Editorial

Tuesday, 24 November 2009 04:48

When it comes to a showdown between online craps and the live casino game, how do they really compare with each other?

For those avid fans of the casino game of craps, the true highlight comes when you get to take on the role of shooter. You suddenly become the focus of everyone's attention as you hold both dice in your hands and feel the sudden surge of power coursing through you. In your hands are the hopes and aspirations of every bettor around that table and their ultimate fate rests with your next moves.

If you've done this many times, then you'll have perfected your technique and honed your shooting skill down to a fine art. You'll know exactly how to place them carefully in your palm, how many times to shake them while the bettors finish placing their bets and feel the growing apprehension. You'll determine the precise trajectory of the dice while the excitement grows to a crescendo as your eyes to settle on the exact spot they'll land on before sending them on their way across the table. The tension is at its peak at this moment as the table holds their breaths for the briefest of moments as the dice find their spots. Will they be in for a hot streak and hail you as the hero of the night, or will you go cold and dash all their expectations?

This is what craps players live and breathe for with the excitement, tension and anticipation all rolled into a game that relies on the rolling dice to make or break many fortunes. It's all a part and parcel of the game every bit as much as the betting, winning or losing, so when you look at its online counterpart you have to wonder how it can possibly compare.

The major drawback of online craps is the lack of that atmosphere the live game generates. A pair of computer generated dice doesn't really replicate the physical feel of shooting. While they are a good representation of real dice, they are still only a part of a computer program and as such lack the warmth and feel of the real thing. But strip down the game to its bare bones, take away the players and all the associated hype and excitement and play it as a pure game of chance and there is very little to set the two versions apart.

Then you begin to see some of the appeal of the online game. The randomization software generates a fair representation of the true odds in the real game with each throw of the graphically generated dice. The betting is much easier as your concentration is not broken by having to ensure you get the betting etiquette correct or suffering the embarrassment of getting some part of it wrong. All the bet placements and winnings are automated so you can't really get it wrong.

A real advantage of online craps is the comps points that accumulate progressively as you play, which is something that you rarely see in a casino. There are also cash bonuses to take advantage of. Some online casinos offer no deposit bonuses enabling you to play out your initial craps games online for free. There are first deposit bonuses that can provide you with several hundreds of dollars worth of free cash play as well.

Some online casinos provide live craps hosts and multi player functionality with live chat to try and create at least a semblance of live craps. Of course you can choose whether you want to play with a crowd or by yourself, which can be a useful feature if you are not feeling up to socialising with anyone and just want to place some bets and try your luck.

But probably the most appealing aspect of online craps is convenience. Not everybody lives close to a place like Las Vegas where there is a large selection of buzzing, lively casinos to choose from. If you only have one local casino within a reasonable travelling distance, you can be sure that at the weekends the place will be very busy. They may only have the one craps table and your chances of getting anywhere near it are slim at best. Online craps doesn’t have this problem, of course. You play in the comfort of your own home at a tine that suits you. You get to be the shooter all of the time and you no one is going to tell you that you've had long enough at the table and its time for someone else to have their go.

If you do feel like leaving the online craps table for something else, then transferring your chips is an instant and automated process and you can play two or more types of games at the same time if you really want to.

While there is nothing that can ever truly replace the live craps table with all its excitement, tension and fun, the online game at least makes it easy to play whenever you want to, while continued advancements in technology mean that there will always be something new and innovative to look forward to.