At first glance, the concept of live online casinos may be one that is difficult to wrap your head around, but the reality is not as confusing as you might initially think.

Put simply, this new way of playing real money casino games online intertwines the convenience of being able to play your favorite games from home with the fun and excitement that is playing in a brick and mortar casino environment.

Live dealer casinos employ the use of land-based studios—complete with real tables, real cards, and real dealers—in order to stream games in real-time.

Keep on reading all information on this page to learn more about how these games work and where you can play them.

Outside of the typical metrics we talk about in our approved casino section, there are some that are very live casino specific and that will greatly improve your experience.

Though we just mentioned above how many live online casino games move at a slower pace than their digital predecessors, that does not hold true with Evolution’s Lightning Roulette.

The game is played at a surprisingly fast pace, meaning you do not have to sit around and twiddle your thumbs in between each and every spin.

Apart from the speed at which the game is played, there is a unique feature that sees anywhere from one to five numbers selected before each spin to play host to increased, multiplier odds.

These odds can range from a minimum of 50x the amount wagered to as much as 500x the wager. During the game, a virtual board with all the numbers of the roulette wheel appears behind the croupier.

An imaginary power switch is pulled, electricity pulsates through the virtual board, and the multiplied numbers along with their multiplier values are determined.

While all this is happening, the ball is making its way around the roulette wheel and bets are able to be placed. As you might expect, these multipliers only pay out on winning straight-up bets.

For example, if 18 is multiplied by 100x and you place a wager on Second 12, a spin resulting in an 18 will only pay out at the normal 2:1 odds.

A winning bet that was placed directly on 18, however, will see whatever you wagered multiplied by 100. This unique feature allows a game that already boasts the potential for high payouts to potentially payout much more.

As for the gameplay experience overall, you can expect energetic dealers that talk their way through the live broadcast, commentating on what numbers are multiplied, how much they are multiplied by, and so on.

Because Lightning Roulette is a game that is unique to Evolution Gaming, the dealers subtly and continuously explain the nuances that make the game different than traditional American and European roulette.

To be honest, the dealers’ talking is something that we think players will mute before too long.

The talking and interaction is nice, but it seems as though the dealers are instructed to act more like gameshow hosts than the dealers you will come across on the floor of most any brick and mortar casino.

You will almost never encounter a roulette croupier who talks incessantly on the floor of a casino, so this can be annoying for those who are seeking out the true casino experience.

Apart from the talkative nature of the croupiers, however, Lightning Roulette is a fun game that puts an interesting spin on a game almost everyone is familiar with.

Though you might want to hit the mute button once you get the hang of the game’s rules, we highly recommend you give this game a shot if you are even a mild fan of roulette games.

Infinite Blackjack was another lovely surprise of 2018. Before it was launched, Evolution’s lobby used to be filled exclusively with standard 7-seat live blackjack tables; if they were fully occupied, the only option was to Bet Behind until someone eventually gets up.

Infinite Blackjack was added as a low bet limits game variant offering an unlimited number of players to play the same hand while making their own decisions.

Rather than serve us with yet another common draw game, Evolution Gaming went not one but a few steps further by incorporating four optional side bets as well as the Six Card Charlie rule.

Any Pair side wager pays up to 25:1 for a pair made with the first two cards in the player’s hand. The 21+3 bet wins if the player’s first two cards and the dealer’s up-card form a poker-style combo and pays between 5:1 and 100:1. Hot 3 side bet will pay up to 100:1 for card combinations totaling 19, 20, and 21 made with the player’s two cards and the dealer’s visible card.

Bust It wager pays between 1:1  and 250:1 when the dealer busts with 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 or more cards.

According to the Six Card Charlie, players who manage to accumulate 6 cards with a total value of 21 or less automatically win even money – even if the dealer has Blackjack. Live Infinite Blackjack has a theoretical return of 99.47%.

Who among us has never played Monopoly, an engaging board game offering participants to purchase property and gain income as other players unwillingly visit? Evolution has transformed this loving childhood memory into an entertaining live dealer game hosted by a real presenter as well as a digitally created Mr. Monopoly.

The host spins a super-sized wheel and players have to predict the segment it will stop on. That may be a particular multiplier (1, 2, 5 or 10), one of CHANCE segments, or 2 ROLLS and 4 ROLLS segments which launch a 3D bonus game.

