Live casino: playing with real dealers online

Live dealer games are the closest an online casino gets to a night out. The dealer shuffles, the ball drops, the cards turn over, and you see all of it on camera. You place bets through buttons on your screen, and the result is whatever physically happens at the table.

That is the big difference from regular online table games, where a random number generator decides the outcome in a split second. Live games are slower, more social and, for many players, easier to trust because you watch every step.

How a live table works

1. You pick a table from the live lobby. Each one shows the game, the dealer, and the minimum and maximum bets.
2. A betting window opens. A timer counts down while you place chips on the layout.
3. Betting closes and the dealer acts. The wheel spins, the cards are dealt, or the wheel of a game show turns.
4. The result is read automatically and winnings land in your balance within seconds.
5. The next round starts. On busy tables, that is every 30 to 60 seconds.

You can usually chat with the dealer through a text box. Be polite; the dealer reads it live.

The main live games, and who they suit

Blackjack

The one live game where your choices change the odds. Learn basic strategy (when to hit, stand, double and split) and stick to it. Seats at popular tables fill up, so many live blackjack games let unlimited players bet on the same hand; you play the dealer's cards, not against other players.

Roulette

European roulette with a single zero is the version to look for, because it has a lower house edge than double-zero tables. Some live roulette tables add random multipliers on certain numbers. Fun, but those tables usually pay a little less on regular straight-up wins to make room for the multipliers.

Baccarat

Bet on Player, Banker or Tie. Banker wins slightly more often, which is why a small commission is taken on Banker wins at most tables. The Tie bet pays well but comes up rarely, and it has a much higher house edge. Most experienced players skip it.

Game shows

Big spinning wheels, bonus rounds, presenters rather than dealers. They are designed to be entertaining, and they are. They also have higher house edges than classic tables, so treat them as the dessert, not the main course.

Six casinos with live tables

Five casinos in our lobby have a live section with blackjack, roulette, baccarat and game shows. The real difference between them is the welcome offer and how you like the lobby to feel.

CasinoPurple has the cleanest live lobby of the six, which helps when you want to see table limits at a glance. CasinoWinner has the biggest welcome match, though see the note on wagering below. YourWin24 is the pick if you want to watch a match on the sportsbook side and play a hand of blackjack at half-time.

Live casino and bonuses: read this first

Live dealer games often count less towards wagering requirements than slots do, and sometimes they do not count at all. That is common across the industry, because table games have a low house edge and a bonus could otherwise be cleared at very little cost.

What this means in practice:

• If you mainly play live games, a large deposit match may take a long time to clear.
• A smaller match, such as CasinoPurple's 100% with PURPLE100 or Cas2Bet's 100% with CAS100, may be easier to manage.
• Some players prefer to clear the bonus on slots first and then move to the live tables with real money.

Always check the game contribution table in the bonus rules on the casino's site. Our wagering requirements guide explains how contribution percentages change the maths.

Bankroll tips for live tables

• Divide your session budget by 30 to 50. That gives a sensible bet size and enough rounds to enjoy the session.
• Watch a few rounds before you bet. It costs nothing and you will learn the table's rhythm and interface.
• Ignore "hot" and "cold" number displays. Roulette has no memory. Past results are on screen for entertainment, not prediction.
• Use a session timer. Live tables run back to back without a natural pause. Our responsible gambling guide explains how to set one.

Live casino on your phone

Each of the casinos above has an app for iPhone and Android that installs from the website. Live streams look good on a phone, especially in landscape, but they use far more data than slots, so use Wi-Fi when you can. Installation steps are in our casino apps guide.

Live dealer versus regular table games

If you want something quicker between live hands, our guides to crash games and online slots cover the other big sections of the lobby.