Home poker games with your friends can be fun under the right circumstances, but their entertainment factor doesn’t come close to the thrill of authentic casino poker. Whether it’s online poker or brick-and-mortar games, the simple truth is that the real deal just can’t be beaten.

So what is it that makes casino poker games more compelling and why do home poker games struggle to match up to them? Where you choose to play can make a drastic difference to the overall experience, so come explore nine reasons why casino poker is better than poker games at home.

1. No Cheating

They say that cheaters never prosper, but if you’re at home and playing with a bunch of friends or family, it can be quite the challenge to catch any foul play. Short of installing a costly security system, there’s not much you can do to stop a sneaky swindle.

Casinos, on the other hand, can monitor each move of every player at any given time. Thanks to state-of-the-art surveillance and expert scrutiny, there’s no getting away with cheating, hidden messages or sleight of hand. Whether you’re practicing how to play live dealer poker or enjoying a casual cash game online, you can also rest assured that online casinos have cheat detection and prevention methods so that you can have a great experience online as well.

The last thing you want is to have players bending or breaking the rules, especially when there’s money involved. When you know the gameplay is fair, everyone can relax and enjoy the action. That’s why when you play at a BetMGM casino, poker tournament rules apply to all poker tables, while house rules apply to all other online casino games.

2. Elegance and Comfort

Poker tends to be associated with luxury and an air of sophistication, which is why hosting a game at home stacks the odds against you. There are so many things to consider and it takes a lot of time, money and effort to emulate the same atmosphere at home. So why not skip all that investment and just treat yourself to the authentic experience?

Whether you’re talking about the decor, the amenities or the quality of service, casinos treat their guests like royalty. The odds of finding a home game with the same level of opulence are practically slim to none.

On the other hand, you don’t have to leave the comfort of home to enjoy an excellent game of poker. Live Texas Hold’em poker brings the ultimate casino experience directly to you, complete with a real dealer, a real table and real players.

3. Membership

Casino membership provides multiple benefits for poker players, from exclusive tables to complimentary rewards. Combine these benefits with the fact that you’re given the celebrity treatment and it’s easy to see why home poker doesn’t really compare to the real thing.

Membership also gives you access to bonuses in several online games, so you’re getting the best of both worlds when you sign up for VIP service. With BetMGM, for example, there are tiered VIP options that are tailored to suit your style and frequency of play.

4. Extra Entertainment

If someone gets knocked out of a home poker tournament, should they twiddle their thumbs and wait for the game to end? Of course not. There should be additional entertainment on offer, like other games or sports on TV, for instance, but even that’s far from ideal.

Casinos offer the whole package when it comes to entertainment, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment by including all the distractions you need to keep the fun times going. 

If you’re playing poker online, you can jump into a new game at any time, but it’s not like you want everyone staring at digital screens in a group setting. Head to a casino and take the weight of keeping everyone entertained all the time off your shoulders. While you hang in there at the felt, your guests are free to wander off and play slots or perhaps visit the roulette or craps tables.

5. Big Plays and Potentially Big Rewards

Home games can have pots of any size, but you probably won’t see anyone placing huge bets very often. Adrenaline-filled, high-risk games can only be found on the casino floor and in major online poker tournaments — although they’re to be approached with caution.

It’s all well and good to play for fun and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a casual game of poker while you’re relaxing at home. You do lose out on a lot of the potential for jaw-dropping moments and inspiring victories, though. 

The benefit of casinos and online games is that you always have the potential to walk away with money in your pocket. If big pots are something you look forward to when playing poker, your best bet for a good time is to take a trip to your nearest casino. And you get to watch everyone else’s games from the sidelines too.

6. Competitive Players

If you take poker seriously and need to play against opponents who share your passion, there’s no better place for competition than casinos. Many players thrive under pressure and the nervous excitement of facing worthy adversaries is what makes the game enjoyable.

Unless your friends or family are poker pros, you aren’t going to get that level of competition in a home game. Alternatively, the best online poker games represent a worthy alternative if land-based casinos are out of reach.

How and where you play is entirely up to you, but it’s worth repeating that competitive play at a suitable level is what attracts most people to the poker tables. The only advantage home poker has is that it gives you the ability to make mistakes at a lower cost, which makes it a useful learning tool for new players.

7. Casino Culture

Global pop culture owes much of its growth to casino fashion and high-roller lifestyles. This makes the influence of land-based casinos undeniable — you only need to look at how often they appear in movies — and provides one more reason why millions of players flock to them on a daily basis.

From the elegant environment to the dress code of finer establishments, you need a good sense of style and deep pockets to capture casino culture at home. Ultimately, it’s a waste of energy to copy all that flair when the original gambling format is so easily accessible.

At this point, you may have noticed that you don’t have to leave your home in order to enjoy the best that casino gaming has to offer, as online casino games deliver the authentic experience directly to you. What’s more, thanks to the invention of live dealer casino games, you can play interactive poker games online from your couch as if you were in a real casino.

8. Professionals Dealers

Unless you’re a professional poker dealer, there’s little chance that you’ll be able to provide the same kind of experience that a dealer at a casino can. Whether it’s the style or speed of shuffling a deck of cards, knowing the rules inside and out or even helping set the tone for the evening with some friendly banter, professional dealers are paid to be good at what they do. 

Of course, it’s not impossible for you to recreate this at home. It’s just very difficult.

9. Lots of Poker Variants To Play

Another consideration is that there are simply more poker tables with lots of different exciting poker variants for you to play. Yes, Texas Hold’em poker tables will be a dime a dozen, but you’ll also be easily able to find other thrilling poker games like Omaha, Seven-Card Stud and Five-Card Draw.

Again, you can host all of these games at home, but you’ll need someone who knows these variants inside and out if you want games to go smoothly. Otherwise, you’ll need to be referring to online guides and YouTube videos to make sure you and your friends are playing these different variants correctly.

Play Poker Online at BetMGM

If this article has convinced you to try out poker at a professional establishment, but you’re not sure how to play poker at a casino, then you can try your hand at one of the best casinos online: BetMGM. BetMGM has the full range of games available, including Omaha, Seven-Card Stud and Texas Hold’em poker, as well as many live dealer poker games. BetMGM also provides a wide range of online resources to teach new and inexperienced poker players how to improve their game, as well as guides to help more experienced players make the switch to online poker.

Play Poker Online at BetMGM

Experience the thrill of playing poker at BetMGM. Our platform features a diverse selection of real money games, all accessible through a user-friendly interface. You’re always just a click away from the excitement!