is what they stand for:
RTP
The return-to-player percentage is one of the most important factors in any game. It indicates the percentage of all bets on a particular game expected to be paid out over time. The higher the RTP, the better, as this means more money will be paid out according to how much is wagered on a particular game. However, remember that this doesn’t mean you’ll get paid back 96% of your wager on a 96% RTP game. Instead, it means that 96% of ALL wagers will be paid out to players over a long period.
House Edge
The house edge is the exact opposite of RTP. It shows the casino’s advantage over the player in every casino game. It’s also expressed as a percentage, showing the profits the casino expects to keep from every bet placed on a game. So, a house edge of 5% indicates the casino expects to keep 5% of every wager placed on a particular game. The lower the house edge, the better for the player.
Game Odds
As mentioned above, the game odds are the likelihood of a player winning their wager in a particular game. So if they have a 1 in 5 or 1:5 odds, they have a 20% chance of winning the wager.
Use these three aspects of games together, and you’ll get a good idea of your chances of success at a particular casino game.
Online vs. Land-Based Odds
People play casino games online for many different reasons, from convenience to game variety and everything in between. Are they getting more bang for their buck? Do online casino odds beat those found at land-based casinos?
The truth of the matter is that it completely depends. The odds found at an online casino, and those found at live casinos can vary greatly. Generally speaking, you’ll find better odds at an online casino because they have smaller overheads. They don’t have rent to pay, they have fewer staff members, etc. So, you’ll find that many classic casino table games, including blackjack, tend to have a lower house edge in an online casino.
However, it’s important to remember that with games like poker, where success relies on skill more than other games, the house edge can be manipulated in your favor depending on how good you are at the game.
The opposite is true of games like slots, whether online or at a machine in the casino, which depend almost entirely on luck and chnace. The odds for these games are pretty standard across the board; this is because they are run by a computer system that ensures random results and fair play in casinos and online.
The Best Way To Improve Casino Odds
There are undoubtedly pros and cons to playing both online and at live casinos. Still, ultimately, the odds are so variable from casino to casino and game to game that it’s impossible to say that one is better than the other.
However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you have the best odds possible of winning your next casino game, whether that’s an online blackjack live dealer game or Texas Hold’em poker at the casino. Here’s how:
Look at the House Edge
Before you pick a game, always check out the house edge. The lower, the better when it comes to the house edge, so always choose a game with a low percentage.
Consider the RTP
The higher the percentage when it comes to RTP, the better. This will vary for different types of games and different versions of the same game. For example, one online slot might have an RTP of 96.9%, while another might have 95%. Always go for the higher RTP.
Understand the Volatility
The volatility of a game will determine how often it pays out and how substantial the payouts will be. A high-volatility game will pay out infrequently but with excellent payouts, while a low-volatility game pays out small amounts relatively often. Decide which kind of game you want to play. High volatility is a high-risk, high-reward situation. The most reliable is likely to be something with medium volatility.
Do Your Research
Before you play any game, it always pays to do your research. BetMGM has quick tips for the most popular online casino games, game reviews, and more on its blog.
<h3>Learn the Rules
You have very little chance of winning a game if you have no idea what you are doing. Before playing any game, you should review and familiarize yourself with the rules.
Practice
Practice makes perfect, and many online casinos offer free casino games for you to do just that. Take advantage of these free games and practice playing them before you put down a wager. You’ve got a better chance of winning with some experience behind you.
Get the Best of Both With BetMGM
With BetMGM, you can get the best of both worlds by playing at the online casino site for convenience and hitting the tables at the casino resorts for something a little more social. BetMGM has a wide variety of online games and an informative blog where you can get tips and tricks or read interesting articles on the future of land-based casinos and more.
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