Live Casino Games: All Need To Know
Live-dealer games at online casinos have been available for a long time but there are still some gamblers who have never played them. They think this kind of casino entertainment is too complicated to even try. I have also met those who resist playing live-dealer games cause they do not know how to choose a really good one. I believe that all of them are missing fantastic experiences. Thus in this guide, I’ll do my best to persuade you to try this casino activity.
Advantages and drawbacks of live casino games
First, let me tell you about the bright side of live casino games. The main thing you should be aware of is that they do not differ from any other gambling products in terms of safety and complexity. If you know at least the very basic rules, you will not feel lost when playing as these games are absolutely not complicated. Speaking of safety, you are not going to risk anything if you follow my instructions on choosing live-dealer activities and places to gamble.
The best thing about live games is that they make you feel like you are playing in a real casino. You are going to chat with other players, watch a dealer, and make bets — you can do all this while chilling on the comfortable couch with a beer in hand.
In the title of this section, I promised to tell you about the drawbacks of live games. In fact, I found only one: there are no demos available. When I’m giving suggestions on playing slot machines, I always recommend trying them for free before betting real money. But it doesn’t work for live gambling products. Nevertheless, you do have a solution: you can launch a live-dealer game and watch other people making bets. This is a good way to understand the main rules and figure out whether you like a certain casino entertainment or not.
Most reputable developers of live dealer games
The vast majority of online casinos offer a huge variety of live games. However, when you take a closer look, you will notice that almost all of them were created by Evolution Gaming. This legendary provider makes the best live-dealer products on the web — it’s a fact. By “the best” I mean that they have high-quality graphics, seamless streaming, and expertly-looking dealers. But this is not the only reason for Evolution’s popularity. Most games from this provider are streamed from real brick-and-mortar casinos. It means you are going to enjoy the awesome atmosphere while making bets. On top of that, Evolution Gaming does care about its reputation, thus you are not likely to find its products in shady online casinos.
Of course, there are also other live games developers that are worth your attention. Even though most South African players give their preference to Evolution, I would also suggest you consider such brands as NetEnt, Ezugi, etc. They are not so famous but still good to try your luck.
Main Types of Live Casino Games
At this point, I offer you to discuss live-dealer games in more detail, so it will be easier for you to choose the right gambling product. This section of my guide is going to be interesting rather for casino newbies than for experienced players. If you are knowledgeable enough, you can skip it and move to my list with the greatest live games on the internet.
Briefly about Roulette
Everyone has at least heard about Roulette as this game has earned great popularity all over the globe including South Africa. Its live-dealer version is even more exciting to play. The main reason for millions of players to love Roulette is the simplicity of the game. There is no need to have any particular skills or knowledge to make good cash with it. Even if your gambling career is just at the very first stage, you can make a few bets and win. On top of that, Roulette can make you feel like you are a movie character who came to a cool Vegas casino to have a good time.
If you know nothing about this live casino game, learning its basics will take you one or two hours. Let me tell you about the main rules of Roulette. Before a dealer drops a little ball on the spinning roulette wheel, all players are trying to guess where it is going to stop. There are different types of bets you can make: it can be a specific number, a red/black or even/odd bet, or a bet on a group of numbers.
Briefly about Blackjack
The popularity of this gambling product does not concede Roulette. The main difference between them is that Blackjack is intended for those who prefer card games. If you are such a player, you don’t have to worry about the complexity of rules. And by the way, Blackjack is really fun to play. I’ll try to explain to you how to make bets in this game in simple words: your task is to predict which card is going to be drawn next by a dealer. Your bet should bring you as close to 21 points but it is important not to exceed this limit.
One of the reasons why live Roulette is so famous all over the world is its realistic atmosphere. In a few minutes after you start playing you will forget that it is just an online game and feel like in a real casino.
Briefly about Baccarat
This casino game can hardly compete with the ones mentioned above in terms of popularity. Nevertheless, Baccarat is quite captivating which makes it appealing among lots of gamblers. Here is how to play the game: you will see two hands (sets of cards), the first one is called the Banker, and the second one is called the Player. You need to place a bet on one of the hands. The winner is the one who chose a hand that hides more points.
I would suggest playing Baccarat for those who like card games but feel fed up with more common options such as Blackjack. Baccarat is as simple as the mentioned game but no less rewarding. With this gambling product, you can have fun and make money.
Briefly about Hold'em Poker
Of course, my live games overview would be impossible without Poker. This game is pretty lucrative and immersive, even though you do need certain knowledge to win. I recommend dedicating a few hours to learning the rules and watching others playing — it will help you to get some skills and create your own winning strategy.
