The increased availability of affordable computers, internet connectivity and more recently internet-enabled smartphones and tablets has taken gambling to a whole new level of convenience, flexibility and discretion.
From sports betting to casino games and everything in between there's virtually no form of mainstream gambling that isn't now available online. It's for this very reason that online gambling has revolutionised gambling as we know it.
As long as you're over the legal gambling age you can enjoy sports betting, horse and dog race betting, casino card games (blackjack), dice games (craps), wheel games (roulette), slots, Keno, video poker, poker, lotteries, bingo, raffles and many other gambling activities on your computer, laptop or mobile device.
The popularity of sports betting and casino games
That said, sports betting and online casino games are two of the most popular categories in parts of the world that have regulated online gaming industries. In this article we compare and discuss these two categories.
It's important to understand that although sports betting and casino games are both considered gambling – whether you partake in them over the internet or at a physical bricks and mortar outlet – they are fundamentally different.
For instance, all casino games have fixed odds or return to player (RTP). You can use them to decide whether to play a game or not (high RTP games are better than low ones), but they cannot affect your chances of winning or not.
For this you need to rely on luck.
Online casino games run on RNG software
Best in class virtual casino games at rated casinos, like those featured on leading independent online gambling guide www.nodepositexplorer.com, use state-of-the-art random number generation (RNG) software to produce their outcomes.
This high-tech software ensures that each and every spin of the reels, roll of the dice, card dealt, number revealed, or ball drop is 100% random and therefore unpredictable and unexpected – just like at their land casino counterparts.
Betting odds solely determined by bookmakers
In sports betting, however, the odds of an event, game or match are determined by a bookmaker and are subject to change based on a multitude of variables.
These can include present form, current standings, most recent results, injury statistics, weather, match/game venue and the favourite/underdog status of any animal, rider, individual, team etc.
In other words with betting it's generally accepted that the more information you have and process before laying your bets, the greater your chances of being paid out. Of course, there are no guarantees as betting is, after all, gambling.
Most sports betting odds and lines are still manually calculated by oddsmakers, even though oddsmaking software does exist. The reason for this is that artificial intelligence is still no match for human experience, gut feel and perception.
Oddsmakers choose what lines to publish
Online sports betting sites first determine what kind or sporting events punters are likely to bet on. Then they compile a betting line that is attractive to punters but will also not leave the sportsbook over-exposed.
(A few ill-conceived betting lines can be enough to ruin a sports book financially, at least in the short term).
Sportsbooks understand that if they post attractive bets, the punters will come. That's why it wasn't too long ago that land and online betting operations started expanding their lines and markets to include many non-sporting events.
Betting lines on non-sports events
As a result, a new generation of online betting fans have evolved who regularly bet on politics, celebrities, TV, film and music award shows and much more. You can even bet on whether it will snow in London on Christmas Day.
Similarly, casino games have also evolved to cater to players with as many tastes and preferences as possible. That's why most casinos have game selections that number in the hundreds, particularly regarding slots.
Online casinos have hundreds of games to choose from
Slot fans can have a field day with a combination of classic, video and jackpot slots with lots of different themes and high-paying features.
Most top online casinos also offer multiple variants of video poker (e.g. Aces & Faces and Jacks or Better, Roulette (e.g. American, European and French) and Blackjack (e.g. Vegas Pairs and Switch).
To make them as accessible as possible, most online casinos are responsive so they can be accessed on computers and mobile devices, regardless of make or model, operating system (OS) or internet browser.
Conclusion
So while both online sports betting and online casino game both fall under the category of online gambling, the general perception is that more skill is involved in the former. That said, a strictly enforced daily, weekly or monthly gambling limit is advisable to betting or casino a fans to weather all ups and downs.
