Comparison of online RNG-based and live dealer blackjack games.
It’s been twenty long years since the very first online blackjack tables were introduced for real money game play. Two whole decades of electronic, RNG-based gambling. That’s a very long time, and the game has proven to be wildly popular throughout.
More recently, internet gamblers were introduced to another, more realistic form of blackjack. We call them live casinos, or live dealer games. They have been around for about half as long as RNG blackjack games.
Live casino studios first appeared in 2003, but technology wasn’t really advanced enough to make them popular. The software was glitchy. The video/audio quality was rough, due to inferior internet connection speeds. It wasn’t until a few years ago, however, that software and speeds really improved. Now, live online gambling has really caught on.
What are Live Dealer Blackjack Games?
Live blackjack is an online table game that combines the speed and convenience of the online realm, with the real-time, interactive nature of a land-based casino game. Using state-of-the-art cameras and sophisticated web streaming technologies, you can participate alongside other real players, in real time, via desktop/laptop computers or a mobile device.
Each live casino studio is built and equipped to mimic the gaming floor of a genuine land-based casino. They employ professional dealers and pit bosses, shuffling and dealing real playing cards. The only thing missing is the physical presence of players.
Comparison of Live VS RNG Blackjack
Live casino games sure sound fun, right? Are they really any better than RNG-based games? We’ll compare their most notable qualities and let you decide.
Card Shuffling
The biggest difference is the way the cards are shuffled and dealt. In traditional online games, a random number generator (RNG) electronically shuffles the cards. In live casino blackjack, real cards are shuffled and dealt from a shoe.
Probabilities
There is absolutely no difference in probabilities. RNG’s are designed, tested, and certified to shuffle and deal the cards with the exact same random probability of a professionally, physically shuffled deck.
Card Counting
Unfortunately for all you fast-thinking counters out there, card counting is not an effective strategy in live or RNG blackjack games. There is a difference, however.
RNG games automatically reshuffle the deck after every single hand. In live blackjack games, the dealers must reshuffle before reaching the shoe’s halfway point. This does allow for some degree of card counting, but in order to be an effective strategy, the count should breech the halfway point. Thus it’s not very effective.
Game Speed
There’s a large difference in game speed. Which is better really depends on the player. Live tables progress in real-time. RNG blackjack is a digital, single-player experience. Players can take as much time as they like to make a decision.
Atmosphere
Again, the two versions vary a lot here. RNG games can feel dehumanized. There’s no interaction involved, but no pressure to make a move either. As for live blackjack, you can communicate with the dealer and other players via web chat. It’s not quite the same as the bustling ambiance of a land-based casino, but the real-time, community presence does liven up the games considerably.
Basic Strategy
Aside from card counting, you can apply any decision making strategy in both RNG-based and live dealer blackjack games. There’s only one notable difference. If you’re new to the game, practicing strategy in an RNG setting, without time constraints, can be a lot less stressful.