Some people use these terms interchangeably, but there is a distinct difference between the two. Undeniably, there are plenty of games for the over 10 million Americans who frequent both live and online casinos to choose from.
Games like poker, blackjack, and roulette don’t change the fundamentals of how they’re played. However, there may be slight differences in the variations that are played, whether at an online or live casino. So what’s the difference between live casinos and online casinos? Let’s find out.
Playing at a Live Casino
In live casinos, there is a live dealer involved in the game. They will oversee the game itself, as well as be available for any questions you may have. They will do things like take your bets, spin the roulette wheel, deal cards, and lots more. As the live dealer is doing this, they’re streamed working from a live casino to your device.
Rather than a player clicking on icons to play the game, the dealer does exactly the same as if they were in a land-based casino. For instance, if they were playing poker, they could deal cards or spinning the roulette wheel after taking bets.
This is as close to being at a land-based casino as it gets, and many players know this. Over five percent of American online casino players rank roulette as their favorite game, simply because the rules to play it are virtually the same wherever it’s played.
Your screen also comes into play as it has useful information for you. This includes chips related to your account and stats about your state of play. This adds an extra dimension to your game.
Playing at an Online Casino
An online casino, just like a live casino, has a wide variety of games to be played. However, the difference between the two is that an online casino will have a mix of games, both live and not. This means some games may have a live dealer, whereas others may have an alternative to this.
Instead of the live dealer, in an online casino, random number generators (RNG) will be used instead. RNGs produce numbers that no one can predict. There are two types of RNG: hardware RNGs, which generate real random sets of numbers, and pseudo RNGs, which use a number to determine the next one via an algorithm.
Online and live casinos opt for pseudo RNGs, simply because they don’t require external data to generate a number. This keeps things unpredictable and fair in the games because no one can predict what’s coming next in a game. The software used by the casino is also reviewed by an independent third party to verify this.
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Live casinos and online casinos have many similarities. They’re both online, they have similar games, and can be played anywhere around the world. It doesn’t matter where a player is. The convenience of playing at either type of casino is what’s helped to make them popular.
However, the major difference between a live casino and an online casino is the use of a live dealer and RNG. Some will incorporate both, so players get to choose whether or not they want to play a live game. With so much variety, players can alternate from playing streaming a live game or playing a game on their own.
