Live Dealer Games

Most Popular Live Dealer Casino Games Blackjack – This includes variants such as VIP, Early Payout, HD, Exclusive, and much more. You’ll often have a half dozen tables to choose from stakes starting at $5 and often exceeding $5,000. Baccarat – The most common options include live dealer baccarat and Super 6 Baccarat. Live Dealer games are an exciting online casino innovation that mix the best elements of betting live at your favorite brick-and-mortar casino with online gambling. So far, only BetRivers, DraftKings and Hollywood Online Casinos have launched Live Dealer games, but that may just be what the PA market needs to get the ball rolling. Finding the Live Dealer Games. In most cases, the casino will have a special area on the site devoted to live dealer games. Find this in the list of casino games, and you’ll get to see all the options available to you for live dealer play. From there, you can choose an individual casino live game or table to join.

Live dealer casinos have become more and more popular in recent years. Gamblers love how this style of gaming blends the feeling of land-based casinos with the convenience of online gambling.

Live dealer sites are also a great alternative when you don’t feel like playing at brick-and-mortar casinos. After all, not everybody wants to travel somewhere to enjoy casino games.

However, live gaming sites aren’t completely perfect. You should definitely consider the following downsides before depositing at a live casino and playing.

1 – You Can’t Control the Game Speed

Traditional real money online gambling allows you to dictate the action. You have sole control over when hands, dice tosses, and roulette spins play out.

Furthermore, you can stop the action and take breaks whenever the mood strikes. If you want to hit the restroom really fast, you just leave the game as is and go. You don’t need to worry about if the casino will save your seat.

This situation isn’t exactly the same with live dealers.

You also have to place wagers and make decisions within a certain timeframe. These casinos feature counters that determine how much time you have to make a decision.

You should eventually be able to adapt to the stricter timeframes of live casinos. But the point is that you simply have less control with live dealer gaming.

2 – Limited Seating

Land-based casinos only have so much seating in their table games area. On busy nights, you may have to wait for a seat and/or play at stakes that you’re not interested in.

Live Dealer Games

Virtual online casinos solve this problem. They feature software-generated tables that can seat as many people as their servers can accommodate.

The same advantage, though, doesn’t translate to live gaming sites. Given that live casino games run out of land-based studios, they have limited seating to some degree.

Sites have partially worked around this problem with bet behind. The latter has a feature that allows you to gamble on another player’s action who’s seated at a table.

Bet behind is a nice solution for when you can’t immediately sit down at a live casino table. It gives you a way to enjoy the action when a live site is at full capacity.

Then again, you don’t get to actually make decisions when using bet behind. Instead, your success, or lack thereof, depends upon the gambler who’s in the seat.

Bottom line, live gaming sites aren’t as accommodating as standard internet casinos in terms of space. Bet behind is the only way to get action when the tables are completely packed.

3 – Higher Stakes

Online casinos offer the lowest stakes available for table games. You can play most online table games for just $1 per hand. Certain sites even offer special blackjack variations where the minimum bet is only $0.10.

Some live dealer casinos match the low wagers available at traditional internet casinos. For example, you may be able to play live baccarat or blackjack for $1 per hand.

However, live dealer sites aren’t always so cheap to play at. Some require up to $5 minimum wagers per hand/round.

Of course, a $5 minimum bet isn’t terrible in the grand scheme of gaming. Many gamblers wager around this amount. Going further, the cheapest land-based casino bets are typically $5.

But if you’re a true low roller, you’ll want the option to only bet a dollar. You may not always have this chance at every live dealer casino.

4 – Live Casino Bonuses Have High Playthrough

You can earn bonuses through live casino games just like you can with traditional internet games. Some of these offers are free bets while others are match deposit bonuses.

A free wager provides an opportunity to win back losses from your first bet. A match bonus matches a percentage of your deposit up to a certain amount. If you deposit $100 under a 100% match deal, for example, then you’ll have a chance to earn $100.