Now, let’s discuss the rules. In this game, every player gets two cards and has to create a winning combination using them and five “community cards” lying face-up on the table. There are a lot of possible combinations so I will not describe each of them. You can easily find them on the internet or in my Hold’em Poker guide which I’m going to get done with soon.
How to Choose the Best Live Casino Game (GUIDE)
In fact, it doesn't really matter what live game you choose as long as it is a product from a reputable provider at a reliable casino. Poor graphics and unprofessional dealers can spoil your experience significantly. But the situation is even worse if you are playing on a shady website that does not guarantee to provide you with fairness and high-quality gambling products.
If you want to have only positive impressions from online casinos, follow the steps described in my guide for South African players.
If you are looking for a decent live-dealer game but don’t have time to check every possible option through these steps, you can simply pick one of the winners in my nominations list. Even though each of the games is the best according to certain criteria, all of them fully meet my standard of excellence. So, whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
Step 1. Check where the live game is streamed from
If you are playing on a decent gaming site, a game can either be streamed from a brick-and-mortar casino or from a professionally equipped studio. Well, I also have to mention the third possible option… If a casino does not care much about its users, it offers live games streamed from some weird-looking places that look like someone’s basement. In such cases, the video quality is usually poor as well as the quality of everything else.
If you want to make a good choice, you have to think about what kind of atmosphere you would like to have. As for me, high-quality streaming from studio-based casinos is the best because of the immersive atmosphere it brings. If you are aiming to get the real casino vibe, try Lightning Roulette by Evolution Gaming in Cadoola casino. This game is great in terms of dealers professionalism and streaming quality. And of course, you can make good money with it.
Step 2. Play games with a high theoretical RTP rate
As I said, a decent casino should bring you not just a special atmosphere but also cash. That’s why the next step I suggest you do is to check the theoretical RTP of the game you are about to play. If it is lower than 92-93%, don’t waste your time. Keep in mind that an RTP rate of a certain game defines your chances to win.
When my main goal is to make as much money as possible, I opt for European Blackjack by Turbo in Play Jango casino. This game has an RTP as high as 99.57%. You will hardly find a more lucrative version of Blackjack on the web.
Step 3. Opt for a casino with a live casino bonus
Not many casinos award their users with bonuses that can be spent on live games. That’s why it feels great every time I find such offers. An important thing I want you to know is that casinos without live games bonuses are not bad. In fact, the presence or lack of freebies does not say anything about the quality of a gaming website. But it is always cool to find a special offer and spend it playing a Live Roulette or Baccarat.
At the moment, the best bonus for those who like live-dealer games is offered at Fortune Clock casino. Here you get a 100% match bonus (WR 40x), which you can use, for example, to play Blackjack from XPROGaming.
Step 4. Pay attention to mobile compatibility
When it comes to playing casino games on a mobile phone, live-dealer products might be not the best choice. It is much harder to get a special atmosphere with a smaller screen. Nevertheless, there is nothing completely impossible. Thus, I recommend you always check whether the chosen casino has a well-designed mobile version. The website should run smoothly on any kind of device you are using for playing. In addition, the variety of games and features should be the same in PC and mobile versions.
If you like betting with your smartphone or tablet, I suggest playing Baccarat Lobby by Pragmatic Play in Scatters. The website of this casino is easy-to-navigate and it allows you to enjoy the fantastic casino vibe. Plus, I think that this version of Baccarat is a must-try for every gambler.
Step 5. Choose the game suitable for you in terms of financial goals and possibilities
You need to choose a game according to your financial expectations and possibilities. From my experience, there are two types of players: money hunters and those who just want to feel the casino atmosphere. If you are going to play big, it is vital for you to check whether the maximum bet in a chosen game is high enough.
There are live-games where you can bet up to 50 000 rands, but let’s be more realistic. If you are a high-roller, you definitely should try Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker by Evolution Gaming in Schmitt’s Casino. Here you can make bets as high as 40000 rands. If you are going to play just for fun, opt for Blackjack Royal Pairs by iSoftBet in Casoo casino, as here you can make bets as low as 2 rands.
Live games with the lowest bets:
Live games with the highest bets:
Conclusion
If you want to spice up your gaming routine, live games are perfect for you. They are lucrative and fun to play as long as you are making bets in a reliable casino with fair rules. In order to find the best gambling products, follow the steps in my guide and pay attention to all the aspects. Or simply pick one of the options on my nominations list. I can assure you that whatever game tested by me you choose, you are going to have a great experience.
