We’ve all heard of roulette. It’s probably the biggest casino game of all time, and if you ask many players, the most thrilling one as well. The roulette wheel is a centuries-old invention associated with European royalty. Since its spread to the USA, it has become one of the biggest games in land-based casinos. That popularity followed roulette when the industry moved online.
The thrill of watching the ball roll and jump around on the wheel can’t be compared to anything else. A game of chance with little to no skill involved, roulette outshines any other casino games. However, the lack of new variants over the years has made the game somewhat stale. The gaming industry never sleeps, though, so it didn’t take long before it found a way to make roulette interesting again. Enter live roulette.
A perfect pairing of online casino tech and real casino atmosphere, live dealer games don’t get any better than roulette. One could say that they were invented because of roulette. The game of chance outnumbers any other type of live dealer game. Why? Well, the thrill of watching the ball roll on the wheel is just so much better in slo-mo and from a variety of angles. Live dealer roulette is roulette like you’ve never seen it. In our modest opinion, it’s the best way to play roulette.
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Live Dealer Roulette Rules
If you’ve played any version of roulette before, you’ll know how to play the live version as well. What’s so great about this game is that the rules are the same, no matter which variant you choose.
Of course, there are specific differences in each roulette game, but we’ll get to that later. Now, let’s go through the basic roulette rules:
- The wheel has 36 pockets numbered from 1 to 36. They are colored red and black.
- There is an additional pocket or two with the number 0 (and 00 in some versions).
- Roulette also features a table with corresponding fields that display betting numbers and options.
- You choose bets by placing chips on selected fields until the croupier announces no more bets.
- Whether you win or lose is determined by the ball and the wheel. If the ball lands in the pocket you bet on, you’ll win money.
Live Dealer Roulette Bet Types
In any roulette variants, bets are divided into two categories — inside and outside. A player makes inside wagers by placing chips within the boundaries of the 1 to 36 layout. They include:
- Straight-up — a bet on a single number that pays 35:1.
- Split — a bet on two numbers that implies placing a chip between two adjoining fields, and it pays 17:1.
- Street — place a chip on the line that ends a 3-number row to bet on all of them. This wager pays 11:1.
- Corner — place a chip on an intersecting line between four numbers to include them all. The corner bet has an 8:1 payout.
- Six Line — put the chip on intersecting streets to wager on six numbers. The payout for this wager is 5:1.
- Basket or Trio — put a chip on an intersection between the numbers 0/1/2, or 00/2/3, or 02/00. The basket wager pays out 11:1.
On the other hand, outside bets are placed by putting the chip on the outer side of the 1–36 layout. The following wagers belong in this category:
- 1 to 18 — put the chip on the 1 to 18 bet box.
- 19 to 36 — the chip goes on the 19 to 36 bet box.
- Red or Black — place the chip on the black or red diamond box.
- Even or Odd — the chip goes on the Even or Odd bet box.
- Dozen Bets — put the chip on one of the following three bet boxes — 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12.
- Column Bets — place a chip on one of the three bet boxes that cover different line numbers.
All outside bets follow the 1:1 payout rate, except Dozen and Column, which pay 2:1.
Live Roulette House Edge
The house edge of European and French roulette is 2.70% while the American variant sits at 5.26%. That hasn’t changed in live roulette. It’s still the same, although you’ll see most live casinos representing the game’s RTP. On European variants, the RTP is 97.30%.
Live Roulette Variants
It’s fair to say that the number of live roulette variants online is astonishing. Major live casino game developers such as Evolution Gaming have created thrilling versions of live roulette all fans of the game simply must try. These include Immersive Roulette, Live European Roulette, Speed Roulette, Double Ball Roulette, and the premier live roulette variant with RNG gameplay, its majesty Lightning Roulette.
Each of these games follows the same old rules determined by the type of the wheel. The gameplay’s pretty much the same except for Lightning Roulette. The only difference between these games and standard casino games is the fact that they’re hosted by a live dealer and streamed in HD video quality from a casino or studio to your screen.
Thanks to the stream and special cameras, you can see roulette action in a way you have never seen before.
Live European Roulette
Live European Roulette features a wheel with pockets numbered 1 to 36 and one 0. The RTP (return to player) is 97.3%. This is the most popular roulette variant, and all other versions are essentially based on this one. Almost all online casinos have a live European roulette table, and you’ll see that it’s the busiest roulette table, mainly due to its high RTP.
Live American Roulette
At first glance, the game layout doesn’t differ from the European version. However, the main difference is that Live American Roulette has an additional field reserved for a 00. It’s important to note that the double zero lowers the game’s RTP.
Unlike the European version, American roulette has a 94.74% RTP, which can significantly influence the odds of winning and the amount you can win. Nevertheless, you’ll find that most online casinos include this variant in their game selection.
Live French Roulette
If you’re a newbie, Live French Roulette might seem too complicated. Despite having a different layout from the other variants, French roulette isn’t that difficult to understand, and once you get the hang of the rules, you’ll find that it’s truly an enjoyable game.
Additionally, French roulette has the highest RTP of 98.5%, making it the best game to play, payout-wise.
Immersive Roulette
A unique variant of live roulette, Evolution Gaming’s Immersive Roulette offers an immersive dive into the world of European roulette. It features multiple cameras that track the action in real time from different angles. Thanks to this, you get an extremely cool variant of roulette based on established rules.
Of course, the whole thing’s streamed in HD quality, making this variant one of the best on the market.
Live Auto or Slingshot Roulette
Even though we’re talking about live dealer roulette, we still need to mention Live Auto Roulette, as many casino enthusiasts enjoy playing it. The main difference is that a dealer doesn’t exist in this variant.