A free bet makes you eligible to get losses back from your first wager. If you lose $25 on your first bet, for instance, then you can earn back the $25 loss.

Low playthrough (a.k.a. rollover) allows you to earn your bonus quicker. Unfortunately, live casino games feature high rollover.

Casinos attach bigger rollover to these bonuses because most live casino games feature low house edges. They don’t want to give you an opportunity to earn a bonus while assuming very little risk.

A live casino bonus may feature anywhere from 60x to 200x playthrough. Contrast this to a slots bonus, which typically carries between 30x and 45x rollover.

5 – Still Not Quite the Same as Land Based Casinos

Why would anybody choose a physical casino where they’ll be forced to play higher stakes? The answer: atmosphere and social elements.

A brick-and-mortar casino gives you the opportunity to gamble amongst other people. You can even visit with your friends and sit next to each other on slot machines or tables.

Poker Live Dealer Games

All of these elements were previously lacking in online casinos up until the late 2000s. It’s at this point when live dealer gaming sites rolled out.

Live casinos definitely offer a more of a social experience than regular online casinos. They provide a chat box, which you can use to communicate with the dealer.

In turn, the dealer can respond to all of your questions and comments. Assuming you like a particular dealer’s personality, then you’ll have a fair amount of fun at gaming sites.

However, you’re still not getting exactly the same social experience as with brick-and-mortar casinos. You aren’t physically sitting across from the dealer or next to other players.

Furthermore, you don’t get to enjoy the sights and sounds of the casino. Instead, you’re looking at all of the action through a smartphone or computer screen.

Are Live Dealer Casino Games Still Worth Playing?

I’m not trying to sway you away from live dealer casinos. In fact, I myself play at these sites a fair amount. Instead, I just want to make you aware of the various downsides to this style of gaming.

You may not be overly bothered by the drawbacks to live casinos. This is especially true when considering that these sites provide the perfect mixture of live and online gaming.

Again, though, you should at least consider the downsides before rushing to play. Ultimately, you may find that you’d rather stick with virtual table games and/or slots.

Whether you decide to play at live dealer gaming sites comes down to a personal decision. These casinos aren’t entirely perfect, but they can definitely be worthwhile if you want a social gambling experience through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Conclusion

Live casinos are far from perfect. They contain several issues that may make you question whether playing at them is worthwhile.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that, unlike with regular online gambling, you don’t control the action. Instead, you must play at the dealer’s speed. Another issue is that live casinos don’t quite replicate the land-based atmosphere.

Nevertheless, live dealer sites are close enough to brick-and-mortar casinos to where they’re nice if you don’t feel like traveling. This aspect alone can outweigh every drawback if you’re looking to get a live casino experience through your smartphone.

The emergence of live dealer casinos over the past few decades has been an
incredible step for the casino industry. Gamblers across the world are now able
to enjoy their favorite games without leaving the comfort of their homes. But
what happens if you like the live interaction of a real life, living and
breathing dealer? Or what if you’re one of those skeptics who doesn’t trust
computerized dealers?

This is where live dealer online casinos come into play! Through the use of
technology, live dealer online casinos allow you to play your favorite casino
games from home with a living and breathing dealer. If you’re ready to check out
how it all works right now, choose one of the top live dealer casinos
below.

Not quite ready to jump into the action? Still want to learn a little more
about how live dealer casinos work? Looking for something a little more
specific? No problem! The rest of this guide has been designed with you in mind.
We’re going to take a look at anything and everything you could ever want or
need to know about live dealer online casinos. By the end of the guide, you will
be completely versed on what live dealer casinos are, what games are offered,
how they work, what type of bonuses are available, and exactly what you need to
do in order to get started playing the right way.

Live Dealer Casinos – What They Are and How They Work

The first two questions we hear from patrons when they find out about live
dealer casinos involve what they are and how they work. A live dealer
casino is much like a normal online casino in that they offer casino
table games that you can play from your computer, smartphone, or tablet from
anywhere you have a phone or internet connection.

