Online Pokies vs. Live Pokies

The growth in popularity of online pokies is an incredible phenomenon, and it has caused resurgence in the popularity of live pokies as well. People who enjoy playing pokies online are more willing to give them a go locally, and this occurs in reverse as well. Since online pokies are so convenient, many long-time players of live pokies use them as a fallback option for when they cannot make it to the casino or when they just want the comfort of home.

Atmosphere and Distractions

Some people enjoy the atmosphere in a casino or live pokies hall. There is often a tremendous amount of energy. The downside to that atmosphere is that it provides a great deal of distraction. In time, you learn to develop tunnel vision, so that you can just monitor your current machine and the ones that interest you. For the player accustomed to online pokies, these distractions can lead to some bad decisions. Start slower than you normally would at home.

Less vs. More Options

Many players weaned on the online pokies are in for a shock to the system when they go to the local live pokies for the first time. Online, even the smallest casinos have large, diverse pokies selections. On land, only the largest casinos do. Selection, in fact, tends to be quite small, and you have to contend with the crowd. Online, the casino makes a new machine for every client, while in “real life,” we have to share whatever live pokies are available.

The Odds Conundrum

For the pokies player who stresses winning, choosing an online machine is as simple as finding the one with the best odds. In a casino or similar establishment, that will not always be possible. In fact, you will often have to settle on second best or worse, with the hopes of moving over to the better machine when it vacates. A good strategy is to ask the current player to hold the machine for you. If you stay nearby, you can move to it as soon as they finish.

Online Pokies Are More Lucrative

Online pokies have many more promotions and bonuses than live pokies do because the online casinos tend to have less overhead. With live pokies, you have access to progressive jackpots and some bonus games, but not to the level available online. The other great benefit to online pokies is that you can take advantage of deposit bonuses and loyalty programs. These are available on land, in some cases, but they are typically much harder to achieve.

Pokies Tournaments

Tournaments are a particular kind of regular promotion that separates the online pokies from live pokies. Scheduled and spontaneous tournaments are simply not viable in most casinos and similar establishments. Online casinos, on the other hand, have a much larger client base, and they can hold a spontaneous tournament whenever the numbers are right. Tournaments are just a great way to win and interact that you will not find outside online casinos.

The Gambler’s Fallacy

Another problem with live pokies is that it is easy to fall into the trap of the gambler’s fallacy. If we see someone win big, that machine seems less viable, and if we see a machine go a long time without paying out, we feel like we have better odds. Generally, however, that additional information does not change the odds, and we should make our decisions just as we normally would. This is less of a problem online since we tend not to see the other players.

Explicit Payout Tables

One area where live pokies tend to have the edge is in explicit payout tables. As a player, you get a better sense of confidence in the posted numbers, and you get tables that are more static. Online, not all establishments inspire as much confidence. Some do not post all the information that you want, and you often have to deal with pokies where the parameters change. If you are not paying attention, you can continue playing a machine that is now a bad bet.

Hygiene

When you play at home, you use equipment used by you, family and perhaps friends. When you play pokies in person, you are dealing with equipment that hundreds perhaps thousands touch between cleanings. You would not be the first person to get sick after live pokies. Because of this, most experienced players carry a cloth with them or even sanitation wipes. When they use a machine, they wipe down the seat, the lever, the screen and so forth.