You might be wondering which format of poker is better? Which among Online Poker vs Live is the best option to play? Or you have never played poker live and want to know how it feels. Don’t worry, I’ll tell discuss everything about online poker Vs Live Poker here. Online poker has its own up’s and down. Even Live Poker has its own up’s and down. I’ll be discussing each of the up’s and down of Online poker vs Live Poker in detail. By the end of the article, you’ll be able to decide which is a better format than the other.
Online Poker Vs Live Poker: Which one is Better? To answer this question, you have to know all the positives and negatives of both online and Live. In general Online Poker is the best option if you don’t have any casinos nearby. Also, you’ll get plenty of statistics while playing Online. But, while playing Live, You’ll be able to experience the atmosphere where thousands of people taking part. This will be an awesome experience to feel and be a part of. Also, read the entire article to know the further difference between Online poker and Live Poker.
There are several questions that come to mind when we compare online poker vs live poker. The questions below will help you get your answer to which is a better format to play.
Related: Top poker tournaments around the world
Table of Contents
Questions regarding Online Poker vs Live Poker
1. Is Online Poker harder than Live?
The most common question that each one of us come across is which format of Poker is easier to play? When we compare Online poker vs Live poker, this is the question that holds a lot of players from playing either live or online. The answer is that Online is much harder to play than Live. There are several reasons for this. I’ll mention the top three below.
a) Online players are more serious than live players.
Online poker is usually played by much more serious players who are all looking to make money. Also, most of these players are young and they value their money a lot. The players that play online usually don’t have much money and their main motive is to win no matter what. To compete with these players is much more difficult and the chances of winning are really slim unless you’re a really good player.
But, in Live poker, a lot of different people come to play who are all not that serious to win. Most of the people visit Casinos to have fun and have a great time. They won’t be playing their best. Winning would be a bonus for most of the people who visit casinos. Don’t get me wrong. There will be a few players who play seriously even in live. But, the number of serious players are less in general. So, if you’re one of those players who are much more serious while playing live, you have a high chance of winning live than online.
b) You tend to win more money in Live than Online
While playing online, you usually start your poker career in the lower stakes. Most of the players play the $25 NL table online. It is really difficult to make even $100 after playing for several hours. Also, with the rake, there isn’t much profit in playing online.
But, in live poker, to play a $1/2 No limit you need to buy in a minimum of $1000 to $2000. So, you tend to win more in live poker than online.
c) You have all the resources while playing online.
While playing online you tend to have more poker resource with all the tools that are available online. So, it is much more challenging to win online since all the players are equipped with it. Even if you’re a really good player, those tools online help the other players and they become much more threatening as you.
But, while playing Live, there are no tools that are going to help the players. They have to be on top of their game all the time. Also, since in live poker all the players can see you play, you need to have really good control of your emotions. So, if you’re a really good player and control your emotions, you have a great chance of winning in live poker than online.
These are the top 3 reasons why online poker is much harder to win and also to earn more money.
2. What are the differences between Online Poker Vs Live?
There are several differences when it comes to online poker vs live. Some of the major differences are as follows:
a) The pace of the game
Online poker is a much faster-paced game than live poker. You tend to play more hands in online than live poker. The reason for this is that you don’t have a dealer to deal the cards online. This significantly increases the pace of the game. Also, after the end of the game, the chips won directly goes to the player while playing online saving a ton of time.
b) Multi-Table
You can play multiple poker tables at once when you are playing online. This is not possible while playing live. Also, with multiple tables you tend to play more poker hands per hour than a live game.
c) Software
There are various software’s which are available online, which track player stats and give you an analysis of their play. All these are available in one place while playing online. You miss out this feature when you’re playing live poker.
d) Understanding Players
When you’re playing live poker, you can have a better reading of your opponents and get to know a lot better in a short span of time. You can also intimidate players with talking while playing live. All of these are not possible to do when you’re playing online. So, in general, you’ll have better reading and understand players much better while playing live poker.
e) Multi-Way vs Heads-Up Pots
In the live games you’ll often encounter looser play, generally speaking, in the form of players doing a lot more calling. One consequence of this trend is more multi-way pots occurring live than online where the preflop betting more typically creates heads-up situations.
It isn’t that unusual in a live cash game session to witness a number of limpers preflop and/or several callers of a preflop raise, thereby creating a multi-way situation.
These are some of the major differences between online poker vs live poker.
3. Is Live Poker more Profitable?
Yes, live poker is way easier to earn money than online. This is because live poker games are often considerably easier to beat than their online counterparts. And this isn’t likely to change any time soon. I have mentioned several reasons as to why online poker is much harder to win nowadays. So, yes, Live poker is much more profitable than online if you consider yourself to be an above-average player.
Check out the tips to master the live poker games and be better equipped at all times.
4. Are Online Poker Sites Rigged?
If you’re curious to know whether an online poker site is rigged or not, the simple answer is it is not. There are several legalized sites that offer players to play poker online. Signs that make you feel the online poker sites are rigged as follows:
- Too many bad beats
- Bad hands leading to big pots
- Big bankrolls equaling bigger wins even with weak hands
If you are facing all of these then you might feel that the online poker sites are rigged. But, it is not. You are either having a seriously bad time, or you are not playing well.
Also, some players think that there might be bots involved while playing online. And, they think that these bots seem to win every single hand. Again that player might be really lucky and is having the time of his life. There are no bots in general while playing online. To know more check out this article. You’ll have a clear picture then.
5. Online Poker Vs Live Poker: Which one is more addictive?
Poker, in general, can be very addictive. When playing Online, you tend to play more as it is easier to have access to. You can play online poker from home or even from the office. Whereas to play live poker, you need to visit a casino or play with your friends in your home. This is not possible all the time. Hence the tendency to online poker is more than live poker.
But don’t forget, Casinos have their own strategies where they make their customers visit again and again. Some players are so addicted that they go and play in casinos all day long. If you’re winning then it’s fine. But, if you lose all the time then this becomes a serious problem. This is really bad for you and to your health as well.
To summarize the question, more players play online since it is easier to have access to. But live poker is way more addictive than online.
Summary
What do I think about Online poker vs Live Poker? If you are starting your career, then I would suggest you start with Online Poker. Because Live poker can be very intense and you have to be on top of your game all the time. But, in Online, since you’re playing virtually, You can relax much more. Also, if you’re a beginner, then you’ll be able to get the stats while playing online for each hand you participate. You don’t have this option while playing Live.
But again try both. See which one suits you the best. See in which mode you’re making more money. See in which mode you’re more comfortable. Also, having fun is super important. Make sure you’re having fun while playing both. If you are not having fun playing online, then you need to try live poker and vice versa.
Hope you had fun reading the article and have got your answer to online poker vs live as to which is better. Please make sure to check out the best cards that you can buy to play poker with your friends. 🙂
Please leave a comment if you have any questions. Have a great day.
I am the owner of the site rohithebbar.com. I love playing poker and other card games.
