Live Casino Games Online - Roulette, Blackjack & Baccarat
The digital revolution has forever changed gambling as we know it. While in the past one had to go to a casino or gambling house to wager money on games, now it is at our fingertips, no matter whether we are at home, waiting in line at a supermarket, or commuting to work.
Online casino licenses, third-party certified RNGs (Random Number Generators), and Web3 technology have further increased the security and trustworthiness of gambling online, but still, it is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Replicating the thrill, atmosphere, and social aspect of a real-life casino can be challenging, so more and more online providers cater to players’ needs by hosting live dealer games. These high-quality, real-time streams with real human dealers and croupiers can bring the magic of roulette, blackjack, and baccarat straight to your screen.
In our comprehensive guide, we aim to take you through the different types of live games available in online casinos, familiarize you with the rules and variants, and let you in on the secrets of advanced betting strategies.
Live Casino Games – Roulette
In livestreamed roulette, cameras capture everything from the moment the dealer spins a real wheel. Players can place their bets digitally, and optical character recognition (OCR) digitizes physical outcomes to players’ screens.
Wheel & Table Layout
European Roulette has 37 pockets where players can place their bets: numbers from 1 to 36, plus a single zero.
American Roulette has 38 pockets where players can place their bets: numbers from 1 to 36, plus a single zero and a double zero.
Types of Bets & Payouts
| Bet Type | Description | Payout | Odds (European) | Odds (American) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | Single number | 35:1 | 2.7% | 2.63% |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17:1 | 5.4% | 5.26% |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11:1 | 8.1% | 7.89% |
| Corner | Four intersecting numbers | 8:1 | 10.8% | 10.53% |
| Six Line | Two adjacent streets (6 numbers) | 5:1 | 16.2% | 15.79% |
| Column | 12-number vertical column | 2:1 | 32.4% | 31.58% |
| Dozen | 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36 | 2:1 | 32.4% | 31.58% |
| Red/Black | All red or black numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% | 47.37% |
| Odd/Even | All odd or even numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% | 47.37% |
| High/Low | 1-18 or 19-36 | 1:1 | 48.6% | 47.37% |
| Five-number | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 (American only) | 6:1 | N/A | 7.89% |
Note: American roulette has a 5.26% house edge due to the extra 00 pocket.
Popular Live Roulette Variants
| Variant | Key Features | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| European | Single zero, lower house edge | 2.7% |
| American | Double zero, higher house edge | 5.26% |
| French | ‘La Partage’ rule (half-bet returned on 0) | 1.35% |
| Speed Roulette | Faster spins, quicker gameplay | 2.7% |
Basic Strategies & Tips for Roulette
While there is mathematically no long-term winning strategy in any form of roulette (without cheating, that is), players who want to play roulette can follow a few tips and strategies to get better odds than they would get if they just bet randomly.
If you want to play roulette where the house has the lowest edge, stick to European and French wheels, and definitely avoid the Five-Number Bet on the American Roulette wheel, as it gives you the worth odds.
If you want steadier wins, stick to the so-called ‘outside bets’, like red/black, odd/even, and high/low.
Now let’s check out some strategies for a more structured play:
The Martingale System
The Martingale System is a very aggressive strategy, where you double your bet after every loss.
With this system, you can quickly recover your losses, but it is also risky, for a long losing streak can wipe out your entire bankroll.
The Fibonacci System
The Fibonacci System is a mathematical strategy, where you bet following the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, etc.
Start with the first few numbers, then move one step forward in the sequence when you lose, and move two steps back when you win.
This system, due to its gradual progression, leads to slower losses than the Martingale System, but requires much more patience.
The D’Alembert System
The D’Alembert System is for more conservative players, where you increase your bet with one unit after a loss, and decrease is by one unit after a win.
This system is less volatile than the Martingale System, but its profits are also smaller.
The James Bond Strategy
The James Bond Strategy is a coverage-based system, where players spread their bets to cover more than 50 percent of the wheel.
For example, you can spread $140 on 19-36, $50 on 13-18, and $10 on 0.
This system has a high win probability, but loses if 1-12 hits.
Reverse Martingale
The Reverse Martingale, or Paroli System is quite special because players double their bets not after losses, but wins, and they reset after losses.
This strategy capitalizes on hot streaks, which is a double-edged sword, and only works on a winning streak.
Live Casino Games – Blackjack
In live blackjack, players are dealt real cards from a shoe, with the dealer following strict rules (e.g., must hit on 16, stand on 17). Everything is recorded and streamed to players’ devices by a high-resolution camera.
How to Play Blackjack
In blackjack, players are playing against the dealer. The goal of the game is to get as close to 21 points as possible, without going over it.
Blackjack is played with one to eight standard 52-card decks. Each card has a point value assigned to it. Numbered cards (from 2 to 10) are worth their face value, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 10 points, and Aces are worth either 1 or 10 points, depending on which is best for the specific hand.
Each round starts with the players placing their bets. Then the dealer deals two cards to each player and two to themselves. Players’ cards are both dealt face up, but only one of the dealer’s cards is dealt face up, the other remains hidden.
