Odds of Winning and Fair Play : Online vs Traditional Casino Gaming
Introduction
While choosing between playing at a brick-and-mortar casino or trying out an online platform, one of the main questions that pops up is: How do the odds of winning differ?
If you’re reading this, you likely already have some understanding of the key differences between online and traditional casinos and their unique player demographics. If not, I’d recommend giving a quick read to our other blogs in this series to get up to speed on the basics of both types of casinos, as well as who they cater to – Betting in the Digital Age: A Comparison of Online and Traditional Casino and Understanding Customer Demographics : Online vs Traditional Casino Gaming
Now, let’s dive into the nuances of odds, security, and fairness across these platforms.
How Do Odds of Winning Differ Between Online and Traditional Casinos?
House Edge and Game Variety
In traditional casinos, the house edge varies significantly depending on the game. For instance, blackjack can offer favorable odds to players, with the house edge potentially as low as 0.5% when played using optimal strategies.
Meanwhile, online casinos offer a wide range of games with varying odds. Many online slots have a return-to-player (RTP) percentage, often over 95%. In comparison to online casinos, traditional casino slots might have a slightly lower RTP implying online casinos generally give higher returns. Blackjack is one of the games that often mimics similar odds to physical casinos, although some platforms may tweak the payout or rules to adjust the house edge slightly.
Transparency of Payout Percentages
Physical casinos often do not publicly disclose specific payout rates for games because these are governed by regulatory bodies based on general industry standards.
On the contrary, reputable online casinos often display the RTP percentages for each game.
For example, LeoVegas and BetMGM list RTP rates for many of their slots and table games. Players can view this information in the game details or pay table sections, allowing them to assess the odds before playing.
These practices usually make it a lot easier for players to choose casinos with games that best match their risk preferences and maximize their odds of winning over the long term.
Game Speed and Player Decisions
In traditional casinos, due to the physical nature of the gameplay, players often have more time to make decisions as they may receive input from dealers or other players. This interaction can influence decision-making, possibly reducing the speed of losses. On the contrary, online games are generally faster because they rely on software without physical setup delays. Although this may not directly affect the odds, faster gameplay can increase the risk of faster losses. To manage this, responsible gaming features, like deposit and time limits are often encouraged.
Ensuring Security and Fairness in Online Casinos
Online casinos must work hard to earn players’ trust due to their digital nature. Let’s look at some of the most crucial ways they do this.
1. Random Number Generators (RNGs)
An RNG is a program that generates numbers in a random sequence, ensuring outcomes are fair and unpredictable. For example, in an online blackjack game, RNGs determine which cards are dealt, making it just as random as shuffling cards in person.
Reputable online casinos use RNGs and are frequently audited by third-party agencies like eCOGRA or iTech Labs, ensuring that results are genuinely random.
2. Licensing and Regulation
Casinos that operate legally must meet specific standards set by gaming authorities such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, OLGR, or similar bodies. To achieve these licenses the platforms need to go through rigorous vetting, ensuring that they adhere to ethical, secure, and fair gaming practices.
3. Encryption and Data Security
Most reputable online casinos use advanced SSL encryption to protect players’ data. This is a security layer that ensures that any information shared with the casino (such as financial details) is safely encrypted and there’s a reduced risk of data breaches.
Account Protection is also an important aspect of keeping this data safe. Many online casinos incorporate two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect player accounts, making it harder for unauthorized users to gain access.
4. Provably Fair Systems
A lot of modern-day online casinos now use blockchain-based “provably fair” systems, especially in games like online slots and blackjack. This technology enables players to verify the fairness of each outcome on the blockchain. It also adds a new level of transparency and player confidence.
Conclusion
Both online and traditional casinos offer very unique experiences to any player, but when it comes to odds, online casinos generally offer a slight edge over traditional casinos. This is primarily due to lower operational costs, which allow online casinos to provide higher Return to Player (RTP) percentages.
Online casinos also maintain transparency regarding their RTP which encourages players to choose this platform. They prioritize security and fairness through regular audits, SSL encryption, the latest technologies like blockchain, and independent oversight.
However, the choice between online and traditional platforms ultimately depends on what you value more, it could be the convenience and transparency of online play or the immersive, social environment of a brick-and-mortar casino.
If you found this blog insightful, and are looking for opportunities for collaboration, head over to our iGaming space to find more about our expertise in this domain.
