Live Dealer Roulette
Table of Contents
Live dealer roulette games are run by real croupiers, thus recreating the vibrant atmosphere of a real casino. A live roulette table can be located at a land-based casino or a studio, and the gaming action is transmitted to remote players through high-quality HD cameras that provide different shot angles and can often be adjusted by a player to give a roulette wheel view or dealer view. A dealer (male or female) who may be sitting or standing at a roulette table spins the wheel and interacts with remote players via an embedded chat feature. The online live roulette software is developed by many leading companies such as Evolution, Playtech, Microgaming, Extreme Live Gaming, etc. Some live roulette games offer a free-play option.
Although there are numerous variants of live dealer roulette, there are standard features that you’ll find in most, if not all, of the games. These features are essential during gameplay for easy navigation and a seamless gambling experience across all platforms (desktop and mobile). Let’s take a look at some of these features below.
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Live roulette game interface
As previously mentioned, the gaming action is live-streamed from specially-designed studios or land-based casinos to remote players in a live roulette online casino through high-quality cameras. This means the game will have various adjustable video and audio settings, allowing you to personalise your gaming experience when playing online roulette live.
For instance, most variants adjust the video quality automatically, depending on the strength of your internet connection. If you have a weak connection, you’ll get low video quality and a distant view of the studio, and vice versa if you have a strong connection. You can also adjust these video settings manually according to your preference and the stability of your internet connection.
When it comes to audio, you can play around with various settings, such as modifying the main volume, game effects, and studio sound. You can also turn off all the audio settings if you find them distractive when making betting decisions.
Roulette wheel and ball
The roulette wheel and ball are the most essential elements of the game since the primary objective is based on the two. Therefore, regardless of where the game is being broadcast from, you’ll see a standard roulette wheel when you launch the game. As mentioned earlier, the game is run by a real-life dealer, who may be sitting or standing next to the wheel. Like in a real casino, the croupier’s task is to spin the ivory ball once the betting time is over and announce the winning number immediately after it lands on a pocket. Thanks to modern technology, some variants use compressed air to release the ball on the wheel, and the dealer’s task is to announce the winning number.
Betting area
Seeing that the game is played remotely by numerous players worldwide, live roulette online casinos offer a virtual betting area resembling the actual table found in land-based casinos. Like the real table, the virtual table has the main betting grid and a racetrack-shaped area for special bets.
The betting grid usually comprises various betting slots representing the main roulette bet types. These include numbers 0-36, 1st 12, 1-18, Even, 2nd 12, Red, Black, 3rd 12, Odd, and 19-36 betting spots.
The race track betting grid features the actual layout of the roulette wheel. Therefore, depending on your playing variant, it may have 37 or 38 slots.
Betting features
To play live roulette for real money, you’ll need a few key features during gameplay. Regardless of your playing variant, some features are standard across all titles. For instance, you must place your bets in a live roulette game using chips. Like in the land-based version, you’ll be provided with numerous multi-coloured chips of different denominations depending on the bet limits of your playing variation and your account balance.
Live dealer roulette also features an x2 button, which allows you to keep on doubling your current bet amount each time you hit it up to your desired size or the table’s maximum limit. Moreover, you’ll find a Rebet/Repeat button if you wish to place the exact wager as the previous round (bet type and size) in your current wager.
Sometimes, you might change your mind or have a fresh strategy before the betting time is over, meaning you’ll have to cancel your current bet and place a new one. To make it easy for you, the best live roulette online provides an Undo button, which allows you to clear your bets in the reverse order placed. Some variants have a Remove button for eliminating all bets in one click, but this will depend on the game provider.
Live chat
To deliver the real casino experience, most live dealer roulette titles have a live chat widget embedded in the game interface. This feature allows players to interact with the real-life croupier and other participating players in real time during the gambling session. You can share your gambling strategies, throw banter, or share your wins with fellow players through the chat box. Suppose you have questions regarding the game and you wish to get answers or clarify some facts with the dealer. In that case, you can send the inquiries to the live croupier by typing into the provided chat window, and they’ll respond verbally and professionally through a mic.
Live roulette bet limits
Just like at a brick-and-mortar casino, each live dealer roulette table has its set table limits. For most titles, you’ll find the bet limits displayed on each game in the lobby. If not, you’ll find them pinned on the gaming interface when you open the game. Some online roulette live variants have lower minimum bet sizes of $0.1 to accommodate low-budget novice players, while other tables have higher minimum limits of $1, $2, $5, and so forth, catering to both medium-budget players and high rollers.
