Live Dealer Casinos
Live Dealer Casinos
What You Need to Know
Live dealer casinos have emerged as viable options for players looking to enjoy the real world casino experience from the comfort of home. Everything about the games – from the dealers to the tables to the cards, even to the real-time television programming in the background – is real.
This creates a unique experience for online players. When you play at a live dealer casino, you can interact and socialize with other people. As the technology continues to improve, live dealer games will become more widely available at online casinos across the internet.
Best Live Dealer Casinos
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Types of Live Dealer Games
Most online casinos currently limit their live options to the best-known table games. These include roulette, blackjack, Casino Hold ‘em, and baccarat. There are also rumors of live dealer craps being created, yet still no casinos have added it to their collection. You can check out our casino reviews to learn where to find live dealer games. Let’s take a closer look at each of these casino games. These are the most popular live dealer games offered by online casinos.
Live Dealer Roulette
Roulette is available at nearly every live dealer online casino because it is a perfect fit. The most common type of live dealer roulette is the European version which features a single zero, but you can occasionally find America and French versions as well.
Roulette works well at live online casinos because players can place their bets while the wheel is spun by a real hostess. All of the bets available at standard casinos (odd-even, color, street, high-low) are also available in live dealer games.
Available on: BetOnline, Betway Casino, 888, Bet365
Live Dealer Blackjack
The most popular casino game, blackjack, is also widely available at most casinos with live dealers. The object of blackjack is to come as close to 21 without going over. If your hand is better than the dealer’s, you win. Don’t forget to play basic strategy to minimize the house edge.
Blackjack may be the most social of the live casino games as many software providers have seating for up to seven players. Unlike an increasing number of brick and mortar casinos, all these games will pay 3:2 on blackjack. Be sure to check the full table rules as there may be a significant variation on splitting, surrenders, doubles and the number of decks used.
Available on: BetOnline, Betway Casino, 888
Live Dealer Baccarat
Baccarat was one of the first live dealer games to be available online. Baccarat is one of the easiest table games to learn, but success is largely determined by luck. Although there are a few different types of baccarat in existence, you will mostly find the Punto Banco version of live dealer baccarat.
In baccarat, the goal is to get as close to 9 as possible. Cards 2-9 are worth their value, while face cards are worth zero. Players can place bets on the player, banker, or a tie. You can also bet on pairs (11:1 on a player pair or banker pair or 3:1 on any pair). Some versions of baccarat even allow you to card peek.
Available on: BetOnline, Betway Casino, 888
Live Dealer Casino Hold’em
Although it is relatively new, Casino Hold’em is quickly becoming a favorite with players. It is similar to Texas Hold’em but has some major differences including an added ante, a unique betting structure, and dealer qualifying hands.
The major difference of Casino Hold’em is that instead of playing against other players, you’re playing against the casino. The number of decisions means that basic strategy is more difficult to master than some other games, but that is also what makes the game so fun to play. All live dealer Casino Hold’em games are played using a single deck.
Available on: BetOnline, Betway Casino, 888, Bet365
Live Dealer 3-Card Poker
3 Card Poker, also known as Tri-Card or even Trey-Card Poker at some casinos, has become one of the most popular live casino poker variants. It is a simple card game, with the added possibility of winning bigger payouts. A straight pays out higher than a flush, as it is harder to get a straight with only 3 cards.
The goal in 3 card poker is the same as regular poker, get the highest ranking hand possible. There is only one round of betting, or folding, so having a good basic strategy is important. The player receives three cards face up against the dealer’s three cards facing down. After the bet, the live dealer will show their cards and a winner is decided.
Available on: Betway Casino, William Hill
Other Live Dealer Games
How Live Dealer Online Casinos Work
Live dealer games are held remotely in a casino environment and broadcast to players in real-time over the internet. These live casinos have everything you would expect in your local establishment –dealers, tables, cards, shuffling. The only thing missing is drink service. You can learn more about the layout and mechanics of live dealer games here.
Starts in a Studio
All live dealers are in a studio. Imagine a live television studio combined with a casino’s gaming space and that’s what you see. They dealers are well-dressed, attractive, and usually female. A high definition camera is pointed at them throughout the hand.
Streamed in Real Time
All of table games are streamed in real time to your computer screen. Whatever the dealer is doing onscreen is what is actually happening at that moment. Live casino gaming uses no recordings.
Playing Live Dealer Card Games
The playing cards have a bar code on them, so every time the dealer swipes the card, the player’s hand is placed into the system for safety and compliance. The players can use multiple camera angles to see the table and cards, including a wide-angle camera from the player’s perspective, giving a virtual layout.
