Live dealer games represent a distinct category of online casino entertainment, allowing players to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a land-based casino. These games offer a variety of unique formats and rules, differing significantly from traditional slots. The key distinction lies in the mode of play. Users connect to a live stream and observe the process through an embedded player on the webpage, interacting with the live dealer. Unlike slot machines where spin outcomes rely entirely on random number generators, live dealer games introduce an element of luck as dealers use real decks of cards, dice, and other equipment.
Numerous providers contribute to the development of live dealer games, but Evolution Gaming stands out as the unequivocal leader. The company is responsible for all the most popular live dealer games. Here are the top five among them.
Monopoly Live
In Monopoly Live, users get to participate in the well-known board game, Monopoly. The game unfolds in a studio with a real host who spins a wheel divided into 54 sectors. These include numbers 1, 2, 5, 10, a Chance field, and two versions of a bonus round.
At the start, players place bets on corresponding sectors, with a precisely allocated 12-second time window. After bets are closed, the dealer spins the wheel with a special flapper. The resulting sector determines the outcome. If the arrow points to the sector where a bet was placed, the user receives a corresponding reward.
The biggest prizes can be won in the bonus round, triggered by landing on the 2nd or 4th roll fields. The bonus round proceeds as follows:
- Players advance to the Monopoly board, divided into fields with corresponding payout multipliers. Initially modest, these multipliers increase as the game progresses.
- A special device tosses two dice, determining how many spaces the player's token advances.
- The turns are repeated from 2 to 4 times, depending on the bonus type. Rolling a double grants an extra bonus turn.
- When the token completes a full circuit, all multipliers in the cells double. The game concludes when the moves run out.
Monopoly Live offers a maximum payout of up to x10,000 from the initial bet. Betting on combinations of twos and tens provides the most favorable average return rate of 96.25%.
Sectors 1, 2, 5, and 10 offer payouts with corresponding multipliers. The Chance field can either grant fixed prizes or significantly increase the next wheel spin's potential profit.
Crazy Time
Another variation of the Wheel of Fortune, Crazy Time, presents a more diverse selection of bonus rounds, each unique. Similar to Monopoly, the game takes place in a studio with a wheel divided into 54 sectors. The sectors correspond to numbers 1, 2, 5, and 10, as well as the names of the bonus games.
Before spinning the wheel, players place bets. There is no upper limit on the number of outcomes to predict. Players can even choose all sectors simultaneously.
The rules for the bonus rounds vary. These unique games come with their own features:
- Coin Flip: A two-colored chip is placed in a special device, with one side red and the other blue. A random number generator determines the payout multiplier for each color. The host presses a button, and the device tosses the chip. The payout corresponds to the side it lands on.
- Cash Hunt: This bonus invites players to step into the role of a shooter in a shooting gallery. The screen displays a large field with various items. Players choose one of a hundred symbols to shoot at with a cannon. Once all participants place their bets, multipliers appear in the positions of the chosen items, determining the payout.
- Pachinko: A traditional Japanese game where the host drops a ball into a field filled with pegs. The lower part of the field contains cells with multipliers. As the ball bounces off pegs, it lands in one of the sectors, earning the player a prize. If the ball lands in the Double cell, the multipliers double, and the host makes another throw.
- Crazy Time: The most coveted bonus corresponds to only 1 of the 54 wheel sectors. Here, players encounter the most substantial multipliers. The game takes place on a large wheel, and participants must choose one of three arrow colors and wait for the wheel to spin.
If all bonuses are considered, the overall chance of activation is 16%. According to probability theory, one of these sectors activates approximately once every 7 wheel spins.
Bonus rounds are guaranteed wins, ensuring players receive prizes. The minimum win is x2 from the bet.
An additional thrill in Crazy Time comes from the random multiplier assigned to sectors. Before each spin, the RNG can select one of the bonus fields, and all payouts in that sector increase on the next wheel spin.
Cash or Crash
An unconventional dealer game where users select their bet size and gradually progress through 20 payout levels. The maximum multiplier for prizes in Cash or Crash is set at x50,000.
A special machine with a transparent dome, filled with balls of different colors, occupies the space of the wheel of fortune in the studio. In the center of the device is an elevating mechanism. At the end of each round, after bets are placed, it selects one ball. The color of the last ball determines the result:
- Green — move to the next level.
- Red — end of the game.
- Yellow — insurance against one unsuccessful outcome.
The initial bet gradually increases. After each successful round, the user can take half of all winnings or continue with an increased stake. The payout multiplier constantly increases. The game continues until a red ball is drawn.
Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt
The game takes place on an electronic board, with a host standing beside it. Unlike many other live-format entertainments, the result here is entirely dependent on RNG. Users need to determine the type of bet and its size, placing their hands on fields in empty sectors. A minimum of one prediction can be made, and the maximum number of bets is 20. When users make their decision, the draw begins. Multipliers drop from the top onto the field, gradually revealing stones of various colors. If a hand is on a sector whose shade corresponds to the bet, a payout is made.
There can be a total of 6 variations here with different multipliers ranging from x1 to x65. Corresponding values are marked on the betting panel.
Bonus rounds and other secret features are not provided in Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt. The game always follows the same rules.
Lightning Roulette
A classic from Evolution Gaming. The rules here almost entirely replicate those of regular European roulette, but the provider has introduced several changes. The wheel is spun by a device with compressed air, not a computer. At the beginning of each round, lucky numbers are determined, leading to enhanced payouts. Multipliers for marked cells can range from x50 to x500.
Lightning can strike up to 5 numbers at once, with multipliers for them randomly chosen.
Although the RTP for this type of roulette is set at the standard 97.3%, the developer adjusted the payouts for straight bets to maintain balance. The prizes for them are not x35 but x30.
Is it worth playing Live?
Despite the excitement and variety of entertainments in this format, they have a few significant drawbacks:
- No demo mode. You can only play with real money; bets in play money are not accepted.
- High volatility. The risk for each bet is much higher than in slots, requiring a substantial bankroll.
- Internet requirements. The connection must be high-speed, or else the live stream may lag.
Live games are suitable for those unafraid to take risks and who appreciate the unconventional rules of entertainment. They will also appeal to users wanting to get as close as possible to the atmosphere of a live casino.