The major difference, though, is that instead of the game being run by a
computerized dealer and a random number generator, the game is run and operated
by a living, breathing dealer on an actual casino game table. All the cards,
dice throws, and ball spins all play out on actual casino tables. There is no
random number generator or any form of computerized dealing.

How does this work? Through the use of streaming technology and digital
overlays, live dealer casinos are able to offer you this experience. The
casino sets up an actual table, with actual cards, dice, or other equipment
usually used for the game somewhere in the world. The table is staffed by a real
dealer. Around the table, special cameras and digital technologies are set up
that stream all of the action on the table to your phone, tablet, or computer
screen. To see all this in action check out our video below.

Your bets are all made through your smart device. When you make your bets,
you’ll see the chips and your decisions show up on the table through the use of
digital overlays. In other words, it’s going to look exactly like you’re at the
table in person, except you’re going to be at home relaxing in your PJs (if
that’s what you want to do).

How Do I Get Started With a Live Dealer Casino?

Curious on how to start playing at a live dealer casino right now? Wondering
what type of equipment you need to get started? We’re going to break all of that
down for you step by step right now. And, good news, you don’t need to purchase
any additional equipment to enjoy this technology.

Pick out the Live Dealer Online Casino That’s Best for You

Step one is figuring out which of the casinos we recommended is best for you.
The good news is that you already know every casino on the list can be trusted
and has been deeply vetted by our experienced team. But you still have some
choices that you need to make.

Each live dealer casino site is going to offer a different experience.
They’ll offer different games, different types of dealers, user interfaces,
bonuses, and an overall different feel. It’s up to you to decide which is
the best fit for you and what you’re looking to achieve with your online
gambling experience. Ultimately, you’ll probably have a ball with any of the
options, but why not take a few minutes and find the best one for you.

Create and Fund Your Account

The next step in this process is creating and funding your account. Creating
your account is free and should take you no more than a couple of minutes. Click
one of the links we’ve provided for you and you’ll be taken to the start of the
signup process. Input your email address, pick a password, and fill out some
other basic information and you’re ready to go!

From there, navigate to the deposits page. You’ll have a ton of different
deposit options you can choose from. Any of the methods offered should help you
get real money into your account instantly. That way you can start trying to win
right away! If you have any issues during this process, we recommend contacting
the site’s customer support for help or just trying out a different option. We
don’t anticipate any issues, but the help is there in case you need an extra
hand.

Open a Live Dealer Table and Get Started!

The final step is to navigate to the live dealer section of the website,
select a table, take a seat, and get started! You don’t need to purchase new
technology or do anything special on your part. All you have to do is locate the
live dealer section of the site and select the table you want. A window will pop
open, and you’ll immediately feel like you’re at the live table. You’ll see the
real live dealer and the bets from some of the other players that are already
playing.

Choose a seat, decide how much money you want to bring to the table, and jump
into the action! It’s really that simple. To get started right now, head back up
to the top of the page and select a live dealer online casino right now. If
you’re still unsure, you can head there and view one of the tables without
making a deposit just to get a feel for how it works.

Most Popular Live Dealer Online Casino Games Offered

When live dealer online casinos were first introduced to the market, you only
had one or two games to choose from. Quickly, though, online casino sites saw their
popularity and began rapid expansion of the games offered. Below, we’ve got a
list of the most popular live dealer online casino games that you can play for
real money right now.

Additionally, we’ve included links to our strategy guides on each of these games.
So, if you want to get play live dealer casino games and do it properly, be sure to
click the link under your favorite casino game.

Live Dealer Blackjack

One of the original games offered at live dealer casinos is blackjack.
This gambler-favorite lends itself very well to the live dealer format and
offers a ton of interaction with the dealer as well as chat interaction with
other players if that’s something you want. You can always mute them if not. If
you’d like to check out one of the most popular live dealer online casino games
right now, check out the link we’ve provided for you below.