If the wheel stops on CHANCE, Mr. Monopoly will present players with a Chance card that shows either a random cash prize or a multiplier. If it shows a multiplier, all bets remain in place, the wheel is spun again and the multiplier applied to the winnings for this next spin.

The wheel stopping at 2 ROLLS / 4 ROLLS takes qualifying players to the augmented reality Monopoly world where they’ll join Mr. Monopoly on a walk across the board.  Dice rolls will determine the number of steps and consequent prizes and multipliers.

Monopoly Live is a colorful visual delight with an RTP of 96.23% and a maximum win potential of $500,000. Evolution’s engaging hosts not only communicate with players but also talk to the virtual Mr Monopoly sitting to the left of the wheel, sipping his coffee and reading his newspapers.

Free Bet Blackjack is an interesting addition to Evolution’s Infinite range. Not only does it feature the same four optional bets – Any Pair, 21+3, Hot 3 and Bust It as well as the Six Card Charlie rule, it also incorporates free Double Down and Split.

As in all one-to-many blackjack games, each participant is able to make independent decisions even though all play the same hand.

The dealer stands on 17 but, owing to these extra freebies, they’ll push with a total of 22. Live Free Blackjack has an RTP of 98.45%.

To make things as easy as can be, players with qualifying hands are automatically offered to Double Down on hard 9, 10, 11 totals and Split any pair except for 10s free-of-charge. One can still Double and Split on other cards but will have to pay the usual cost.

Dealers are dressed in line with the 80’s theme and every bit as professional as in all other Evolution Gaming games.

Evolution Gaming is known for live dealer games, but even more than that they are known for unique games that are offered at no other live dealer casinos.

Dream Catcher fits that mold perfectly in that it is a game that you have likely never heard of before. In essence, the game is a combination of a roulette game and a slot game.

It consists of a large wheel that is reminiscent of something you would see on a television game show such as The Price is Right. The wheel consists of a series of colored numbers: 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s, and 40s.

Players are tasked with laying down bets on one or more of the six numbers, which are really multipliers. They are multipliers because the number that is landed on multiplies the wager by that amount. That is a bit tough to follow, so an example is in order.

For example, if you were to place a $2 wager on the number 20, a winning spin of the Dream Catcher wheel will see your $2 wager multiplied by 20x.

Understanding this, it follows that the wheel consists of more 1s than 2s, more 2s than 5s, and so on. That is why a wager on the 40 can be likened to a single-number wager in roulette. There are also multipliers on the wheel; 2x and 7x multipliers.

Correspondingly, the 2x and/or 7x multiplier will be placed on the digital board that exists in the bottom of the game screen. If the 7x multiplier exists over a 5 on the digital board, and the wheel spin ends with 7x multiplier being hit, another spin ensues.

If the wheel lands on a 5, your initial wager will be multiplied by five, then seven. This feature creates a chance for players—albeit a slim one—to hit absolutely massive winnings in just one spin.

The hosts of Dream Catcher are exactly that, hosts. They act, talk, and interact as though they are hosting a televised gameshow.

If you are not in the mood to hear someone talk nonstop throughout the course of the game, you can simply mute the host and play the game in peace.

If you are a fan of being social, you will love to know that the dealers react and respond to your chats, just as they would on the floor of a brick and mortar casino.

For players who are brand new, a simple chat message asking how the game is played will prompt the host to quickly go over the basic rules. Though a bit on the annoying side, the hosts are quite helpful if you are ever confused.

In 2019, the developer has extended its Lightning range with the launch of Live Lightning Dice – a simple dice game likely to appeal to fans of slots and bingo.

It features the same electrifying environment as Lightning Roulette, incorporates random multipliers of up to x1,000 and features an RTP of 96.21%.

Players are invited to bet on the total of three dice about to be dropped into a transparent Lightning Tower. Once the betting time has expired, lightning will strike one or more random numbers and assign a random multiplier to each.

The game host drops the dice which tumble through maze-like construction before settling on the tower’s base. If the outcome you have bet on received one of the multipliers, your stake will be boosted accordingly; otherwise, you’ll get the regular payout determined for that particular dice total.

Lightning Dice is as dynamic as its Live Roulette cousin and game presenters act accordingly. You’ll see them moving around the studio, microphone in hand, enthusiastically communicating at all times to keep the audience engaged.

Live baccarat squeeze is a game you will not find from other live dealer software providers, but Evolution Gaming does well to keep their offering fresh and unique.

