| Updated: Roulette, one of the most iconic games of chance, has made the transition to online gaming and is available at most web-based casinos. Players can now enjoy a highly authentic betting experience, with roulette games streamed in real time.
Players are greeted by friendly, professional dealers who are happy to chat. The action is broadcast in high definition over the internet, allowing you to see the winning number instantly. In this article, we share our knowledge of live dealer roulette and provide valuable insights into how to find the best live tables.
Gaming controls
Live roulette employs the following gaming controls to accommodate players.
Traffic Lights
Chip Tray Undo Double Repeat/RebetTraffic Lights
The traffic lights indicate the current status of the round, informing players when they can place wagers. A green light means the table is open for betting, the yellow light signals that betting time is almost over, and the red light indicates that no more bets are accepted for the round.
Chip Tray
The Chip Tray allows you to select the value of the chips you want to wager. Live roulette variants powered by Evolution Gaming allow you to choose only chip denominations that fit within your current balance. For example, if you have only $25 left, higher denominations such as $100, $500, and $1,000 remain inactive until you top up your account.
Undo
The Undo button allows you to remove your bets before the round begins. If you have placed multiple wagers, you can click it repeatedly to remove them one by one in reverse order.
Double
The Double button becomes active after you place a bet. Each time you click it, the button automatically doubles your wagers until you reach the maximum permitted limit. This feature is useful if you are using the Martingale betting system.
Repeat/Rebet
The Repeat/Rebet button is useful for flat bettors because it repeats every wager placed in the previous round. It is deactivated if you manually place any chips.
The Technology that Makes Live Roulette Games Tick
Live roulette is hosted in authentic settings with communicative, skilled dealers. The action is streamed to players’ desktop or mobile screens via sophisticated technology. Every element of the live casino infrastructure is equally important. Below are the components that make live roulette tick:
Cameras OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Game Control Unit MonitorsCameras
Cameras are essential to live dealer roulette because they capture everything happening at the table. Most software suppliers install at least three small cameras per table, allowing players to view the action from different angles.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts physical information into electronic data. It informs the game’s software which number has landed so that winners can be paid. Without OCR, you would simply be watching a regular video stream. Meaningful interaction between dealers and players would be impossible without it.
Game Control Unit
The Game Control Unit is one of the most important components of live dealer roulette. This piece of equipment encodes game information and provides the dealer with virtual support, enabling them to manage the table seamlessly.
No larger than a small box, the device works in conjunction with Optical Character Recognition software. It encodes the live stream captured by the HD cameras so that it reaches players in real time without lag or interruptions.
Monitors
Monitors serve as a bridge between players and live dealers. They provide the dealer with vital information about the game, including the number of players who have joined the table and what they see on their computer or smartphone screens. This information enables dealers to perform their duties professionally and courteously.
- High Stakes Roulette
- Low Limit Roulette
- Fibonacci Roulette System
- Parlay Roulette System
- Martingale Roulette System
- Inside Bets
- Outside Bets
- Roulette Rules
- Roulette Strategies
- American Roulette
- French Roulette
- European Roulette
- American and European Wheel Sequences
- Roulette – From a Perpetual Motion Machine to a Casino Landmark
- Roulette Basics and Rules of Table Conduct
- Roulette's Bet Types
- The French Roulette Layout
- Independent Trials, Odds, and Casino Edge in Roulette
- En Prison and La Partage
- Taking Your Roulette Game to the Next Level with Call Bets
- The Many Faces of Roulette – Interesting Variations to Try
- Progressive Roulette Systems
- Reading Biased Wheels and Other Predictive Methods
- The Master of the Wheel Gonzalo Garcia Pelayo
- Improving Your Roulette Game
- Dispelling Roulette Myths
- How to Protect a Roulette Bankroll
- Software Providers of Online Roulette
- Roulette Games with Progressive Jackpots
- Roulette Goes Mobile
- Roulette in Literature, Film, and Television
Key Player-Oriented Features in Live Roulette
For the most part, live roulette games are user-friendly, offering players a variety of handy features they can use to customize and control their gameplay. Available options vary by software studio, but the features listed below are generally present at most live casinos.
Statistics panel Autoplay Multi-tabling Live Chat Multiple cameras Dealer tippingStatistics panel
The statistics panel presents trend bettors with a chart of winning numbers from the past several hundred rounds. This provides an overview of the distribution of results, helping players identify hot and cold sectors on the wheel.
Autoplay
The Autoplay feature automatically repeats a previously selected wager or set of wagers for a specified number of rounds. You can stop it manually or select how many rounds it will run.
Multi-tabling
Multi-tabling is a suitable option for roulette players seeking more action. You can join multiple roulette tables simultaneously. Evolution Gaming’s platform, for example, allows you to play at up to four tables at once. We recommend using this feature in full-screen mode so that everything remains clearly visible and you can place your bets accurately.
Live Chat
The Live Chat feature allows you to communicate with the dealer and other players at the table. The dealer checks their monitor to read player messages and responds verbally.
