Live Dealer Roulette

Being the most iconic chance game of all times, roulette has now moved to the online gaming market and is available across most web-based casinos. Players are offered a highly authentic betting experience with roulette games streamed in real time.

You are greeted by gorgeous, amiable, and competent human dealers who are always happy to chit-chat with the players. The action is broadcast in high definition over the internet so that you can immediately see the winning number. In this article, we share our knowledge about live dealer roulette alongside some valuable insights on how to find the best live tables.

Gameplay, Interface, and Features in Live Dealer Roulette

1Gameplay

The gameplay in live roulette is similar to that in RNG-based variations because the games share a common set of rules and bet types. The main difference is here you have a professional human dealer who handles the wheel and the ball and announces the winning numbers.

2Interface

The live game is streamed in real time either from a dedicated studio set up by the software supplier or from the floors of an actual landbased casino. A round begins with the player posting a bet on the virtual layout which resembles that in randomly generated roulette games.

There are gaming controls that enable you to pick different chip denominations and size your bets. In live roulette, you have a choice from the usual inside and outside bets. A racetrack is incorporated in some variants, allowing you to make call bets on entire wheel segments with a single mouse click.

3Features

Unlimited players can join the same live table simultaneously. Because the game is live, each participant has a limited time to post a wager on the virtual layout, around 30 seconds in most games. The dealer releases the ball onto the ball track, waits for it to complete several revolutions, and announces no more betting for the time being.

Bets are not accepted once the ball falls onto the wheel track. At the end of the round, the dealer announces the winning number verbally and congratulates the lucky players who are automatically credited with their winnings by the software.

Gaming controls

Live roulette uses the following gaming controls to accommodate bettors.

Traffic Lights
Chip Tray
Undo
Double
Repeat/Rebet

Traffic Lights

The Traffic Lights indicate the present status of a given round, informing players when they can post wagers. A green light means the table is currently open for betting, the yellow light shows you betting time is almost over, and the red one indicates bets are no longer accepted for the round.

Chip Tray

The Chip Tray enables you to select the value of the chips you are looking to bet. The live roulette variants powered by Evolution Gaming enable you to pick only chip denominations that can fit into your current balance. For example, if you are left with a balance of $25 only, higher denominations like $100, $500, and $1,000 remain inactive until you refill your account.

Undo

The Undo button enables you to clear your bets before the start of a round. If you have posted multiple wagers, you can click it repeatedly to remove your bets one by one in reverse order.

Double

The Double button gets activated after you have already made a bet. Each successive click of this button automatically doubles your bets until you reach the maximum allowed limit. This comes in handy if you use the Martingale betting system.

Repeat/Rebet

The Repeat/Rebet button is useful to flat bettors as it repeats all wagers they made during the previous round. It gets deactivated if you post any chips manually.

The Technology that Makes Live Roulette Games Tick

Live roulette takes place in authentic settings with communicative and skilled dealers. The action is streamed back to players’ desktop or mobile screens with the help of sophisticated technology. Every element in the live casino’s infrastructure is equally important. Below are the components that make live roulette tick:

Cameras
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Game Control Unit
Monitors

Cameras

Cameras are essential for live dealer roulette as they capture everything that is going on at the tables. Most software suppliers install at least three small cameras per table, which enables the players to see the action from different angles.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is utilized for the conversion of information into electronic format. It tells the game’s software what number has hit so that the software can pay out the winners. Without it, you would simply watch a regular video stream. Interaction between the dealers and the players would have been impossible without the OCR.

Game Control Unit

The Game Control Unit is one of the most crucial components in live dealer roulette. This piece of equipment encodes the information about the game and provides the live dealer with virtual support, enabling them to seamlessly service the table.

No bigger than a small box, this device operates in conjunction with the Optical Character Recognition software. It encodes the live stream captured by the HD cameras so that it reaches the players in real-time without any lags or interruptions.

Monitors

The monitors serve as a bridge between the players and the live dealers. They provide the dealer with vital information about the game, including the number of players that have joined the table and what they see on their computer or smartphone screens. This information enables the dealers to do their job in a professional and friendly manner.

Key Player-Oriented Features in Live Roulette

Live roulette games are user-friendly for the most part, offering players a variety of handy features they can customize and control their gameplay with. These vary depending on the software studio powering the live roulette games, but the features listed below are usually readily available across most live casinos.

Statistics panel
Autoplay
Multi-tabling
Live Chat
Multiple cameras
Dealer tipping

Statistics panel

The statistics panel shows trend bettors a diagram of the winning numbers during the past several hundred rounds. This gives them an accurate idea about the distribution of results, allowing them to identify hot and cold sectors on the wheel.

