HOW DOES CARD DEALING IN ONLINE POKER WORK?

Without a physical deck of cards that the participants at the table can see being shuffled, online poker sites must devise a fair means to mix and deal virtual cards. But how does it operate, and how can we know it's as fair, if not more so, than a standard poker card shuffle?

SHUFFLE THE CARDS IN ONLINE POKER

To shuffle and distribute cards evenly, legitimate online casino rooms use computerized algorithms.

1. Each matched card in the deck has its own identification.

2. The deck is "made" before each hand by employing a random number generator and randomly sorting these numbers.

3. After the deck has been constructed, the hand is dealt in the same manner as in a live game, with each player receiving two cards, beginning with the small blind.

Technically, an online poker site can generate the numbers to organize their deck in one of two ways: by employing a PRNG or a TRNG.

PRNG

PRNG stands for pseudo-random Number Generator and is so named because the unpredictability is simulated rather than created organically. The numbers generated by a PRNG are never truly random because they are determined by an initial value known as a'seed.'

PRNGs are frequently incredibly intricate algorithms that are nearly impossible to reverse engineer without extensive knowledge of how the specific algorithm works. This, combined with the advantage of speed when producing numbers, makes them extremely handy for online poker.

However, not all PRNGs are made equal, and some perform far better than others. If you play on a site that uses a PRNG, you should check their credentials to ensure that their PRNG has been confirmed.

TRNG

TRNG is an abbreviation for true random number generator, meaning the numbers it creates are completely random. The numbers are generated without the aid of an algorithm; instead, they are determined by naturally random processes.

Pokerstars is the most well-known online poker site that employs a TRNG, and their random numbers are generated using a combination of two approaches. The first way they use to produce random numbers is to fire a light beam at a piece of translucent glass; if the light is reflected, it is a 1, otherwise it is a 0.

Second, they track each player's mouse movements and clicks to generate a second stream of 1s and 0s. All of this is then combined and encrypted to produce a completely random stream of 1s and 0s from which the numbers 1 to 52 are extracted to produce a completely random deck.

Poker's unpredictability is comparable to that of slot machines.

SECURITY OF ONLINE POKER SOFTWARE

The only method to ensure that a site's PRNG is actually random, or that a site that utilizes a TRNG isn't 'rigging the system,' is to have them audited by a third party. We as players do not have enough information to independently check the legitimacy of online poker sites, thus we rely on poker site operators and game regulators to do so.

Many reputable poker sites will do this on their own initiative because they understand that being upfront and truthful with their players about the legitimacy of their operations is a good way to keep them coming back. For example, as previously stated, Party Poker has an outside company evaluate their PRNG once a month, while PokerStars submits extensive data on their RNG to Cigital on a monthly basis to ensure that their game is truly random.

Following the Ultimate Bet scandal, in which one of the site owners used a back door in the software to view people's hole cards, online poker sites are now extremely cautious about who in their company has access to the backend of the system, and anyone who does has access is barred from playing on that site in the interest of fairness.

PLAY ONLINE POKER WITH LEGIT SOFTWARE

What should you do if you want to play on a new site but aren't sure whether it's really legal? My advise is to look for the following things; if they check all of them, they're probably a legitimate site.

Certificate

The fact that their random number generator has been confirmed by a reputable third-party cybersecurity firm is a strong indicator that their website is authentic. It demonstrates that they have nothing to hide in the way they run the most crucial aspect of the site, and you will be assured of a fair game.

Active Customer Service

An active customer service demonstrates that they care about their consumers and are willing to assist you in resolving any troubles you may experience when playing on their website. If a corporation does not provide this, it indicates that it either does not care about its customers or is attempting to conceal something from them.

Positive Feedback

Knowing what other players think about a site is a terrific method to figure out if it's worth playing on. If other gamers have had positive experiences and are willing to share them, you will most likely have one as well. However, if a large number of gamers have negative experiences on the site, it is likely that you will as well.

License

In order to operate and offer real money games, an online poker site must acquire a license in the majority of nations throughout the world. If a site is licensed, it implies it must follow the regulations of the jurisdiction's gaming regulators and will face fines if it does not. If a site is not licensed, it is not subject to these rules, and there is no penalty for operating a dishonest game.

Despite what some people at your local home game may believe, online poker sites use random number generators to shuffle and deal cards.