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Guide For Begininers - How To Play In A Live Casino

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vixen777

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Live casino games are table games that you play against the house at a real table with a real croupier/dealer.
They deal the cards or spin the Roulette wheel right in front of you in real time.
There are no computers involved in the playing of the games. They are used to read and display the results you see and handle the bets and the return of winnings to your player account.
A few years ago live casino suppliers struggled to deliver a stable and playable product. As a result, it got a reputation for not being very good.
Well, I can tell you that today, Live Casino is very good!

It's possibly the fastest growing area of online gaming. There are now many providers of live games. Some provide a complete range,
whilst others concentrate on being the best in a particular niche. For players, this is great news as we now have a great choice of quality games and where to play them.

The games are streamed from purpose built studio environments where 100's of tables can be accommodated or from single tables in land based casinos.
There are many options available to online casinos and a few mix and match games and suppliers to give their players the best experience possible.

Why Are Live Casino Games better than their RNG (Random Number Generator ) equivalents?
RNG Table games serve a purpose and people love playing them.

But for me, table games are about interaction with other players and dealers.
The use of real cards, tables and roulette wheels give a huge trust signal that I just don't get from playing against a computer program.

That's why I prefer playing at a Live Casino.

Playing for the First time

If you're considering playing live casino games for the first time my suggestion would be to play at your favourite online casino first if they have one.
It's important that you play somewhere you trust and feel comfortable at.
Once you've discovered what you like you can move around and try different games and suppliers.

What to expect

While you can see the dealer and what's going on at the tables, no-one can see you. Take your time on your first visit. Have a good look around.
Study the playing interface, get used to the controls.
Most importantly read the rules of the game you're going to play, even if you already know how to play.
The game rules are not the same across all live casino suppliers, so don't get caught out expecting to bet in a particular way and you can't.

All games are played against the house or dealer, so there is no playing interaction with other players.
Most games are "one to many", where one player hand is dealt or in roulette everyone bets on the same spin.
In these games, everyone has to "play" at the same time.

7 Seat Blackjack is different.
You have to wait for the previous player to complete his turn before you can play.
While other people's actions don't have an impact on how you play your hand,
a lot of players think that it can and some will be vocal in chat if you don't do what they would do.
In these circumstances, it's best to ignore the chat or switch it off.

The Dealers

The dealers and encouraged to chat with the players and you'll be welcomed to the table at most places.
Some dealers are better than others when it comes to chatting.
I like a chatty dealer, but not so much that it has an impact on game timings.
I'd encourage you to say hello even if you don't want to have a conversation with them and take it from there.

A Bit about the Live Casino Suppliers
All online casinos will use a third party to provide their live casino games.
That's why you'll see the same games/tables and dealers at different casinos using the same software.
You generally play on shared tables unless your casino has purchased dedicated tables and environments for you to play on.
Licensing requirements play a part in you being able to

That's why you'll see the same games/tables and dealers at different casinos using the same software.
You generally play on shared tables unless your casino has purchased dedicated tables and environments for you to play on.
Licensing requirements play a part in you being able to access the software of some live casino providers.
Some have chosen not to take certain licenses and therefore you may not be able to play on their software.

I'll run through the major providers that you're likely to come across.

Evolution Gaming - Are an Independent live casino operator and the number one provider in Europe.
They have the most games, Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Casino Hold'em, 3 Card Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold'em. UK Licensed.
(Leo Vegas, Royal Panda, 32Red, Intercasino, ComeOn, Redbet) .

Playtech - If it's a Playtech Casino then they'll have a Playtech Live Casino.
They too have lots of games that include Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Casino Hold'em, Hi-Lo and Sic Bo.
They are UK Licensed. (Bet365)

Extreme Live Gaming - A UK based live casino operator with Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat.
They also have niche versions of Roulette that include side bets. UK Licensed. (Leo Vegas)
NetEnt - Generally tied to casinos that have NetEnt games. They offer Blackjack and Roulette (with land based streaming from Gibraltar).
They also run themed Roulette tables. UK Licensed. (Leo Vegas, Video Slots, Redbet, Intercasino)

LuckyStreak - Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat acn be played at this relatively new provider.
The games and interacfce are really good. No UK License.

Ezugi - Have lots of games and are challenging to be one of the main providers. They have Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Casino Hold'em, Sic-Bo Dice,
Bet-On Poker and a few games for specfic markets. (Leo Vegas - Non UK)

Vivo Gaming - Blackjack, Roulette, Dragon/Tiger., Caribbean Poker & Craps (although not running at the moment).

Authentic Gaming - Are a niche supplier of land-based streamed Roulette. They stream from premier casino resorts in Europe. (Leo Vegas - Non UK Traffic)

Microgaming - Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Casino Hold'em, Sic-Bo.
They exited Europe to concentrate on Asian markets, so you'll find Evolution software in their place in an exclusive deal.

Wirex - Blackjack & Roulette (studio and land based streaming from Malta). (Leo Vegas - Non UK traffic)

Global Gaming Labs - Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack & Casino Hold'em from studio in South America.

Visionary iGaming - Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat. They provide games into the UK but don't have a license.

Xprogaming - Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Caribbean Poker, Texas Hold'em, Sic-Bo & Dragon/Tiger.