Autoplay

The Autoplay feature enables players to automatically repeat a previously selected wager or wagers for a given number of rounds. You can either stop it manually or choose how many rounds it ends after.

Multi-tabling

Multi-tabling is a suitable option for roulette players who are looking for more betting action. You can join several different roulette tables simultaneously. Evolution Gaming’s platform, for example, allows you to play at up to four tables at the same time. We recommend you use this feature in full-screen mode so that everything is clearly visible and you can place your bets accurately.

Live Chat

The Live Chat feature gives you the chance to communicate with your dealer and other players who partake in the game. The dealer checks their monitor to see what players are typing and responds to them verbally.

You also have the option to deactivate and hide the chat if it distracts you from your gameplay. The chat is sometimes used for announcements, for instance, to warn the player the action will be interrupted for several minutes to clean the roulette wheel.

Multiple cameras

Multiple cameras are used to ensure a fully immersive roulette experience, giving players the chance to toggle between several camera views. Some roulette tables by Evolution Gaming provide a choice from three different options, Immersive, Classic, and 3D view.

Dealer tipping

Dealer tipping is possible at live roulette tables powered by Ezugi and Vivo Gaming. Tipping is optional and whether you do it or not depends on where you come from. Dealer tipping is expected at American casinos, which is why most US players are accustomed to giving gratuities. Brits, on the other hand, are not in the habit of tipping their dealers because this practice was illegal in their local casinos until recently.

Why Joining the Live Roulette Dealers is Worth It

1Replicates the landbased experience

Live roulette replicates the landbased experience, which makes it the best option for players who lack the time or financial resources to visit brick-and-mortar casinos. The live software offers an authentic experience, even more so when the action is broadcast from the floors of actual landbased casinos.

The difference is here the player remains in control of all aspects of their experience. They can turn off the background noise, play at multiple tables simultaneously or skip a couple of rounds and go grab a bite without worrying someone would take their seat.

2Various betting limits

It has varied betting limits, which is not always the case in landbased casinos. For example, players who visit Sin City often struggle to find single-zero tables with limits under $25 per spin. You will not experience such difficulties online. Many live dealer casinos feature tables where you can bet as little as $0.10 per round.

3Interaction with dealers and players

Dealer-player interaction is possible in live-streamed roulette. You can joke around with your dealer or congratulate fellow players on their wins just like you would in an actual casino. You send your messages via the chat box. The dealer is equipped with a monitor and a microphone so they can respond to players’ banter or questions verbally.

4It's played at a more laid-back pace

Live dealer roulette plays at a more laid-back pace. This fact might put off players who insist on a dynamic experience but we consider it advantageous, nevertheless. The dealers wait between spins for all players to post their bets which causes a natural pause in between rounds. This slows down the pace of the game causing you to go through fewer rounds per hour. In turn, this decreases the rate at which the house edge is grinding at your bankroll.

5Native dealers

Some live tables are manned by native dealers. This is great for players who are not fluent English speakers. Some tables use local dealers who conduct the game in languages like Swedish, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and German. Live casinos powered by Evolution Gaming offer the widest range of native languages.

6Streamed in high definition

The action is streamed in high definition, which enables players to closely track the trajectory of the ball and even count the number of revolutions it makes around the spinning wheel. After it comes to rest, the software zooms into the wheel to show you the winning pocket up-close.

Live Dealer Roulette and Mobile Compatibility

Mobile-friendly

All leading suppliers of live roulette have solutions for smartphone and tablet users. The mobile interface is quite similar to that for desktop computers, a fact we attribute to the broader adoption of the HTML5 language for coding.

Roulette players are sometimes granted the option to access the live games via native iOS/Android apps. However, an increasing number of casinos offer browser-based solutions for their live products. Being a mobile-friendly game, live roulette is available in the common American and European variations across Evolution Gaming-powered mobile casinos. Most of the other providers supply mainly single-zero games.

The live interface is well-adapted for play on mobile devices, providing players with every betting option they could think of. Some games support portrait mode with floating panels for the video stream you can move to the side.

Before betting is closed, the layout is maximized to cover the entire screen which allows you to post wagers on your touchscreen device with great ease and precision. A Wi-Fi or 4G connection is recommended if you insist on a stable playing experience without screen freezes and lags.

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A Few More Pointers before You Join the Live Dealers

Before you dive into the exciting action of live roulette, there are several other things you need to be aware of. Aspects like device compatibility, internet connection speed, table limits, and versatility have a direct impact on your playing experience. It would be best to consider them prior to joining the live roulette dealers.

