Playing Poker Online Vs. In-Person: Similarities and Differences

Online poker follows the same rules as in-person poker. It remains a game of both chance and skill, where tactics can be implemented to win the pot. However, there are aspects of live poker that cannot be replicated in an online casino or games room.

There are also unique benefits found only in online poker that make it the preferred option. For example, online casinos can provide players with total anonymity. If you’d like to keep your poker activities private, you could use a no-KYC (Know Your Customer) casino, like those listed by Kane Pepi here. Many of these no-KYC casinos support cryptocurrency, which provides further anonymity. Crypto acceptance also means that deposits and withdrawals can be made quickly and easily.

Most major in-person casinos, on the other hand, require players to present some form of ID before playing. Sophisticated casinos have ID scanners, where players can place their driver’s license, passport, or other form of accepted ID card.

The tight security found at most real casinos is to ensure that players are over 21. It’s also done to verify that the player is actually who they say they are to prevent fraud.

Crypto is also yet to be widely adopted by brick-and-mortar casinos. While some of the hotels in Las Vegas have started accepting Bitcoin payments, you’ll struggle to find a casino that accepts crypto. One of the few exceptions to this is the Gemini-partnered Resorts World, which permits guests to use crypto for gambling, food, clubs, and more.

You may even struggle to find a casino that accepts credit card payments. To purchase chips, you need to first take out cash using one of the onsite ATMs. Casinos remain cash-only in an attempt to prevent gamblers from overspending. So, in-person poker is massively different from playing poker online when it comes to identity and payments.

These two methods of playing poker also differ when it comes to gameplay. Online poker is much faster than in-person games. As an online gamer, you’ll see many more hands per hour than you would at a physical casino. This is because automated dealers move faster than real-life ones. They can shuffle cards and collect chips automatically, unlike real dealers.

Additionally, online poker players are there to play games only. They’re not there to converse with the dealer or other players, have drinks, or generally soak up the atmosphere, as is the case at brick-and-mortar casinos.

With no distractions, players have more time to focus on their moves – which they make quicker as a result. Plus, most avid online players are partaking in several tables at once. For this reason, they have minimal time to waste, which results in them making quick moves.

Another big difference is that online tables are generally shorter-handed. A live Texas Hold’em game tends to feature 10 hands, while an online alternative may limit the number of hands per table to 6 or below.

Not only does this further speed the game up, but it also affects the profitability of the game. Recommended strategies for short-handed games are totally different from those of full-ring poker. To make a profit, you need to loosen up your opening range.

Online poker also tends to be harder, while in-person poker is generally softer – there are several reasons for this. While you can find more low-stakes games, these softer games are generally played by gamers looking for a fun way to blow off steam.

High-stakes online games are only played by gamers who are serious about winning – which makes it much harder for rookie players to win a decent amount of money online.

Live games, on the other hand, consist of bigger stakes and fewer experienced players. This can create a softer playing field and can increase the chances of an inexperienced player winning big. There’s also a higher chance of in-person players getting distracted or, given the length of time it takes to complete a live game, becoming bored. This could result in them playing poorly, making the game softer overall.

However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make just as much money playing online as you can in person. While the stakes are lower in online casinos, you can play games more than twice as fast. The more games you play, the more profit you can make.

The bigger stakes in live casino games also translate to higher rakes. A rake refers to the commission fee you pay the casino for winning a game.

In live games, the rake tends to be set somewhere between 5 and 10%. This is much higher than what can be found in online casinos, which tend to have a rake between 3.5 and 5%.

This proves that it is much more expensive to play at a physical casino than it is to play an online alternative.

However, it’s far easier to analyze your opponent’s gameplay when physically sitting at the same table as them. When playing online, whether or not you can maintain a poker face is irrelevant as nobody can see you. Instead, you’re represented by a digital avatar.

This limits the amount of reads and tells available for you to analyze. In real life, you can analyze how many times your opponents check their cards, move their chips around, change their posture, and so on. These physical signs can normally help you determine whether a player is bluffing or not.

This aspect of poker is totally removed when you play at an online casino. Instead, you have to rely on vague impressions such as how big your opponent’s bets are and how long they take before making a move.

One final way in which live play differs from online is in the flexibility offered. Online games can be played at any time and in any place. You don’t have to get dressed up and drive to your local casino – instead, you can join tables from the comfort of your home.

No matter what time of day or night you decide to play, you’ll generally find a good table to join. This is not the case with in-person casinos. Games are few and far between, and often spread out right through the day.

Even if games are on when you visit the casino, seat availability is not guaranteed. You may have to join a waiting list, resulting in you playing at an awkward time and with players you’re unfamiliar with.

With online gameplay, you have many more table options, which means you can shop around to find a table with the right skill level.

Having said all that, there are still many ways in which in-person and online casinos can be considered similar. For example, the actions are the same – i.e., you can check, bet, raise, and fold on both versions of the game. Additionally, maths, risk management, strategy, and luck are all important elements of both online and in-person poker gameplay.

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