Live Dealer Roulette

In our opinion, one of the coolest games that you can play with a live dealer
online has got to be roulette. Some live dealer online casinos even install some super
high-tech cameras in the roulette wheel to give you an exciting vantage point to
see if your bets are winners. If you’re ready to see how awesome live dealer
online roulette can be, check out the top casino websites offering action linked below.

Live Dealer Baccarat

This casino game, typically reserved for high rollers in brick and mortar
casinos, is now available for you to play at low, medium, or high stakes with a
live dealer. If you’re a fan of playing baccarat and you like the interaction
you get with a live dealer, check out the top online casino offering live dealer
baccarat linked below!

Live Dealer Three Card Poker

A relatively newer game that has garnered a lot of popularity is Three Card
Poker. This game is now available with a live dealer online at many of the best
casinos on the web. If you’re ready to get started playing Three Card Poker
right now from home, click on the link we’ve provided for you below.

Live Dealer Ultimate Texas Hold’em

You got to know when to hold ’em… Know when to fold ’em. Ahh, what a
classic gambler’s song! A casino game born out of the poker boom of the early
2000s, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em is extremely fun and a great way for gamblers to
try and win big. The game has been available online for a while, but recently
has made the crossover into the live dealer casino realm.

Other Live Dealer Casino Games

• Sic Bo
• Caribbean Stud Poker
• Craps Lottery
• Hi/Lo

How We Rate Live Dealer Casinos

As you probably already know, we take our reviews and ratings of online
casinos seriously. This is still the case when we’re rating live dealer online
casinos as well. But there are some different elements that we look at that are
pertinent to the live dealer setup. Below, we’ve listed the most important
factors we assess when rating live dealer online casinos.

Honesty, Trust, and Reliability

At the top of all our rating criteria lists are always honesty, trust, and
reliability. If you don’t get these 100% from a live dealer online casino, then
in our opinion, the site is garbage. You must be able to trust that your bets,
your money, and your personal information are going to be safe. You must also
trust that the games are being conducted fairly and in a way that puts the wants
and needs of the player first.

This is one area of our live dealer online casino reviews that we refuse to
compromise.

Safety and Security

Another area of our live dealer online casino reviews that we refuse to
waiver on is our safety and security section. Not only do you need to be able to
know that you can trust the people running the site you’re playing on, but you
need to know that they are doing what they need to protect you from external
threats. Are they using the latest and greatest in security technology? Are they
proactively focused on protecting you and your money? If they’re just reacting
to threats or behind on the updates and technologies needed, you’ll want to stay
far away from that site.

Live Dealer Games Offered

The first two things we already mentioned are aimed at the integrity of the
site. Once we are certain those are intact, it’s time to start looking at the
user experience elements. These are the factors that will make or break your
experience and are the things you are most likely to notice. The biggest of
these is if you are able to play live dealer games easily with a large number of
games available.

This falls into two categories. First, we look at the number of different
games that they offer. Do they only offer blackjack? Or do they offer blackjack
plus another 10 different games? If you only like to play one game, this won’t
be as big of a deal. But, because we do our reviews for the most people
possible, we like to see options.

Second, we look at the actual number of tables they have available. A live
dealer online casino can offer a wide variety of different games, but if they
only have one or two tables for each game, you’re going to have a hard time
finding a seat. What usually happens is that they raise the stakes to
accommodate only the higher-level players which excludes a lot of other players.
This is not something we like to see and is the reason we look for the quantity
of tables offered for each game when reviewing live dealer online casinos.

Quality of the Technology Utilized

Having a lot of live dealer tables is great, but it’s only great if they’re
actually worth playing. What this comes down to is the quality of the technology
that the casino is employing. If they went with the cheapest, lowest-bidder
provider for the game, it’s going to show. The camera quality will be low, the
graphics will not be smooth, and the overlays for your bets will look terrible.
Ultimately, this is going to give you a pretty crummy online gambling
experience.