The same concept also applies to the maximum bet limits, with some tables having lower maximum bet sizes of $1000 while others have higher limits of $2000, $3000, $5000, $10,000 and so on. Therefore, live roulette is a game designed for players of all budgets, meaning your only task is to pick a table that best aligns with your gambling account. You should note that the limits can also vary depending on the online casino and your playing currency.
Live roulette statistics
Live statistics come in handy when making betting decisions because they allow you to analyse the results of the previous rounds, which, in turn, helps you come up with effective gambling strategies or make more informed decisions. Depending on your playing variant, the stats are usually displayed on the gaming window, and they can be presented in various forms.
For instance, like in most live casino games, you’ll find a display of the last winning numbers on the playing interface. The list is usually updated after every round, with the outcome of the most recently finished round being the first. Note that the number of results you can view varies depending on your playing title. Some titles feature the last 100 results, while others offer more (up to 500).
On the other hand, the live stats in a live roulette game can be presented using a wheel diagram (with a red section for hot numbers and blue for cold numbers) or two panels, one with a red flame for the hot numbers and the other with an ice symbol for the cold numbers. Simply put, hot numbers represent the pockets on the roulette wheel where the ball often lands, whereas cold numbers indicate the numbers that haven’t come up in a long time in the last spins.
Some players believe that previous results influence future outcomes, with the hot and cold number stats showing winning and losing patterns in the game. Basically, some players place bets on the hot number pockets while others apply an opposite approach and bet on the numbers that haven’t appeared in a while since they believe the ball will eventually settle in one of the cold numbers.
Types of live roulette
Roulette is a popular game that has existed for centuries, with scholars dating its origin to the 17th century. Since then, the game has travelled across the world, with numerous variants emerging along the way, thanks to its extensive journey. There are various live roulette versions, but they’re all designed based on the standard variants, i.e., American, European, and French. Below is a brief overview of the different types of live dealer roulette.
European and American live roulette
The European version is the most popular variant in live roulette online casinos. The game is played using a wheel with 37 pockets and a 97.3% RTP percentage. The wheel features a single-zero pocket coloured in green, while the rest of the pockets are alternately coloured in red and black. Every game provider has this variant, with the only difference being the playing interface and betting options.
On the other hand, the American version is played using a 38-pocket roulette wheel. The wheel features the numbers 1-36, 0, and an extra 00 pocket. The additional pocket significantly increases the variant’s house edge to 5.26%, meaning it has a lower RTP (94.74%) than its European counterpart. Therefore, the odds of winning in American roulette are slightly lower, and it’s recommended to avoid this version if you’re a novice. Aside from the extra pocket, the American roulette variant also offers an additional inside bet (five-number), which further reduces the RTP to 92.1%.
French live roulette
The French variant is played using a single-zero wheel similar to the European version, i.e., with 37 numbered slots (numbers 0-36 labelled on it). This means that this edition also offers a friendly house edge with a 97.3% RTP. Depending on the provider, the French variant usually features two additional rules (En Prison and La Partage), which reduce the house edge from 2.7% to 1.35% when applied.
If active, the En Prison rule applies when you place an even-money bet and the ball lands on the zero pocket. When that happens, you can either cash out half of your stake or leave it untouched (imprisoned) for the next spin. However, you’ll lose your funds if you choose to keep the wager and the ball lands on the zero slot again.
The La Partage rule, on the other hand, also applies to even-money bets and allows you to split the bet amount with the house if the ball lands on the zero pocket. This means you’ll get back half of your stake, and the other half will go to the live roulette online casino.
Auto live roulette
This is a live roulette version without a real-life dealer running it. This means that instead of the croupier spinning the wheel and the ball. Therefore, auto roulette features faster spins than the live dealer version. On top of that, the betting period and the winning number are announced by an automated computer voice.
Live roulette with multipliers
As the name implies, these are live roulette variants that feature multiplied payouts. Most titles of this calibre usually have random multipliers assigned to between one and five numbers on the betting grid using RNG software. The multipliers vary depending on your playing variant, with most having a multiplier range of between 50x and 500x. Some live roulette titles with multipliers include Lightning Roulette (Evolution), Quantum Roulette (Playtech), Mega Roulette (Pragmatic Play), XL Roulette (Authentic Gaming), and Ultimate Roulette (Ezugi), among others.
Summary to live dealer roulette
The online gambling industry serves a diverse market. Some players like RNG-based roulette titles, while others prefer live roulette variants that deliver an experience that’s closer to the one in a real casino. This review has covered the key features of live dealer roulette, including the components of the playing interface, betting limits, and live statistics. We have also highlighted the most popular variants you’ll encounter in the best online casinos. If you like enhanced payouts, you can try out the live roulette titles with multipliers.
