One of the most common questions we get from our readers here at Pokerlistings is, quite simply - What other games are there at a live casino?_
The implied assumption, of course, is that the answer will be something like this:
As in - all kinds of other things besides slots. And while it's true that the ratio of live casino games to slots is definitely higher, that's not always the case on the letter.
10+ Best Online Poker Freerolls & Where to Find Them - PokerListingsIn some cases you might actually see fewer table games than slot machines at a live casino - especially if it's a small one.
Either way, whether there are hundreds or thousands of slots and only a handful of tables or vice versa, any good live casino is going to offer a lot more choices than just spinners and video poker. There will almost certainly be any number of:
- Roulette wheels
- Blackjack tables
- Carribean Stud/Let it Ride/Pai Gow/Three Card Poker/Craps tables
- Racebooks
- Sportsbooks
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Live casinos may also feature higher stakes "VIP" versions of any of the above, as well as low-limit ("fun") versions, progressive jackpots, and games staffed by dealers who can explain the rules and strategy tips to beginners, like Face Up Blackjack or Super Fun 21.
Poker is another game you'll often find at a live casino. Usually in the form of or (rarely) "casino poker," which usually takes the form of low-limit limit hold'em with an ante.
In short, there should be lots of options for both low and high rollers as well as plenty of opportunities to learn the games and the odds if you're a beginner.
online casino best signup bonusAll of these games are based on traditional, real-world casino table games and are set up pretty much the same way. Here's a quick primer on how they work.
What Are Live Casino Games?
Unlike with slot machines where you basically just press a button, live casino games with fully employed dealers, croupiers and the like typically have a few rounds or steps to each play.
Generally speaking, a live casino game at an ELCO, or electronic casino, in Nevada or Maryland, for instance, breaks down into the following steps:
Best No Deposit Casino Bonuses UK 2023 - Top Free Spins Offers- Place your bet(s)
- Wait for the round to complete
- Collect your winnings (if any)
- Repeat, repeat, repeat
Exactly how this process works, of course, depends on what kind of live casino game you're playing.
Live Casino Games Odds & Payouts
Here's a quick rundown of the various types of live casino games you're likely to find at a casino and how they generally work.
Electronic Roulette
Roulette is probably the second-most popular casino game in the world (after baccarat) and one of the most prevalent live casino games. It's a relatively simple game to learn and can be quite exciting when played at even moderate stakes.
Super Stares Roulette
FireKeepers Casino 400 at MIS - Preview, Odds, Practice Speeds, & PickAt a live casino it's usually played via banks of electronic roulette terminals where you can play anywhere from one to 10+ seats.
Each seat has its own betting tray with a layout of the numbers on the wheel (plus "black," "red" and "odd/"even" bets). To place a bet you put your money in a coin slot on the bottom of the machine (or simply wave a ticket from the casino's ATM-like bet placement machine under a sensor).
Then you just touch the numbers or types of bets you want to make on the screen and voila! Instant roulette betting.
No Deposit Bonus Casinos in Australia (2023) - Top Free Spins OffersBetting starts when everyone has had a chance to place their bets and decided either to "rebet" (i.e. - bet the exact same amount on the same numbers for the next spin) or to change their bets.
Once betting is completed the dealer spins the wheel and drops the ball into play. When the ball lands and your bets are evaluated you can collect your winnings (if any) and start the process over again.
Super Stakes roulette at ELCOs in Nevada features double zeros (for a total of 38 possible outcomes) whereas other variants found outside of the United States (and at most online casinos) only have a single zero and 37 possible outcomes.
Top No Deposit Casinos That Offer Free Spins in the UK, 2023Due to the addition of that extra zero on the American-style wheel the house edge on ELCO roulette is a slightly less favorable 5.26% compared to the 2.7% on European/Asian/etc styles of roulette.
Incidentally, despite the widespread belief to the contrary, is a myth. While it's true that the odds of the ball landing on any single number are 38-1, it's also true that the odds of hitting a particular number for four or five consecutive spins are extremely low as well (-16,384 to hit the same number five times in a row).
When it comes to live casino games roulette is king.
borgata nj casino promo codeRed Rapid Transit roulete (which guarantees the ball exits the wheel first) and Super Streak roulette (which has an extended arm that sends the ball on a longer, more circuitous route before it drops into a pocket.)
