Online Games Earning new Fans while Sport is Cancelled

Recent weeks have proved dull for sports fans in almost every corner of the world, with practically every tournament or league postponed.

11:55 06 April 2020

Many fans who would ordinarily be backing their team of choice have found themselves at a loose end. However, online games are coming to their rescue in these difficult times. 

A major component of enjoying a sporting event is to use one of the dozens of online platforms to place a small wager on the outcome. It’s not so much about trying to win big. It is more about having a personal interest in the outcome, and an extra reason to celebrate a win. In this area, at least, there is a viable alternative. Many of those same online sites offer casino-style gaming, which is just as exciting, and the participant is directly involved in the outcome. 

Let’s compare and contrast the two. But first, we’ll take a look at the platforms that are available for sports fans who want to try their luck with a spin or the reels or a roll of the dice.

Where to play

The international nature of the current situation means that there are bored sports punters in almost every country of the world. Many of the biggest names in sports betting, however, don’t just provide games as an additional option. They also do so in a choice of languages to accommodate the international market. 

Let’s take Thailand as an example. They might be best known for their sportsbooks, but you could immediately try the three best brands who end in BET, Dafabet, 118Bet, Webet for Thai casino online. These household names also operate in a whole variety of other languages, walking those who are new to gaming through the activities on offer. 

Odds and the house edge

Let’s be clear about one thing. The old saying that the house always wins holds true for both sports betting and gaming. The bookmakers or casinos are businesses, and they need to make money to survive. In sport, you might celebrate a win one week, and the same applies in gaming. But over time, when everything averages out, expect to be a little down. Smart gamers, like smart sports bettors, accept the fact that when you do something for fun using an external provider, it costs money. 

In sport, this premium is covered by setting the odds, not just as a function of form, but also according tohow many people are betting a certain way. It can be a complicated process. In casino games, things are far more clear-cut. Here, each game has a house edge, which is the difference between the mathematical chances of winning and the pay-out. So if an even-money event like the toss of a coin pays 95 on a bet of 100, that is a five percent house edge. Different games have a different house edge. For example, European roulette is around 2.5 percent, whereas with most slot games it is around four percent. 

Chance or luck?

In sport, you can approach a wager from two perspectives. Some people might trust completely to luck, let’s say picking a random horse in a sweepstake, while others spend their lives studying form to make an informed decision. Exactly the same applies in gaming, where you might bet on your lucky number at the roulette wheel or devote hours of research on blackjack strategy. In the end, perhaps the two disciplines are not so different after all!