After the deal, players have several actions to choose from:
- they can ‘hit’ or take another card,
- ’stand’ or keep their current cards,
- ’double own’ or double their bet to receive an additional card,
- ’split’ or split their two cards of the same rank into two hands,
- ’surrender’ or give up their bet and exit the round.
The dealer must hit until they reach 17 points or more. If a player beats the dealer without busting himself, he wins his bet 1:1, or in case he hit 21 points or ‘blackjack’, he gets paid 3:2 at most casinos.
Popular Live Blackjack Variants
- Classic Blackjack: Played with standard rules and 3:2 payouts for blackjack.
- Infinite Blackjack: Has unlimited player seats, with the same same base card for all players.
- Power Blackjack: Players have the option to split up to four times.
Basic Strategies & Tips for Blackjack
While luck definitely plays a role in the game, strategy is very important in blackjack. Let’s take a look at some fundamental strategies to get you started!
There is a very simple, mathematically proven way to maximize your edge, while pushing the casino’s edge down to less than 1 percent.
The optimal move depends on the information you are familiar with at any given moment: your own cards and the dealer’s ‘up card’ that you can see.
Here is a detailed breakdown of every possible situation and what is the best move for them:
| Your Hand | Dealer’s Up Card | Best Move |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or lower | Any | Hit |
| 12-16 | 2-6 | Stand |
| 12-16 | 7-Ace | Hit |
| 17+ | Any | Stand |
| Soft 18 (Ace + 7) | 9-Ace | Hit |
| Pair of Aces or 8s | Any | Split |
Memorising this fundamental strategy will well get you on the way to master blackjack.
Live Casino Games – Baccarat
In live baccarat, players are dealt real cards, and everything is recorded and streamed to players’ devices by a high-resolution camera.
How to Play Baccarat
In baccarat, players bet on which of the two hands will win: the player or ‘punto’, or the banker or ‘banco’. Betting on a tie is also possible, but it is very risky. In the end, the hand closest to 9 total points wins.
The betting takes place before the cards are dealt. Betting on the player pays 1:1, betting on the banker pays 1:1 minus 5 percent commission, and ties usually pay 8:1 or 9:1.
Both the player and the banker gets dealt two cards, which are face-up in casinos, but can also be face-down in some VIP rooms, so only the players can see by lifting them up like in poker.
This is where the rules might get a bit confusing, so pay careful attention.
Third Card Rule
A third card might be dealt, depending on fixed rules, meaning that the player has no choice here.
The third card is dealt based on the total point value of hand: Aces are worth 1 point, numbered cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value, and cards from 10 to King are worth 0.
If the points of a hand add up to 10 or more, only the last digit counts, for example, if the total is 15, it is only worth 5 points.
If the player’s hand is worth 5 points or less, the player gets dealt a third card.
If the player’s hand is worth 6 or 7 points, he does not get any more cards, he ‘stands’.
If the player’s hand is worth 8 or 9 or a ‘natural’, he wins automatically, unless the banker also has 8 or 9 points. If both have naturals, the higher one wins, or a tie occurs.
The banker’s move depends on the player’s third card, assuming he got one:
| Banker’s Hand | Draws if Player’s 3rd Card is: | Stands if Player’s 3rd Card is: |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Always draws | – |
| 3 | 1–7, 9, 0 | 8 |
| 4 | 2–7 | 1, 8, 9, 0 |
| 5 | 4–7 | 1–3, 8, 9, 0 |
| 6 | 6–7 | 1–5, 8, 9, 0 |
| 7 | Always stands | – |
For example, if the player has ♠3 and 4♥, he has 7 points, so he stands, getting no more cards. The banker has K♦ and 2♣, he has 2 points, so he has to draw a third card He draws 7♠, making his total points 9, beating the player, because he got closer to 9 points.
After the hands are evaluated, the payouts take place. In case of a tie, bets on the player or the banker ‘push’, meaning that they get returned with no profit or loss.
As players only have a choice in the beginning of each round when they bet, casinos usually automate everything else, so players don’t have to memorize this quite complicated system.
Popular Live Baccarat Variants
- Punto Banco: The most common baccarat variant with strict rules.
- Speed Baccarat: Baccarat with faster rounds and quicker results.
- Squeeze Baccarat: Baccarat where dealers reveal cards intentionally slowly for more drama.
Basic Strategies & Tips for Baccarat
While luck definitely plays a role in the game, strategy is very important in baccarat. Let’s take a look at some fundamental strategies to get you started!
If you want to have the best odds without learning a whole betting system, just make sure to always bet the banker, because with that bet, the casino only has a 1.06 percent edge compared to the 1.24 percent edge of a player bet.
Also, you should never bet on a tie, because there the house has a 14.4 percent edge, which is by far the worst odds any casino game has.
Additionally, you should ignore the illusion of patterns: each hand in baccarat is completely independent, so no ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ streaks exist, really.
How to Get Started with Live Dealer Games
If you have reached this far in our article, you should already know that live dealer casino games are very similar to playing in a real casino: professional dealers conduct the games, streamed from studios or real casino floors to your screen.
If you feel you are ready to play, find a reputable casino online; many of them have live games available. Before playing, make sure that your casino operator has a working license and low-latency streams to deliver real-time action.
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