Key Differences Between Live Online Blackjack and RNG Simulations
There are two very distinct types of blackjack game available for today’s players. If you’re thinking it’s where you play them – online versus on land – you’re wrong. While this changes how you interact with the game, it doesn’t change anything about the game itself. The more important difference is whether the game is a computer simulation, or dealt from a real, physical deck of cards.
A computer generated game, known as RNG blackjack, is one that relies on nothing more than a software program and a non-deterministic algorithm. This algorithm is produced by a random number generator (RNG). A live dealer blackjack game requires a real person to deal cards from a real deck. Both varieties exists in land casinos, just as both varieties exist on the web.
Computer RNG Blackjack vs. Live Dealer Blackjack
In many ways, these games are entirely alike. They both present players with the exact same odds of receiving any card, or any specific hand. In an RNG game, the computer assumes that all cards in a traditional deck exist. It uses its RNG to randomly pull one computer generated card at a time. Once that card is pulled, it is removed from the equation when dealing the next card. This – the predictability of being dealt any card in RNG blackjack – represents exactly the same odds you would expect when dealing from a physical deck of randomly shuffled cards.
The rules of the game are generally the same, as well. Sure, there are a multitude of slight rule variations you will come across in both RNG and live-dealt blackjack games. But the existence of actual cards has nothing to do with which rules you’re more likely to come across, or how low the house edge might be.
So what is it that sets these games apart? More importantly, why should it matter to you as a player? to answer this, I feel there are a few features I feel are worth noting.
Live Dealer Games are More Interactive
When you play online blackjack as a single player against a computer simulated dealer, there is absolutely no interaction involved. You tap a few buttons, and the hand is over. There are no other players to chat with, no dealer to joke with or ask advice from. There is no sense of communal effort or comradery. To be quite frank, RNG blackjack games can be extremely monotonous, if not boring.
You’re just as likely to win or lose, depending on the rules you play and strategies you employ, but for most players, the enjoyment of the game loses its luster.
Live dealer games are entirely different. They are able to deliver a similar experience to what you would find in a land casino, minus the act and expense of traveling there. You’re able to chat with the players around you. You can interact with the dealer. You may not always get a response, since there may be a dozen or more other players also attempting to communicate with the host. But the overall atmosphere and interaction-driven entertainment value are far superior to anything an RNG game could provide.
Live Blackjack has a Slower Pace
That’s not a bad thing by any means. In fact, it’s a very good thing. Since blackjack games – like all casino games – come with a negative expectation, the faster you play, the more you can expect to lose. It’s one of the main reasons slot machines have gained such a bad reputation. Not only do they have a much higher house edge than blackjack, you can play as many as 10-15 spins per minutes. Without some help from Lady Luck, that’s be a lot of wagers to lose in a very short period of time.
RNG blackjack games aren’t as fast as slot machines. However, they allow the action to move as quickly as the player presses the buttons. You could easily run through a few hands per minute if you’re not careful. And if you’re playing that many hands, odds are 1) you’re not really enjoying the experience; and 2) you’re losing money at a more rapid rate.
Live dealer games slow the action down so that everyone has a chance to act, and interact with each other. Not only does this help keep the loss rate down, it also adds to the overall entertainment value of the game. These two factors are extremely important in casino gaming. If you’re having a good time playing, and only losing a minimal amount in doing so, then win or lose, you’re at least getting your entertainment’s worth.
You Can’t Count Cards in RNG Blackjack
If you’re a strategy-minded player, this may hit home the hardest. You can employ perfect strategy in any game of 21. But you simply cannot count cards when playing simulated, RNG blackjack games. Well, you can count them, but it won’t do you any good. RNG blackjack games reshuffle the deck after each and every hand. As any good blackjack player knows, the deck needs to reach 50% depth before card counting becomes effective.
That’s not to say that card counting will be effective in all live blackjack games, either. It really depends on the rules of the game, deck size, and whether players participate in individual hands or common-draw. But the fact is, live dealer blackjack games (unless otherwise specified) are continuously dealt from a deck or multi-deck shoe, just like the games you find in a land casino. RNG blackjack games are not.
Bet Behind The Best Live Blackjack Players
Maybe you’re not a strategic blackjack player at all. Maybe you aspire to be as good as the pros, but don’t want to put in the effort or mental strain. With live online blackjack, you can achieve just that. It’s a feature we call Bet Behind. It was originally implemented to give game play options to those who were waiting for a seat to open. Instead of playing a hand, they could at least bet behind another active player.
Soon enough, the Bet Behind function was attracting anyone attentive enough to pin-point the game’s best players. Is someone on a hot streak? Is someone clearly employing perfect strategy? Maybe you see someone effectively counting cards to gain an advantage. Why not place your money on their hand instead of your own? This is yet another valuable option only live dealer tables can offer.