Rather than having the dealer operating the wheel, this game uses compressed air — one puff gets the wheel spinning while another pushes the ball inside. Given that the entire process is automated, Slingshot roulette is a fast-paced game variant.
Live Speed Roulette
If Slingshot isn’t fast enough for you, you’ll love Live Speed Roulette. It’s the fastest roulette variant out there that requires you to place bets non-stop. You’ll have only 25 seconds before the wheel starts spinning and another round begins.
However, due to its pace, Live Speed Roulette might be a better option for seasoned players. Although you can earn money fast, you can lose it even quicker if you don’t have enough experience.
Live Double Ball Roulette
Even in this case, the name explains the game’s gist — the dealer fires two balls into the wheel. While your chances of winning will double, the prizes are cut in half. Essentially, it’s up to you to decide if you want more regular but smaller wins.
However, you can win big if both balls end up in the same pocket. Should this happen, you could win as much as 1300 times your stake.
Lightning Roulette
If there’s one variant that has revolutionized the game of chance, it’s Lightning Roulette. Made by Evolution Gaming AKA the best live dealer studio in the business, Lightning Roulette offers classic roulette action with an RNG twist.
Additional features such as the Lucky Numbers can bring you prizes worth 500 times your stake. It’s an electrifying variant of roulette that sheds new light on the game of chance. If you want a more exciting version of roulette that elevates the thrill to another level, give Evolution Gaming’s Lightning Roulette a try.
Can I Try Live Roulette for Free?
We’re sorry, but no. Live dealer games don’t come for free. Although you can find some live casinos that might offer some live games for free, the majority are only available in real money mode.
The reason? Well, live casinos are pretty costly to run. You need a studio or a location in a land-based casino, dozens of high-speed cameras, and more equipment. And then there are the dealers. Live casinos offer a unique thrill that takes the experience up a notch and as such, you have to pay for it.
The good news is you won’t pay for it more than the usual. Live dealer games come with the same ‘buy-ins’ with minimums as low as €5. High rollers can enjoy a slew of live roulette VIP tables with higher stakes that pay more as well.
Although you can’t practice these games before you splash the cash, if you’re good at roulette, you should definitely try them. Playing classic RNG-based roulette in online casinos is cool, but there’s nothing cooler than a live roulette table.
Don’t believe us? Try Immersive or Lightning Roulette. You’ll be surprised to see how good both are.
Live Dealer Roulette Software
If you have even a touch of online gambling experience, you know that the operators don’t usually create the games themselves. In most cases, online casinos collaborate with high-quality software providers that make fantastic games, including live dealer roulette.
Below are a few of the most renowned game developers that offer a top-rated live roulette experience:
- Evolution — Speed Roulette, Immersive Roulette, American and French Roulette, Lightning Roulette,
- Playtech — Single Zero Roulette, Prestige Roulette Lite, Speed Roulette
- Microgaming — Real Roulette, Real Auto Roulette,
- Extreme Live Gaming — Ra Roulette, Lucky Lady’s Roulette.
How to Play Live Roulette
The process of playing live variants of roulette doesn’t differ from classic tables. You first need to find a trustworthy casino with live dealer games in its offer. Once that’s out of the way, sign up, fund your account, and head straight to the live casino area.
Find a table suitable to your preferences and wager limits. It gets easy from there. Set your wager, let the live dealer spin the wheel, and enjoy the game. Most live roulette games come with advanced features such as bet history, hot and cold numbers, etc. You’ll also get the chance to speak to the dealer if needed via the chatbox.
You can use all the advanced features at the table to predict future results. Of course, you shouldn’t rely on that too much – after all, roulette is a game of chance.
Tips for Playing Live Dealer Roulette
If you want to up your game and increase the chances of winning, some tips and tricks might come in handy. Given that roulette in any form is a game of luck, you can’t create a strategy that would guarantee a win.
But, here’s what you can do:
- Know the house edge — Each live roulette variant has a different house edge. For example, the European game has 2.7%, while the American one has 5.7%, meaning the latter produces less-frequent wins.
- Try out new variants — Even live dealer roulette comes in different shapes. So, if you don’t like one variant, that doesn’t mean others won’t catch your attention — explore the game lobby and pick another roulette title to play.
- Control your bankroll — You can easily get carried away when playing live dealer roulette, especially the fast-paced variants. At that point, having complete control over your bankroll is vital. Never wager more than you can afford to lose.
Mobile Live Roulette
Want to play on the go? Most players nowadays prefer to play online casino games and live games on their phones and tablets. That shouldn’t be a surprise. We spend a lot of time on our mobile phones. Why stay home in front of a screen when you can spin the wheel anywhere you go?
Live dealer roulette games allow you to play on your mobile phones and tablets. You can either do this straight from the casino’s website or download a mobile app if the casino has one.
No matter what you choose, you shouldn’t have trouble finding your footing. Playing live roulette on the go is simply more fun.
How to Win at Live Roulette
To win at any version of roulette, not just the live variants, you’ll need to learn more about the game first. Roulette is not hard to understand, but you need a lot of practice to learn the bets. There are plenty of them on the table, with some paying more than others.
Since live games don’t give you the chance to play for free, we suggest going for classic roulette RNG games first. Try European roulette for free, learn the basics, then sit at a live roulette table. Start small and see how it works – you should get better and better with each spin.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, live dealer roulette is easy to understand and play. No matter what variant you opt for, you’ll have a fun and unpredictable gambling adventure. Moreover, the presence of a professionally trained dealer takes the experience to a whole new level.
If this seems like something you’d enjoy, all you need to do is find an online casino and immerse yourself into the world of live dealer roulette.