Thanks to the incredible expansion of online gambling sites, fans of casino gaming can now enjoy their favorite pastime not only in traditional establishments, but also on the web. Today’s players are equally fond of online and offline gaming, but they keep comparing the winning odds of the two categories, and many experienced punters claim that online casinos have a lower house edge than brick-and-mortar venues. In order to grasp whether that is true or not, we need to understand the following factors:
The Top Advantages of Online Casinos
Let’s take a look at some of the actual benefits the players can enjoy on web-based gambling sites:
Bonuses
Almost all online operators treat their users with attractive bonuses, which is rarely the case with land-based venues. As a new player, you will probably be offered a welcome bonus, and the reward will be followed by other freebies like cash prizes, free spins, no-deposit bonuses, and more. However, the prizes are governed by terms and conditions, and as long as you’re aware of them, you will have no problem claiming your freebies. And when the time comes to get access to the cash that you won, you should know that today’s market is rich with casinos that pay out instantly,” says Geraldine Nguyen from casino review site Playcasinos.ca. “These casinos offer fast withdrawal and payment options to their members. Some casinos will come with instant withdrawal options, while at others you will need to wait for a day or even only a couple of hours, depending on the payment method you choose.”
Better Odds
While land-based venues are constantly faced with many different expenses like wages, running expenses, and security costs, that is not the case with online operators. Web-based casinos have fewer expenses to cover, and that is why they are able to offer better odds and higher payouts. For example, many gambling sites include virtual slot machines with a much higher RTP (return-to-player) than the ones found in traditional casinos. In fact, some operators even feature machines where the RTP is above 99%. On top of that, online operators allow the players to start with lower initial wagers which means they can play more for far less money than they would have to pay in traditional casinos. And by spending less on each game session, the users have higher chances of winning, too.
House Edge vs. Odds
House edge and game odds have been synonymous terms for many players, and even though they are quite similar, there is a difference you should be aware of. The term house edge is always expressed as a percentage, and it reflects the casino’s advantage over the players. It is actually the exact percentage of what each player has wagered in a game that the casino will claim as their own profit. The value differs from one establishment to another, as each of them has its own built-in edge. On the contrary, the odds refer to the chance of a certain outcome happening, compared to the chance that it won’t happen. For instance, if you play a game with six-sided dice and you’re hoping it lands on one particular number, your odds are 1 compared to 5, since there is only one way for you to win, and 5 ways for you to lose. Even though different, both terms are equally important when you’re deciding between online and land-based venues.
Games with Higher and Lower House Edge
Each game has its own house edge which gets affected by the wagers that were made and the rules that are in place. The categories that feature the lowest house edge you can find are the standard versions of blackjack, baccarat, and craps. For example, the classic version of blackjack has a house edge that is below 1%, while with baccarat it ranges from 1.06% to 14.36%, all depending on the wager placed. The house edge of craps also covers a wide range that spans from 1.36% to 16.67%. Additionally, American Roulette is a good example of a game with a stable house edge that remains around 5.26%.
Now that we know that house edge depends on different factors, it is clear that comparing the winning chances in online and offline casinos is not a straightforward task. However, there are several points that support the idea that virtual gambling sites provide their users with a more rewarding gaming experience, as long as they pick their games, wagers, and bonuses wisely.