You can deactivate and hide the chat if it distracts you from the game. The chat is also used for announcements, such as notifying players that play will pause for a few minutes while the roulette wheel is cleaned.
Multiple cameras
Multiple cameras help create an immersive roulette experience, allowing players to toggle between several views. Some Evolution Gaming tables offer three options: Immersive, Classic, and 3D.
Dealer tipping
Dealer tipping is available at live roulette tables powered by Ezugi and Vivo Gaming. Tipping is optional, and customs vary by region. Tipping is expected at American casinos, so most U.S. players are accustomed to giving gratuities. British players, on the other hand, are less inclined to tip because the practice was illegal in U.K. casinos until recently.
A Few More Pointers before You Join the Live Dealers
Before you dive into the excitement of live roulette, there are several other factors to keep in mind. Elements such as device compatibility, internet speed, table limits, and game variety directly affect your experience. Consider them before you sit down with a live dealer.
Software provider Table limits Your device's parameters Look for a decent selection of live tables Supported banking options Native dealersSoftware provider
Live roulette games are supplied by various software companies, with each platform offering a distinct set of features. Players seeking the greatest variety should consider casinos powered by Evolution Gaming because Evolution provides the largest selection of live roulette tables.
Check the reputation of your chosen software studio and the regulator that oversees its products. Playing at casinos powered by reputable software providers supports a high-quality and safe live roulette experience.
Table limits
When you compare live games with RNG-based games, you may notice that live tables are sometimes more expensive to play. They often have higher minimum limits because live operations cost more to run. Salaries must be paid to dealers, pit bosses, technicians, and other staff.
However, some live platforms offer a wide range of table limits. If you are playing on a shoestring budget, we recommend looking for Evolution Gaming-powered casinos. Many Evolution sites offer roulette tables with minimum bets as low as $0.10. High rollers are also catered to, with upper limits reaching several thousand credits.
Your device's parameters
Live roulette is more demanding because the action is streamed to your screen in real time. Older devices may lack the RAM and processing power required, leading to lag and freezes.
You also need a reliable internet connection. Broadband, Wi-Fi, and 4G mobile connections are generally sufficient. If your connection can stream YouTube videos smoothly, it will likely handle live roulette as well.
Look for a decent selection of live tables
It is a good idea to register with a live casino that offers a variety of roulette tables. A broader selection helps keep the experience fresh. To our knowledge, Evolution Gaming provides the largest collection, including European, French, American, and Auto Roulette. Some single-zero tables also support the La Partage rule.
Supported banking options
Live casinos support different banking methods, so check what is available before registering to ensure that you can fund your account and play for real money.
This step is important because, unlike RNG-based games, live roulette is rarely available in free-play mode. Your chosen casino should process transactions securely, protecting your funds with SSL encryption.
Native dealers
Language barriers can ruin your experience if you cannot understand the dealer. Fortunately, major suppliers such as Evolution, Playtech, and Ezugi offer country-specific roulette tables staffed by native-speaking dealers. If English is not your strongest language, you can find tables conducted in Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Greek, and other languages.
Types of Live Roulette Games to Check
Most live-dealer roulette games follow the same rules, regardless of the variation. They are played on single-zero or double-zero wheels and offer the standard array of outside, inside, and call bets.
Payouts are generally identical, although some variants let players benefit from multipliers on their winnings. We’ve gathered the most noteworthy types of live roulette in one place.
Live Roulette Streamed from Landbased Casinos Live Roulette with Progressive Jackpots Live Roulette with Two Balls Live Speed Roulette Live Slingshot/Auto Roulette Live Roulette Games with Multipliers or Side BetsLive Roulette Streamed from Landbased Casinos
Software providers such as Evolution and Authentic Gaming give roulette players a glimpse inside some of the world’s most luxurious casinos by streaming the action directly from their land-based floors.
This arrangement also benefits land-based gambling operators by increasing their exposure and helping them establish an online presence. HD cameras are installed above and around the table so that the dealer can work seamlessly and without interruptions.
You can watch players at the venue place bets and collect chips after winning coups. The stream quality is comparable to that of studio-based live games. Below are some software suppliers that provide HD streams from land-based roulette tables.
- Evolution Gaming streams Dual Play Roulette from Malta’s Dragonara, London’s Hippodrome, and Bucharest’s Grand Casino.
- Authentic Gaming specializes in roulette games broadcast from land-based casinos, with live streams from Italy’s Saint-Vincent Resort & Casino, Bulgaria’s Platinum Casino, Georgia’s Casino International, and Romania’s Casino Bucharest.
- Ezugi brings players closer to the action with OTT (Over the Table) Roulette, streamed from the floors of Portomaso, the Oracle, and Royal Casino.
- Extreme Live Gaming offers live roulette from the floor of Gibraltar’s Casino Admiral.
