Why Live Dealer Card Games Feel Closer to Bridge Than Slots Ever Will be
There are different types of players that enjoy playing and tempting their luck at gambling. One player might like to indulge in the instant gratification of slot games, whilst others enjoy the vibe offered by live dealer games or Bridge.
The two games offer the polar opposite of one another. Slot is a singular player game, where you set your betting margins, and hit the spin button in the hopes of a win. It is you vs. the slot game, whilst the noise around you is reduced. Live dealer games such as Texas Hold’ Em, Baccarat and Blackjack are all considered as social gaming outlets. You visit an online casino, you head over to the live casino section, choose your game and wait for other players. The social element is slots lacking, something that players seek, and others run a mile from.
Why do live dealer games feel closer to the famous Bridge Game as opposed to slot games? Let’s dig deeper into why these games differ, and what they offer to online casino players.
Online Slots
There is a saying in gaming that states: Table games deliver information whilst slot games create noise. In theory the statement is factual. When you play a slot game, there is no interaction with the wider audience, with dealers or with other online players. You just hit the spit button and hope that luck graces you.
Whilst online slots do come along in many shapes of forms eg. classical games, jackpots, bonus buy features, cascading reels, sticky wilds etc, there are no actual mental Olympics that punters need to undertake when playing video slots. Compared to other social games offered at online casino sites, video slots might come across as cold, lacking social factors and not offering mental stimulation to the human brain.
Bridge and other Live Dealer Games
If you happen to walk through the lobby of a landbased casino, you will hear the constant sounds of slot games. The hit buttons, the jackpot win, the one line win and more. If you keep on walking to the live dealer section, you will find a more composed set up. A dealer is at the centre of a table with 4-5 people sitting across. Some are smiling, some are deep into thought, with thoughts pacing around deciding on the next move. Live Dealer games are a different ball game!
Games such as Pontoon, Texas Hold’em, Blackjack are all offered live at both online and landbased sites. The experience of playing online card games offers a better gratifying experience that slot machines, focusing on the following elements:
Human Dealers
Live card games and other table games are manned by live casino dealers. When you sit at a table, the dealer greets you with your username, and also says hello. Other players are seated at the virtual table, with a chat function also available to use. Dealers use the chat function, share jokes and offer the human factor into gambling. According to the CasinoABC live casino guide there is even special etiquette when you join a live table game.
Gaming in real time, with shared online moments
Playing at live card games, you get to share your vibe and emotions with other players. As the cards are dealt in real time, you have the option to comment, to share emojis and to even enjoy the thrills that social gaming offers. You do not get that same vibe when spinning slot games. Playing slots is essentially testing your luck against an online machine, nothing more.
Offers a welcome table dynamic
Both Bridge and other card dealer games offer a friendly dynamic. If you are waiting on those pocket Aces to land a Poker, you can bluff your way via chat. You can even speak about it at a land-based casino table. You cannot look your opponent in the eye during a slot session and say: ‘’Are you bluffing?’’ Social interactions at gambling create an illusion of a dynamic, people united playing the same game. This is where you and other punters go head to head with the question of ‘who is the better cards player’ answered at the end of every game.
Slower Gameplay
A slow gameplay offers a longer gaming experience. When players sit at a live card game, there are rounds that you need to go through, whilst your game strategy is put into practise. Playing at a slow pace allows you to display your game skills that you have picked up along the way, making a table win a more meaningful one. Players landing a win at a slot machine will enjoy a win, but a player at a live card game will enjoy it more. Why? Slot wins are based on essentially luck, with card games stretching to an hour or more sometimes, with the winner enjoying a slower gameplay with a targeted strategy.
Decision Making
The only decision making you get to make when playing a slot machine is the game you choose to play and the amount to bet. Players are limited in making decisions when playing video slots. Card games are different. Just like any other table game, you are expected to have game knowledge, and prior experience playing the game. Live dealer games allow you to make decisions based on experience and skill. Your decisions to fold, hold or raise will either see you fail at the game or walk away a winner.
Final Thoughts
The world is filled with online casinos for us to binge on. Players drawn to slots are the ones seeking instant fun, whilst others want to test their skills against other players. When heading to a land casino, you are drawn to the sound of slot games, with the slot lobby bursting with life and cheer. Still, the admiration of table game dynamics are too great to ignore. Players that indulge in live card games want to test their gameplay against others, a disciplined approach to gambling online.
Playing a game of Bridge with friends will see you sitting with three other players, with each of you seeking the win. This same vision is applied when playing live dealer games. The team unit, the discipline and the intellect need to be applied to win. When wins are earned not given, the fruit of your labour feels sweeter.