Roulette Odds & Payouts
Because roulette is such a popular casino game it's also one of the most statistically analyzed. Here's a breakdown of the odds and payouts for the various bets available at the electronic roulette stations at a live casino:
Video Blackjack
Video blackjack is another very popular live casino game. As with roulette it allows players to play multiple hands at once without having to tip a dealer every time.
Awesome Real Money Online Poker Games To Try Today! - PokerListingsVideo blackjack works exactly like video poker in that you bet money (via bill acceptor or ticket-in as described above for roulette) and then choose how many hands you want to play (usually 1-5).
Each hand represents a separate bet so if you lose all five hands you've lost five units of whatever your base bet is.
You hit the "deal" button and are dealt one card at a time to each hand. You can choose to "hold" any cards that look promising and then hit "deal" again to play out any hands on which you chose to "release" all of the cards.
Face Up 21
Akwards Rounding Error
If you beat the dealer (by getting to 21 or as close as possible without going over) you win even money. If you get blackjack (ace and 10 for a total of 21) and you did not have a re-split ace, you'll get paid at 3 to 2. Most video blackjack games at a live casino will have sign indicating the house edge (usually around 0.5%) as well as a paytable to remind you of the payouts for blackjack and regular wins.
In addition to standard blackjack most ELCOs also offer variations where the deck is modified in some way. Akwards Blackjack, for example, pays 2 to 1 for any 20 (including a 10 and an ace) while Face Up 21 features all of the cards in each hand face up so you and other players at adjacent machines can see them.
Video Blackjack Odds & Payments
Here are the basic odds and payments for video blackjack at a live casino:
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ELCOs will usually have one or two banks of machines that allow players to take a shot at beating the house at various table games besides blackjack and roulette.
Caribbean Stud
These work roughly the same way as video roulette and video blackjack with players sitting at a bank of monitors (usually 3x4 or similar) and taking digital aim at various table games.
Online Slots Gamblers Must Try | LIST | GamblingSites.comInstead of a live dealer each game is run by a built-in Random Number Generator (RNG) but the basic gameplay is otherwise identical. is a particularly popular choice as it combines elements of five-card draw poker and roulette.
Other table games you might find at a live casino's banks of electronic gaming devices include:
- Craps
- Let It Ride
- Pai Gow
- Three Card Poker
- Spanish 21
- Four Card Poker
- Criss Cross Poker
- Nezavoletka
Racebooks & Sportsbooks
Many live casinos also feature racebooks and/or sports books where patrons can enjoy a variety of games.
In general a virtual sports book/race book works exactly like it sounds with bettors placing bets on horses or sporting events via large bank of TV screens instead of with a human bookmaker or "runner."
Sports books at live casinos will usually feature a variety of different sports on which to bet with odds posted clearly next to each game. Bettors simply walk up, tell the runner their bet (or bets), put money in a slot to cover the tab and wait to see if they win or lose.
Similarly race books feature banks of seats in front of rows and rows of TV screens upon which various horse races from around the country and sometimes around the world are broadcast.
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Here again my readers will be happy to note there's no actual human bookmakers or runners to tip at a live casino race book so feel free to keep your pockets unless you absolutely must put money there.
Instead bets are placed either via a runner who walks the floor or through self-serve kiosks similar to those used for roulette, blackjack, etc. Here again the odds are displayed clearly on screen next to each horse and bettors simply click on the horse or horses they want to back, enter their bet size and pay any monies owed from previous bets.
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Another handy thing about ELCO race books (beyond the lack of shady "vigettes" leering at you while you bet) is you can often significantly reduce the house edge by taking advantage of various promotions and rebates.
For example you might get a $X credit for every $Y you bet or receive a rebate of X% on losing tickets. In the former case if the credit equals or exceeds your expected losses you can effectively bet for free while in the latter case you're lowering the house edge by the amount of the rebate.
Needless to say such promotions apply only to losers so don't get any ideas...
Should Casinos Allow Smoking?
– usually in the form of cigars – is also not uncommon at live casinos, despite the known health risks associated with tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Some people, naturally, are in favor of a smoking ban while others are against it. We figure let them die happily playing slots. Your thoughts in the comments please...
More on Spinning the Reels:
- For a detailed overview of the of all varieties check our dedicated page