BetConstruct - Bet on Poker, Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette & Russian Roulette.

Live Games Descriptions

Live Blackjack

Blackjack comes in 2 formats.

7 Seat Blackjack - where you play with 6 other people at the table.
Unlimited Blackjack or Common Draw (one player hand is dealt that an unlimited number of people can play).
The games are either played to Vegas or European rules. The games are not the same at each of the providers.
There are differences on how you split hands, what hands you can double on and whether you can play Blackjack Side Bets.

Live Roulette

There are two versions of Roulette.

American Roulette which has a zero and double zero.
European Roulette which is played with a single zero. This has a better RTP for the player.
You'll find themed games and some with side bets (Extreme Live Gaming).
La Partage is offered on some tables and there's Double Ball Roulette and roulette streamed from land-based tables.

Live Baccarat

You bet on the Player or Banker position. The position that gets closest to 9 wins.
This game is full of tradition and comes in lots of different formats. There's Baccarat Squeeze where you get to squeeze the cards yourself or watch the dealer do it for you.
Speed Baccarat for a really quick game and Baccarat with side bets like Dragon/Tiger, Egalite and Big/Small.
There's even a version at some Playtech casinos that has a Progressive Jackpot.

There's Baccarat Squeeze where you get to squeeze the cards yourself or watch the dealer do it for you.
Speed Baccarat for a really quick game and Baccarat with side bets like Dragon/Tiger, Egalite and Big/Small.
There's even a version at some Playtech casinos that has a Progressive Jackpot.

Live Casino Hold'em

This is a poker derived game. The dealer and player are dealt two cards each and then 5 community cards are dealt.
The player has to make a better 5 card poker hand than the dealer to win. The game is the same across all software providers.
Come with and Aces or Better side bet.

Live 3 Card Poker
This is an exclusive game to Evolution Gaming Casinos. Will your 3 card hand beat the dealers?

Live Caribbean Stud Poker
You have to beat the dealer with a better 5 card poker hand than he has.
There are two versions depending on where you play.

There's a 5 Seat version at Xprogaming and Vivo Gaming Casinos.
Multi-player one handed version at Evolution casinos, where you also have the option to play the Progressive jackpot.

Live Ultimate Texas Hold'em
This is the classic land-based game where you have to beat the dealer with a better 5 card poker hand.
3 betting rounds make this really fun to play. It's only available at Evolution Casinos.

Live Sic Bo
This game is popular with the Asian market. It's a 3 dice game where you bet on the outcome of the dice roll.
There's a slightly different version at Ezugi casinos that uses wheels instead of dice, but it's the same concept and has the same outcome.

Live Hi-Lo
Available only at Playtech Casinos. You bet on the next card being higher or lower than the last. Simple really.

Bet on Poker
This is a 7 handed poker game where you have to beat the dealer. Ezugi and BetConstruct offer this.

Russian Poker
Another poker derived game that you'll find at BetConstruct casinos.
It has a very specific appeal, so you may have a bit of trouble finding it.

Not really Live Casino games, but Ezugi
also offers Live Keno, Live Bet on Numbers and Live Lottery.
These games tend to be syndicated so you'll see them at BetConstruct casinos as well as Ezugi ones.

What I recommend

I've got loads of experience playing at and researching live casinos.
There is a lot in common between all of the software providers and games, but also a lot of differences that can change the experience you have.

If you enjoy table games then play at a few until you find the casino and software you like most.

My top tips

Try and play somewhere that has invested in dedicated tables. They'll normally be Blackjack and Roulette.
Some online casinos have invested heavily in live casino so also have 3 Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em and Baccarat on dedicated tables.
You'll get a more tailored experience and you'll get more on table promotions.

Live Casino Bonuses are normally a waste of time taking as the wagering requirements are so high.
Read the T&C's carefully if you're tempted to take one.
If you like the thrill of larger returns side bets will give you that. But be aware that you'll need a bigger bankroll to play them.
Roulette probably has the smallest minimum bet size. Blackjack can start as low as £3 a hand, but most places start at £10 a hand.
Games like Caribbean Stud poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em, 3 Card Poker and Casino Hold'em all require two bets minimum if you want to play a hand.
The Ante bet is placed before you are dealt cards and the play bet is made if you want to play the hand.
There are strategies for a lot of the games. Use them. They'll help you maintain your bankroll and give you a strategy to follow.
The Standard table language is English, but you can get tables in other languages if you look around.
I've seen Russian, Turkish, Greek, Chinese, Spanish, French, Swedish, Danish, Flemish, Italian, Mandarin, Romanian,
Dutch and German to name a few.


Bio
Neil Walker has been playing table games for over 30 years and at online Live Casinos since 2011.
He spends his spare time researching and reviewing live casinos and software providers which he documents on his website Live Casino Comparer.
 
Last edited:

Sportsbook

Newbie Streaker
Joined
May 15, 2017
Messages
2
Interesting read!! You have mentioned all the important points to play live casino. This is a really informative post for beginners.
 

BingoNice

Newbie Streaker
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
8
Hi,

I must say this post really covers all the topics in a descriptive manner and provides detailed explanations. An excellent Read !

- BingoNice
 

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