Online Poker VS Live Poker, what are the differences?

The gambling industry is in constant expansion: sports betting, poker or casino, gambling is on the rise among an ever-increasing part of the population. And while some people have a preference between the three fields, many people are fond of all three disciplines. In this article, Lucky7Bonus will highlight an exciting game that has many fans: poker. But between its online and live versions, there are many differences and specificities that deserve to be highlighted.

The level of play of online poker VS live poker

Internet poker is a very easy discipline to access, which has already experienced a boom several years ago and has conquered the entire planet in a very short time. One would therefore think that a large number of amateurs are involved and that the level is therefore quite low. On the contrary, playing poker in a land-based casino would be more difficult. It is necessary to move there but also to find games adapted to your budget and your desires. Live poker therefore seems to be reserved for an elite. And yet, all these a priori are false.

Let's start with online poker. Of course, it is easy to download poker software and play a game of any kind (tournament, cash-game, sit&go...) at any time, anywhere and for any amount. Although amateur players are still in the majority, the level has risen considerably with the professionalisation of the game and the new tools made available to improve. Coaching, training, videos etc., everyone can have access to high-performance tools at a moderate cost. And quickly become better at this strategy game.

Games in land-based casinos are generally more difficult to access: not all gambling establishments offer poker, the amounts played are higher and there are several categories of players: casino fanatics who come to the poker tables for entertainment, wealthy amateurs and professionals. The first two categories are the most represented, making the level of live games much lower than online games despite the larger amounts of money involved.

Analysing your poker opponents

Whether on the Internet or in real life, poker is a game of strategy that requires a strong capacity for analysis. But here again, several methods to achieve this are possible.

The different online trackers

Decision support software can guide the player through online games. Called trackers, they gather various statistics on the players at the table. It collects and stores data to help the player get an idea of the style of play of his opponents. This information is then displayed in real time on the current table. This can include percentage of hands played, preflop and post-flop betting frequencies, over-raise rates etc. In addition to the nickname, the player will therefore have certain elements to profile his opponent and adapt his game accordingly. Please note that some online poker sites prohibit the use of these trackers.

Verbal and non-verbal live signals

In the live parts, the best possible tracker will be observation. No live statistics to be retrieved on a software, but, in addition to bet paterns, raises etc, many verbal and non-verbal signals to be analysed. The interest of seeing your opponent in the flesh is to be able to detect a lot of invisible information on the Internet. Does the player show signs of nervousness or, on the contrary, total relaxation? Do his gestures betray signs of strength or weakness? In live performance, the "tells" as they are called are of paramount importance in decision making and sometimes take precedence over technique.

The different techniques between online and live poker

Rest assured, online poker and live poker remain the same game with the same rules and combination values. Nevertheless, a few specificities do apply.

Time management

One of the big differences between live and online is the number of hands and games played. On the Internet, hands last only a few seconds on average thanks to the automation of the deal and the ease of betting, whereas in live games it can be as long as several minutes with a real dealer dealing the cards and players taking their time to think and bet. So logically, the number of hands played per hour in live will be much lower than online. Moreover, if the player has a limited amount of time for each of his actions on the Internet, in live play he can take all the time he wants. Finally, online poker allows you to play several games at the same time, which is totally impossible in live play.

Bets and pre- and post-flop situations

Finally, these are situations in which online and live play are the same. At the time of betting, whether before the flop or after, when you choose to raise your hand or bluff it, the way you play and the techniques you use are the same. There is no reason to make more or less money depending on whether you play online or live. The experienced player will study the playing technique and reproduce what he has learned in the same way, simply by adapting to his opponents. Whether you prefer online poker or live poker, the key is adaptation.

Of course, online poker and live poker each have their own specificity. Different tools and different qualities are required to perform in each field. But one thing is certain, this game of strategy requires the ability to analyse and adapt, in addition to a great deal of work, to hope to win in the long term, whether you prefer to play on the Internet or in land-based casinos.