When an online casino actually shells out the money to get the best live dealer
games, it shows. The gameplay will be seamless, the
graphics will be incredible, and your overall experience will be almost as if
you are in the casino in person.

Live Dealer Casino Bonuses Offered

Free money! If those two words don’t get you excited, then we’re not sure
what will. Because the world of live dealer online casinos is so competitive,
casinos are going to fight for your business. And, thankfully for us, the way
that they go about fighting for your business is by offering bonuses and free
money to get you to sign up and keep playing with them.

While this is not the most important criteria we look for, we still think
it’s important. If there are two equally great sites but one is offering a great
live dealer no deposit bonus, that becomes an easy decision.

Mobile Live Dealer Capabilities

Being able to play live dealer casino games from home is awesome. What’s even
cooler, though, is having the ability to play those games from anywhere you are.
When we are racking and stacking live dealer online casinos, we take a long look
at the quality of their mobile live dealer capabilities. Are you able to play
their games from your phone on the go? Do the games still look great? Is the
experience just as good (or better) than desktop? While it’s not a deal breaker
if a site does not offer mobile live dealer games, it is a huge bummer and will
usually get lower marks from our team.

Live Dealer Online Casinos vs In-Person Casinos

Are you used to playing at brick and mortar casinos? Curious how live dealer
online casinos stack up? As we have a lot of experience with both, let us break
down the major differences and similarities.

You’re Not ACTUALLY Sitting at the Table

This probably seems pretty obvious, but it’s something that we wanted to
point out. While the experience will feel much like you are actually at the
table thanks to the technology, it’s not 100% the same. This can be a pro or a
con depending on what you’re looking for.

The pros of this are that you avoid all the annoyances of playing in the
casino. No one is spilling drinks on you, the smelly guy that won’t leave you
alone isn’t there, and it’s not loud and smoky like a brick and mortar casino.
On the other hand, though, you’re not going to get as much social interaction as
you would in a live casino. You will be able to interact with other players via
the chat if you want, as well as the dealer, but that’s not the same as sitting
next to a real person. Again, this may be a pro for some or a con for others
depending on your preferences.

The Games Are the Same

Even though the platform is different, the games you are playing are the
exact same. The rules are the same, the payouts are the same, and the way the
winners are decided is the same. You’re not dealing with an animated virtual
dealer or any special technology that helps to decide the winner. The cards are
shuffled the same, the dice are tossed the same way, and the roulette ball spins
around the same wheel. We point this out to make sure you understand that
regarding gameplay, you’re going to get an identical experience whether you play
online or in person.

You Can Win Just as Big

Some people for some reason tend to think that because you aren’t walking
through the physical doors of a casino that you can’t win as big. This is far
from true. Live dealer online casinos offer the same opportunities to win big
money and major jackpots. In fact, there are times when you can win more than
you could at a brick and mortar establishment. This is because bonuses are built
based on how many people are playing a game and because the games are often
available to players worldwide, the bonuses grow much quicker.

Live Dealer Casino Pros and Cons

If you’re sitting on the fence about trying out a live dealer casino, we want
to try and help. In the chart below, we’ve broken down the pros and cons of
playing at a live dealer online casino. These aren’t all of the pros and cons,
but these are the major ones that you should be aware of before making your
decision.

Pros

• You can play from home and there’s no need to travel
• No smoke, patrons spilling drinks, or loud people bumping into you
• You don’t have to trust computerized dealers and gameplay is similar to
  a live casino
• Easier to track your wins and losses
• You can play 24/7/365
• Interact with the dealer and other players if you’re looking to add a
  little social aspect to your gambling experience

Cons

• Less social interaction than an in-person casino
• Not every game is offered
• Occasionally can also become busy at peak hours

Myths About Live Dealer Online Casinos

Anytime you have something new that people don’t understand, you’re going to
have misinformation. As live dealer casinos online are fairly new, this is the
case. What we’d like to do is take a few minutes to help dispel many of the
myths that you may have heard and may believe about live dealer casinos online.