Software provider
Table limits
Your device's parameters
Look for a decent selection of live tables
Supported banking options
Native dealers

Software provider

Live roulette games are supplied by various software companies, with each platform offering distinct features and gaming set. Players who insist on having a more versatile choice are recommended to register with Evolution Gaming-powered casinos since Evolution provides the largest selection of live roulette games.

Check the reputation of your software studio of choice and which regulator oversees its product offering. Playing at casinos powered by reputable software providers guarantees a high-end, safe live roulette experience.

Table limits

When you compare the limits of live and RNG-based games, you may notice the former are sometimes more expensive to play. The live tables often have higher minimum limits because they cost more money to run. You have to pay salaries to the dealers, the pit bosses, the technicians, and so on.

However, some live platforms feature a diverse selection of tables with different limits. If you are playing on a shoestring budget, we suggest you look for Evolution Gaming-powered casinos. Many websites using this software have roulette tables with minimum bets of $0.10. High rollers are also taken into consideration, with upper table limits stretching as high as several thousands of credits.

Your device's parameters

Live roulette games are more demanding because the action is transmitted to your screen in real time. Older devices often lack the RAM and processing power needed to handle live-streamed games, which leads to a poorer playing experience with frequent lags and freezes.

You also need a decent internet connection to enjoy live roulette seamlessly. Broadband, wireless and 4G (on mobile) connections will do. If your connection is good enough for YouTube videos to load smoothly, it most likely will do for playing live roulette as well.

Look for a decent selection of live tables

It is always a good idea to register at a live casino that offers you a choice from multiple roulette tables. You are less likely to get bored when you have more options. To our knowledge, Evolution Gaming provides the most extensive collection of live roulette tables, including European, French, American, and Auto Roulette. Some of the single-zero tables support the La Partage rule.

Supported banking options

Different live casinos offer different methods of banking. You better check what’s available before you register to ensure you will be able to top up your account and play live roulette for real money.

This is essential since live roulette, unlike its RNG-based cousins, is typically unavailable for free play. Your casino of choice should conduct financial transactions safely, encoding them with SSL encryptions to protect your money.

Native dealers

Your playing experience will be ruined if language is a barrier. You will be unable to understand anything your roulette dealer says. The good news is major suppliers of live casino solutions like Evolution, Playtech, and Ezugi offer country-specific roulette tables manned by native dealers. If English is not your biggest strength, they will service you in languages like Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Greek.

Types of Live Roulette Games to Check

Most roulette games hosted by live dealers follow the same rules, regardless of what variation one is playing. They play either on single-zero or double-zero wheels offering the typical set of outside, insider, and call wagers.

The payouts are largely the same, although there are some live variants where players will benefit from multipliers on their winnings. We did our best to bring all types of live roulette variations that are worth checking out 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 Bets

Live Roulette Streamed from Landbased Casinos

Software providers like Evolution and Authentic Gaming give roulette players a glimpse inside some of the most luxurious casinos in the world by streaming the action directly from their landbased floors.

This also works to the advantage of landbased gambling operators because it gives them more exposure and helps them establish an online presence. HD cameras are installed above and around the table so that the dealer can do their job seamlessly and without interruptions.

You can see players on the premises posting their bets and collecting chips after winning coups. The quality of the stream is just as good as that of studio-based live games. Below are some of the software suppliers that offer HD streams from landbased roulette tables.

  • Evolution Gaming streams Dual Play Roulette from Malta’s Dragonara, London’s Hippodrome, and Bucharest’s Grand Casino.
  • Authentic Gaming specializes in the provision of roulette games broadcast from landbased 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 floors of Gibraltar’s Casino Admiral.

Live Roulette with Progressive Jackpots

Games with progressive jackpots are starting to gain traction among roulette mavens, thanks to major software studios like Playtech. The studio was the first to release a progressive version of live baccarat. Rival developer Evolution Gaming took notice of the game’s huge success and followed suit with the launch of progressive Casino Hold’em, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, and Caribbean Stud.

However, Playtech remains the only software studio to supply live casinos with a progressive version of roulette. Four progressive prizes can be won in its Age of the Gods Live Roulette, with 1% of each bet being added to the uncapped pools.

The Ultimate Super Power jackpot is the largest of the four. It seeds at the amount of €100,000 and yields an average win of over €660,000. Handsome prizes can be randomly won on any round, even one that otherwise results in a loss. Betting the maximum is not a requirement for qualification although placing larger bets increases your chances of success.

Live Roulette with Two Balls

If one ball cannot satisfy your cravings for more intense roulette action, maybe live Double Ball Roulette will. To the best of our knowledge, Evolution Gaming is the only provider to supply a live version of the game, although you can find RNG-based variants developed by other studios.

