Online casinos are a popular form of entertainment and gambling for millions of people around the world. According to Statista, the global online gambling market was worth 231 billion U.S. dollars in 2021 and is expected to grow to 262 billion U.S. dollars by 2023. Online casinos offer a variety of games, such as slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, and more, that can be played on computers, smartphones, tablets, or other devices.
But how do players use data and statistics in online casinos? And how do online casinos use big data to improve their services and attract more customers? In this article, we will explore some of the ways that data and numbers are used in the online casino industry.
How Players Use Data
One of the main reasons why players use data and statistics in online casinos is to increase their chances of winning or reduce their losses. Data can help players make informed decisions about which games to play, how much to bet, when to stop, and what strategies to use.
Slots: Slots are games of chance that rely on random number generators (RNGs) to determine the outcome of each spin. Players can use data to find out the return to player (RTP) percentage of each slot game, which indicates how much of the money wagered on the game is paid back to players over time. The higher the RTP, the lower the house edge, and the more favorable the game is for the player. Players can also use data to find out the volatility or variance of each slot game, which indicates how often and how much the game pays out. High volatility slots have bigger but less frequent payouts, while low volatility slots have smaller but more frequent payouts. Depending on their risk appetite and budget, players can choose the slot games that suit their preferences.
Roulette: Roulette is a game of chance that involves betting on where a ball will land on a spinning wheel with numbered pockets. Players can use data to find out the odds and payouts of each bet type, such as red or black, odd or even, single number, or group of numbers. For example, betting on a single number has a 1 in 37 chance (or 2.7%) of winning in European roulette and pays 35 to 1, while betting on red or black has a 18 in 37 chance (or 48.6%) of winning and pays 1 to 1. Players can also use data to find out the house edge of each roulette variant, which is the advantage that the casino has over the player. For example, European roulette has a house edge of 2.7%, while American roulette has a house edge of 5.26%, due to the presence of an extra zero pocket on the wheel.
Blackjack: Blackjack is a game of skill that involves trying to get a hand value as close to 21 as possible without going over, while beating the dealer's hand. Players can use data to find out the optimal strategy for each blackjack variant, which tells them what action to take (hit, stand, split, double down) based on their hand and the dealer's upcard. Using basic strategy can reduce the house edge to as low as 0.5%, depending on the rules of the game. Players can also use data to count cards, which is a technique that involves keeping track of the ratio of high cards (10s and aces) to low cards (2s through 6s) in the deck. By doing so, players can adjust their bets and decisions based on the advantage or disadvantage they have over the dealer.
Poker: Poker is a game of skill that involves betting on the strength of one's hand compared to other players' hands. Players can use data to find out the probability and expected value of each hand type, such as pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, etc., based on the cards they have and the cards on the table. By doing so, players can estimate their chances of winning or losing each pot and decide whether to call, raise, fold, or bluff accordingly. Players can also use data to analyze their own and their opponents' playing styles, such as how often they bet, raise, fold, or bluff, and how they react to different situations. By doing so, players can identify their strengths and weaknesses and exploit their opponents' tendencies.
How Casinos Use Big Data
Online casinos also use data and statistics to improve their services and attract more customers. Online casinos collect and analyze large amounts of data from various sources, such as player profiles, game outcomes, transactions, feedback, social media, etc. By using big data technologies, such as cloud computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc., online casinos can gain valuable insights and benefits from the data they have.
Personalization: Online casinos can use big data to create personalized experiences for each player, such as recommending games that match their preferences, offering bonuses and promotions that suit their needs, sending tailored messages and notifications that engage them, etc. By doing so, online casinos can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
Optimization: Online casinos can use big data to optimize their operations and performance, such as adjusting the RTP and volatility of each game to balance the risk and reward for both the casino and the player, testing and improving the user interface and design of the website or app to enhance the usability and accessibility for different devices and platforms, monitoring and resolving any technical issues or errors that might affect the quality and security of the service, etc. By doing so, online casinos can increase efficiency, reliability, and profitability.
Marketing: Online casinos can use big data to create effective marketing campaigns and strategies, such as identifying and targeting potential customers based on their demographics, behaviors, interests, etc., creating appealing and relevant content and ads that capture their attention and curiosity, measuring and evaluating the impact and return on investment of each marketing channel and activity, etc. By doing so, online casinos can increase brand awareness, customer acquisition, and conversion.
Data and statistics play a vital role in the online casino industry. Both players and online casinos use data to make informed decisions that can affect their outcomes.
Players use data to increase their chances of winning or reduce their losses by choosing the best games, bets, strategies, etc.
Online casinos use data to improve their services and attract more customers by creating personalized experiences, optimizing their operations and performance, and creating effective marketing campaigns and strategies.
Data is a powerful tool that can improve the performance of an online casino for both parties. If you need help building your own platform in the iGaming industry, you can contact our BCraft team. Good luck!