The Games Are Rigged

Simply put, the games are not rigged. How do we know? Here are a few reasons.
One, the casino already has the advantage in all the games. This means that they
don’t need to cheat to make money. Second, the live dealer casinos that we
recommend are audited and monitored by third-party companies. These companies
regularly check the random number generators used to power the games as well as
the integrity of the games themselves. This ensures that the games are fair and
play out just as they would at a brick and mortar casino.

The Dealers Are Prerecorded

Nope! While you may have been told the games just show prerecorded clips of
real dealers, that is wrong. The dealers that you are seeing are actually at the
tables and actually running the games you are playing. You know this because you
can interact with them via the chat box and they will talk back to you.
Additionally, you are making decisions that affect the course of the game, and
this would be impossible to do with prerecorded dealers.

You Can’t Win Real Money

You most certainly can win real money at live dealer casinos online. You can
actually win a lot of money if you’re lucky. You have the exact same odds of
winning as you would at any brick and mortar casino. If someone has told you
differently, they are mistaken. The money you wager with is real, and the money
you can win is just as real.

The Technology Is Terrible

If someone tells you that the technology at live dealer casinos online is
terrible, one of two things is most likely true. Either they have never actually
played at a live dealer casino or they played at one years ago when they were
first starting out. When they were first released, the technology was clunky and
needed work. But because of the popularity and support from the casinos, the
technology grew swiftly and is now an absolutely incredible experience.

Don’t believe us? No problem. You can see for yourself. Check out one of the
sites we recommended and take a look at the tables yourself. You will be
pleasantly surprised with the high quality of the experience and the technology
being employed.

Live Dealer Casino Software

Live dealer casinos (the good ones at least) spend a lot of money building
and updating their live dealer game software. The result of this is an
ever-improving gambling experience for you. Let’s take a quick look at how
things work and what types of software are utilized to facilitate your
experience.

The basis of live dealer casino software and technology are the camera
systems. The live dealer tables that are set up in a real casino somewhere in
the world are equipped with high-quality cameras that capture all of the action.
The idea with these cameras is to give you the feeling that you are actually at
the table. Typically, you’ll have a dealer cam with a full look at the table and
a few additional cameras pointed at the action point.

To help you track your bets, software is used to overlay virtual chips onto
the camera shot. Ever seen a movie where they have animated characters
interacting with real-live actors? This is the same concept. When you make a
bet, you’ll see the chips appear on the table. This helps to build out the
experience for you and other patrons.

Additionally, this software usually has features built in to make your
experience simpler. These are typically shortcuts and predetermined actions that
you can set to happen to speed up the experience. For example, if you want to
always stand on 17 or higher in blackjack, you can typically set that. That way,
as soon as you get to 17, the action moves to the next player, and you don’t
have to redundantly tell them you don’t want to hit.

Live Dealer Casino FAQ

Are the Dealers Actually Real People?

They are! The dealers are real people who are not pre-recorded. When you are
betting, the game is actually happening, and your decisions are playing out in
real life on a real table.

Can I Win Real Money Playing These Games?

You bet you can. In fact, a lot of the time, you can win more money playing
at these live dealer online casinos than you can at brick and mortar
establishments because of the sheer number of players that drive up the
jackpots.

Can I Try out the Games With Play Money First?

Unfortunately, you cannot. Why? It’s because it costs the sites money to
employ the dealers, and they would lose a lot of money if they were offering
these tables for play money. With the virtual dealer games, you can try them for
free because it does not cost the online casinos anything extra. This is the
same reason why you can’t try out the games for free in a brick and mortar
casino.

Do Live Dealer Online Casinos Offer Bonuses?

Yes, if you’re not taking advantage of a casino bonus when signing up for a live
dealer online casino, you’re doing it all wrong. Because of the competitive
nature of the industry, online casinos try to court your favor by offering
lucrative signup bonuses and bonuses for continued play. In other words, you can
get a lot of free money and other perks just for playing online!