In this innovative game, the live dealer pushes a button to release the two balls from a tube on a patented device. Compressed air is used for the propulsion of the balls, which produce two winning outcomes instead of one.

Respectively, the game offers enhanced betting opportunities and different payouts. It pays more frequently, with the largest odds of 1,300 to 1 being awarded when both balls choose the same number.

Keep in mind that if you are betting on the outcome of one ball only, you will be paid at shorter odds. For example, winning straight-up bets with one ball pay only 17 to 1 instead of the standard 35 to 1. The rules for outside bets are also adjusted. Outside bettors receive a payout when both balls produce the same outcome.

Live Speed Roulette

Live roulette is less dynamic which is good because you make fewer bets per hour and the house edge eats up your bankroll at a slower pace. Regardless, some players prefer a quicker game. Major providers of live casino content cater to this demand with live dealer variations of Speed Roulette. But who offers the fastest live roulette variation?

  • In Evolution Gaming’s Speed Roulette, the duration of each round is cut in half as the ball takes only 25 seconds to determine the winner. There is no dead time because wagers occur only during the spin.
  • NetEnt’s Rocket Roulette is significantly slower since the time between spins is 42 seconds, including a betting window of 15 or so seconds. In contrast, a standard live roulette game produces between 48 and 60 spins per hour. We are not particularly impressed with this variation in terms of speed. The Swedish supplier compensates with an interesting studio setting and dealer ensembles, though.
  • Playtech’s version of Speed Roulette delivers a relatively fast experience with a spin-to-spin timeframe of 34 seconds. Playtech markets the game as “the fastest hand-dealt roulette” although Evolution wins the race where speed is concerned. Other than that, the game uses a single-zero wheel and plays under the European rules.

Live Slingshot/Auto Roulette

This is a live-streamed roulette variation which, interestingly enough, lacks a human element in the form of a dealer. Instead, the tables use innovative, fully-automated wheels with compressed air initiating the spins and releasing the ball. This allows for faster gameplay and more bets per hour, which is not necessarily something to rejoice about as we previously explained.

The absence of a human dealer renders the gameplay a bit monotonous and reduces the level of interactivity in live roulette. On the positive side, unlimited players can join the game simultaneously.

  • Evolution Gaming offers Slingshot Auto Roulette both at its mainstream and VIP tables. The game is capable of producing between 60 and 80 spins each hour and is available around the clock.
  • Ezugi provides Auto Roulette live tables with dealer tipping, multi-camera view, and comprehensive history of hot/cold numbers and previous winners. The automated action is streamed from the supplier’s European studios.
  • Extreme Live Gaming has launched an automated version of live roulette which enjoys popularity among players looking for a faster experience and do not care about dealer interaction. The game uses a single-zero wheel and European rules.

Live Roulette Games with Multipliers or Side Bets

Roulette is a game of many betting opportunities but live solutions suppliers have come up with smart ways to further enhance the action. Some live tables give you the chance to pocket additional payouts with winning side bets. Others award multipliers on your profits. Here are several of the most notable examples of live roulette games with extra winning opportunities:

  • Lightning Roulette by Evolution Gaming revolutionizes the way the traditional wheel-based game plays. Set in an Art Deco environment, this variation combines the live casino experience with RNG gameplay, offering players more chances to win with one to five Lucky Numbers on each round.A Lucky Number can yield larger payouts with multipliers that range between 50x and 500x. The downside is the game compensates for the large multipliers with shorter odds of 29 to 1 for winning straight-up bets.
  • Book of Ra Roulette by Extreme Live Gaming combines classic roulette with slots. The game supports special side bets on symbols from the Book of Ra slot which can earn you up to 80x your stake. Low-value symbols offer payouts of 18 to 1. The house edge of these side bets is higher as usual and goes a little over 10% for some of the available options.
  • Live Lucky Ball Roulette by Authentic Gaming also offers an exciting twist by intruding a collection of side wagers with top payouts of 120 to 1. The side bets are color-based, with purple paying at odds of 60 to 1, orange paying 75 to 1, blue paying 100 to 1, and green yielding the top prize of 120x the bet. The house edge for the bonus side bets ranges between 4.05% and 6.08%. The game is streamed in real time from Georgia’s Casino International.
  • Live Spread Bet Roulette by Playtech offers 7 additional bets that can potentially earn players a top prize of 400 to 1. The live table uses two concentric wheels with random numbers 0 through 36. The payout of the spread bets depends on the total of the two numbers the ball chooses.For example, if it settles under numbers 16 and 24 for a total of 40, you earn even money but if it chooses numbers 32 and 34 for a total of 66, you win at odds of 7 to 1. As usual, these side bets are not player-friendly. They come with an increased house edge of up to 6.94%.
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