Live Roulette with Progressive Jackpots
Games with progressive jackpots are gaining traction among roulette enthusiasts, thanks to major studios such as Playtech. Playtech was the first to release a progressive version of live baccarat. Rival developer Evolution Gaming noticed its success and followed with progressive versions of Casino Hold’em, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, and Caribbean Stud.
However, Playtech remains the only studio that supplies live casinos with a progressive roulette game. In its Age of the Gods Live Roulette, four progressive prizes can be won, with 1% of each bet added to the uncapped pools.
The Ultimate Super Power jackpot is the largest of the four. It starts at €100,000 and provides an average win of more than €660,000. These prizes can be won randomly during any round, even one that otherwise results in a loss. Betting the maximum is not required, although larger wagers increase your chances of winning.
Live Roulette with Two Balls
If one ball is not enough to satisfy your appetite for intense roulette action, try live Double Ball Roulette. To our knowledge, Evolution Gaming is the only provider offering a live version, although RNG-based variants developed by other studios are available.
In this innovative game, the dealer presses a button to release two balls from a patented device. Compressed air propels the balls, which produce two winning outcomes instead of one.
The format provides additional betting opportunities and different payouts. It pays more frequently, with the highest odds of 1,300 to 1 awarded when both balls land on the same number.
If you bet on the outcome of only one ball, the payout is lower. For example, a winning straight-up bet on one ball pays 17 to 1 instead of the standard 35 to 1. The rules for outside bets are also adjusted. Outside wagers pay when both balls produce the same outcome.
Live Speed Roulette
Live roulette tends to be less dynamic, which can be advantageous because you place fewer bets per hour and the house edge erodes your bankroll more slowly. Still, some players prefer a faster pace. Leading live casino providers meet this demand with Speed Roulette variations, but which one is the fastest?
- In Evolution Gaming’s Speed Roulette, each round is cut in half because the ball takes only 25 seconds to settle. There is no downtime because betting occurs only during the spin.
- NetEnt’s Rocket Roulette is slower, with 42 seconds between spins, including a betting window of approximately 15 seconds. A standard live roulette game produces between 48 and 60 spins per hour, so we are not particularly impressed with Rocket Roulette’s speed. The Swedish supplier does compensate with an interesting studio setting and themed dealer outfits.
- Playtech’s version of Speed Roulette offers a spin-to-spin time of 34 seconds. Playtech markets it as “the fastest hand-dealt roulette,” although Evolution still wins the race in terms of speed. Otherwise, the game uses a single-zero wheel and follows European rules.
Live Slingshot/Auto Roulette
This live-streamed roulette variation lacks a human dealer. Instead, fully automated wheels use compressed air to initiate spins and release the ball, enabling faster gameplay and more bets per hour. However, that is not always beneficial, as discussed earlier.
The absence of a dealer can make the game feel monotonous and less interactive. On the positive side, an unlimited number of players can join simultaneously.
- Evolution Gaming offers Slingshot Auto Roulette at both mainstream and VIP tables. The game can produce between 60 and 80 spins per hour and is available around the clock.
- Ezugi provides Auto Roulette tables with dealer tipping, multiple camera views, and a comprehensive history of hot/cold numbers and previous winners. The action is streamed from the supplier’s European studios.
- Extreme Live Gaming’s automated roulette appeals to players seeking a faster experience who do not mind the lack of dealer interaction. The game uses a single-zero wheel and follows European rules.
Live Roulette Games with Multipliers or Side Bets
Roulette offers many betting opportunities, but live casino software suppliers have devised ways to enhance the action further. Some tables allow you to collect additional payouts through winning side bets, while others apply multipliers to your winnings. Here are several notable examples:
- Lightning Roulette by Evolution Gaming changes traditional gameplay. Set in an Art Deco studio, it combines the live casino experience with RNG elements, providing one to five Lucky Numbers during each round. A Lucky Number can provide multipliers ranging from 50x to 500x. The trade-off is that winning straight-up bets pay 29 to 1 instead of the standard 35 to 1.
- Book of Ra Roulette by Extreme Live Gaming combines classic roulette with slots. Special side bets on symbols from the Book of Ra slot can pay up to 80x your stake, while low-value symbols pay 18 to 1. These side bets carry a higher house edge, exceeding 10% for some options.
- Live Lucky Ball Roulette by Authentic Gaming introduces a collection of color-based side wagers with top payouts of 120 to 1. Purple pays 60 to 1, orange pays 75 to 1, blue pays 100 to 1, and green provides the top payout of 120x the bet. The house edge for these bonus bets ranges from 4.05% to 6.08%. The game is streamed in real time from Georgia’s Casino International.
- Live Spread Bet Roulette by Playtech offers seven additional bets that can provide a top payout of 400 to 1. The table features two concentric wheels numbered from 0 to 36. The payout for a spread bet depends on the sum of the two numbers on which the balls land. For example, a total of 40 from numbers 16 and 24 pays even money, while a total of 66 from numbers 32 and 34 pays 7 to 1. These bets are not particularly player-friendly, carrying an increased house edge of up to 6.94%.