Playing Live Dealer Bet Games
For betting games live dealer roulette or live craps, the player has a virtual table with a game menu where they place their wagers. The dealer is able to see the bets being placed through a monitor in the studio, so each player’s bets are showing on the main screen. Once the bet timer is expired, the dealer will make sure that no one can place any more bets. In many studios, software makes sure the bet deadline is upheld automatically.
Live Online Casino Experience
Live casinos are supported by companies which specialize in providing live dealers, like Global Gaming Labs and Evolution Gaming. Attention is paid to every detail, with HD quality video to make the game pop off the screen. The playing cards are huge, while graphics with hand total and bet size are sometimes added to enhance the game. Controls are set to help in case contact with the server is lost, so you never lose a hand due to the connection.
Live Mobile Casino Experience
Live mobile gaming is not an add-on or afterthought. Live dealer casinos were launched after mobile casinos, so live casinos are fully-optimized for the latest smartphones and tablet computers. All generations of iPad, iPad Mini, and iPad Air are compatible. All iPhone models, including iPhone 7, are optimized for live dealers. Android smartphones and tablets like Samsung Galaxy, Sony, LG, Google Nexus, and HTC are available for play on all tables.
Casino Experience
Everything is real in these games and shown live as the action happens. Although the game is happening in front of you, the gameplay at online live casinos is very similar to a regular brick-and-mortar casino, integrating both worlds seamlessly. You will bring funds to the table when you sit down. When it comes time to place your bet, you’ll click on your wager amount and bet type. You will also have the ability to add or remove chips as needed and sit out when you don’t want to play anymore.
Special Features of a Live Casino
Some live dealer casinos have better features than others. Below are some of the live casino features which enhance play. When you start playing, check to see if the software supports these options.
Multi-Game Interface
Many live casinos offer a multi-game interface, allowing the player to gamble at several tables at once. Global Gaming Labs offers up to 3 games on their multi-game interface.
Basic Strategy Implementation
If your Internet connections goes offline during the game, Global Gaming Labs offers basic strategy in blackjack. This is a service all casinos should provide. You never lose an active bet on a table.
Game Requests
Top service providers also can listen to their players and respond to requests. For players who have a game request, the studio should be able to provide that game. GGL offers games within 60 days of a request.
Multiple Cameras
Players in the best studios have access to several cameras. From the side, a close-up view of the shoe exists. A close-up view of your cards on the table is shown.
Dual-Camera Angles
If you play roulette, players can use the dual-camera option to get a more realistic viewing experience. This works like a split-screen.
Audio Chat
Audio chat is available in some live casinos. At the moment, most live casinos still use the Live Chat as the default form of communication. You type into the box and it appears to the dealer in a display box. The dealer replies with using a microphone, so you hear her voice.
As time passes, more in-game features are going to be offered. Players eventually are going to be able to pan over to the other gamblers at the table. I’ve seen some pretty loud and obnoxious players in live settings, so audio chat and player cameras might be a mixed blessing.
Immersion
The games are very interactive, making you feel like part of the action. If you don’t act in time, you may be skipped. Dealers will wait for you to make a decision on the blackjack tables. In roulette, you will be able to click anywhere on the board to bet, with your wager showing up immediately in the software. Once the hand, spin or game is over, you will be paid automatically by the software straight into your account.
You won’t use your webcam in these tables, but you can interact with the dealer or other players by using the chat box.
Pros and Cons of Live Dealer Games
There are many advantages of the live dealer casino games over a regular online casino – some obvious, some less so. The primary reason many players love these games is clear — because of their similarity to a real casino.
Pros
- Real casino experience
- A better social environment
- Live casino bonuses
- Attractive dealers
- Efficient payouts
- New software providers
Cons
- Slower games
- Some dealers are difficult to understand
Socialize
The live casino experience provides immersive, real-time gameplay. When you play in a live dealer game, you can socialize with others, watch the game unfold in front of you, and feel as though you are in the casino.
Real-Time Video
You can see the shuffle versus a random number generator. You can watch the dealer and real cards instead of cards flashing on a screen. You may even see a television with a live TV feed placed in the background to further provide proof that the games are happening live.
Player Hesitation
Despite the fact that most online casinos are very safe, some players don’t share that view. For those that have questions or doubts about the fairness of the games, live dealer casinos may give you some added assurances that the games are not being “rigged” against you – since you can see what is going down with your own eyes.
Minor Drawbacks
For the avid online gambler, there are a couple drawbacks. Most notably, the games are slower due to the fact that other players are playing and the human dealers can’t deal the games instantly. In addition, many live dealer games are held remotely in non-English speaking countries. You’ll likely hear some broken English when playing.
Despite these drawbacks, live dealer games are worth playing for anyone interested in the real casino experience. To learn about the best places to live this casino experience, make sure to visit our online casino reviews page.
