More and more iGaming companies are offering both casino gambling and sports betting on the same website. Does this mean the two forms of betting are similar? 

Depending on who you ask, there’s no major difference between betting on football and playing slot machines. You win if you’re lucky. Otherwise, you lose. While it’s true you need luck to win money at gambling sites, there are some major differences between betting and casino gaming.

But first, here are the definitions.

Sports Betting

Sports betting is a form of gambling that involves predicting the outcome of a sports game. Sports betting is based on pre-determined odds usually provided by a sportsbook.

Predicting a game’s match winner is the most common bet type in sports. But it’s not the only way to make money in this industry. You can pick the correct scores, total odds, halftime results or the first player to score.

Casino Gambling 

Casino gambling involves playing games of chance like slots, roulette and blackjack for real money. With some games—poker and blackjack—you can use strategies and skills to increase your chances of winning.

Still, luck is an important determiner of whether you win or lose your bet. Sometimes you can play casino games for fun—money is not involved. But far more often than not, people play these games to win real money.

Comparing Sports Betting to Casino Gambling

Sports betting has the following similarities and differences when compared to casino gambling:

You Can Get Bonuses for Both

Both casinos and sportsbooks welcome you with bonuses. However, these freebies are not exactly the same. Betting sites give you stakes to bet on football, basketball, hockey, and baseball matches. 

On the other hand, casino bonuses come in the form of betting credits to play slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. That being said, some bonuses are better than others.

No deposit bonuses do not require you to link your credit card. All you need is to sign up for a free account. Check out https://casino.online/bonus/no-deposit/ to find no-deposit bonuses and a list of cryptos accepted by online casinos.

Sports Betting Relies on Odds

As mentioned, sports betting is all about predicting sports matches using odds provided by betting websites. Sportsbooks use complex software to create odds. Sometimes the odds favour the home side. Sometimes the away team is favoured to win.

As a sports gambler, your goal is to analyze a game to determine which side is more likely to win. It’s also essential to compare odds from several bookmakers to maximize your potential profits. 

Casino Games Use RNG Software

Most casino games use RNG software to produce winners and losers. RNG is short for Random Number Generator. This software uses an algorithm to produce winning bets randomly.

Software developers play a crucial role in determining how often a game produces winners. If a game is designed to have a high Return to Player (RTP), it returns winning bets more often than a low-RTP game.

In Both, Luck is Important

Some sports bettors believe you can win money without relying on luck. Likewise, many poker players say the game has little to do with chance. In truth, luck is a crucial part of gambling.

Picture this. You place a bet on Manchester City to beat West Ham at home. After 85 minutes, the game is still 0-0. In the 90^th minute, City gets a penalty and Haaland converts it. 

You may argue a penalty is the result of hard work on the pitch. But a victory won through a penalty in the last-minute screams luck.

In the casino space, luck is an even bigger factor. If you choose slots, there’s little you can do to influence the outcome. You just hope you’re lucky to win. If you select blackjack, you hope to get an ace card and a king or queen to make it easier for you to win. Also, luck can help you win poker games—good cards mean stronger hands.

Real Sports vs Online Games

When you bet on sports, you’re usually betting on a real sport like basketball, football, or rugby. The sport needs to have a well-organized league, teams, players, and management.

These days, you can also bet on video competitions thanks to the growth of eSports. What’s more, you can bet on the outcome of political events and celebrity award shows. With that said, sports provide the most betting opportunities.

When it comes to casino gaming, you play online games created using RNG software. You can play games like slots, blackjack, and roulette as many times as possible. 

Additionally, you can play a wide range of games. The average online casino has 300+ games. Slots make up the majority of online casino games. But lately, they’re facing stiff competition from live casino games like poker, roulette, and baccarat.

Some Websites Offer both Forms of Gambling

As more countries legalize online gambling, they’re licensing the industry in a way that makes it cheaper to get one license for both casino games and sports betting. Just take a look at your favourite betting site.

It probably offers both sports betting and casino games on the same platform. That means you need just one account to play slots and bet on football. What’s more, you can use one payment method to fund your account. 

You Can Bet on Your Mobile Device

Another similarity between sports betting and casino gambling is that you can gamble online through your smartphone. It doesn’t matter if you use an android or iOS device.

These days, all that matters is that your smartphone has access to the Internet. Of course, you need a working browser to access your casino account. Or, you can install a betting app from the play store.

Mobile gaming is becoming increasingly popular around the world due to the cost of smartphones and their convenience. A good mobile device costs only a fraction of a gaming device. Yet, it can support hundreds of casino games and tons of sports betting markets.