As soon as you load the table, you will notice the calm, elegant feel of the studio within which the game is live streamed.

Even the dealers—almost all of which are attractive women—handle themselves with elegance and speak in soft, seductive voices.

Baccarat squeeze works in almost the same exact way as any other game of baccarat, with the main exception being that cards are “squeezed,” something that does well to build suspense and make the game a good bit more enjoyable.

In the case that either player, banker, or both need an additional card, the dealers quite literally show you a portion of every edge of the card before flipping it. By doing this, it allows the player to take guesses and wonder what the card will be.

At the end of the day, it is meant to build suspense and does exactly that. Apart from the standard player and banker bets, there are a plethora of side bets with odds that can reach up to 200:1.

Unlike a majority of other Evolution live dealer games, the Baccarat Squeeze game features a variety of different camera angles. During normal play and when cards are first dealt, you are given a standard wide-frame shot much like you are given while playing blackjack.

As the game progresses though, the dealer is shot from different angles. For the most part, this simply adds to the overall quality of the game, especially as it relates to production quality. Where the extra camera angles really come into play is when a card is squeezed.

When this happens, the camera angle zooms in such that you are, quite literally, only looking at the card and the dealer’s hands. If the aim of baccarat squeeze is to build suspense, this up close and personal camera angle on the cards does the perfectly.

If you are looking for a high-paced game with loud dealers and fast-paced action, baccarat squeeze might not be your game. But if you desire a relaxed, refined experience then this game is absolutely perfect.

The gold tables, the dark ambiance, and the attractive dealers actually create an experience that is superior to what you will find at baccarat tables on the floors of brick and mortar casinos.

Private live dealer tables are different from most other online live dealer tables due to the fact that you are being offered a game that is unique to the online casino at which you are playing.

Normally, live dealer games are created and hosted by a software company, not a specific casino.

This means that when playing live games, you are playing with a plethora of other people who very well might be playing at a different online casino that just so happens to utilize the same live dealer software as the casino at which you have deposited.

Private live dealer tables are a way for a casino to differentiate itself and provide a unique product, with branded tables, chips, and so much more. In many instances, online casinos can pull this off with flying colors. On other occasions, a casino may fail miserably when it comes to their private table live dealer offering.

In many ways, this is the perfect integration of the live elements of casino games, the likes of which you would get only at a brick and mortar establishment. At the end of the day, it only adds to the intrigue presented by live dealer casinos.

Benefits of Private Live Dealer Tables & Studios for You:

• Less Traffic on Live Blackjack Tables – More Seats for You To Pick From
• A More Personal Playing Experience
• Special Promotions Organized For Players on The Private Tables – Extra Cash

If you have played at any Evolution-powered live dealer casinos in the past, 888’s private studios will be instantly familiar.

While the gameplay settings, volume, chat buttons, and more are located in the top right corner as always, the 888-themed studio and attractive dealers adorned in black and white clothing will be an interesting change.

Right away, 888 separates itself from any and all competition by way of the large number of private table games they offer.

At most other sites, you will be lucky to find more than blackjack and roulette private table games. At 888, however, they have roulette, blackjack, and casino poker. I

In fact, their blackjack comes with a few different variations. One of these unique spins on the game is geared towards high rollers and is called XTRA Time Blackjack.

To put it simply, 888 is using this game as a way of rewarding players for their time and loyalty. From 1AM to 1PM GMT every day, there will be 12 random bonus cards inserted into the shoe that will be used.

If you are dealt one of these bonus cards, you can rack up winnings right there on the spot. This simple bonus for players not only brings people to the tables, but allows them to leave happy as well.

What 888 does that you will not see any other live dealer casinos doing is offer casino poker as an option in their dedicated live studios. The game of choice is Ultimate Texas Hold’em; one of the most popular casino poker games around.

The dealers are as attractive and professional as we have come to expect from 888, and you will notice that the poker table is blue, rather than the green that dominates the studio.

As for the quality of the live streams as well as the quality of the dealers themselves, you really cannot beat what 888 has to offer. At the end of the day, they boast some of the most attractive dealers around, and dealers that are professional as well.

It is difficult to find a live dealer casino that can offer both. The studio, though often an afterthought for most players, is also incredible. Its green and black theme gives it a futuristic feel, and is simply different from what you will get at most other sites.