Gambling NewsCasino GamblingOnline GamblingBlackjackVideo PokerSlotsCrapsPokerRoulette
ReadyBetGo! HomeCasino Gambling HomeCasino StrategyCasino CompsCasino NewsCasino Gambling Books
Did You Know Odds are Better Online?
Book Picture
Maintaining the glitzy building on the Las Vegas Strip costs a large fortune. Who pays for this? You do because the house edge on the Strip is high! Since playing online entails no brick and mortar glitz, the house edge is lower and your odds of winning increase.
Play Now at Bodog Online!

Live casino and Live Show Overview and Comparison

by ReadyBetGo Editor

Live casino games and live shows are two ways to enjoy iGaming, which means casino experience over the internet. Both are performed by real people, but there is an important difference between them.ReadyBetGo EditorThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
  A live casino game is an actual casino game that has the same rules as in the real casino, while a live show is a casino-like game played in a studio and with bonus features and extra entertainment that set it apart from an ordinary casino game.

A live casino roulette session is identical to being in the casino and playing real roulette. On the other hand, a live show can feature a roulette-like game with bonuses and multipliers normally not found in a casino. In general, both ways of playing let players try the demo version of games, which doesn’t use real money.

An online casino can offer classic casino games and a section dedicated to live casino games. Take for example Bizzo Casino, which offers Book of Dragon: Hold and Win, a slots game playable in the browser, but also a section titled “Live Games” that has both live casino and live show games. Another website featuring many casino games is somagyarkaszino.com

Another provider of casino games is Lemon Casino. It has Gates of Olympus 1000, which is a blend between match-3 and slots games. In that game, played on a 5x6 grid, symbols fall from above and pay out no matter if they form a line or not. AmunRa is another casino, but it focuses on games themed around ancient Egypt. It offers both classic casino games and shows.

Live casino online

An online live casino lets anyone enjoy their favorite casino game, such as slots or roulette. Those games have all the same rules as in a casino and their appeal is in feeling like being in the casino with actual cards and the roulette wheel. The most popular games are:

  • live roulette
  • live blackjack
  • live poker

To play a live casino game, you must first enter a lobby. There you can see which games are available, how many players are in a game, and decide which table you want to join. Take your time to browse through the games list like you would on a real casino floor. If there are any requirements, such as minimum bets, they will be shown in the lobby.
It’s important to note that you can see the dealer, but he or she cannot see you. However, dealers most often have a monitor that shows how many people are at their table. Keep in mind that all the live casino games are on a strict time limit, just like in a real casino.

Live roulette

There are several notable types of live roulette, such as:

  • Live European Roulette
  • French Roulette
  • American Roulette
  • Lightning Roulette
  • XXXtreme Lightning Roulette
  • Immersive Roulette

The three first ones (European, French, and American) are the classic roulette types. European roulette has one zero and is standard in Europe. The French variant is not as common, because it reduces the house margin by adding special rules that let players recover some of their bet under certain conditions. Finally, the American type is the more popular type in the US and is easily recognizable by the double zero (00), which gives the casino a higher margin of wins.

The other three types (Lightning, XXXtreme, and Immersive) are closer to live shows. They feature special rules for the players and added randomness that make huge wins possible. Lightning Roulette is made by Evolution and features the presenter pulling a lever to indicate a bonus number. One to five numbers are randomly chosen on the wheel and they give 50–500 times higher payouts, giving players a chance to score a huge win.

XXXtreme Lightning Roulette is an even more outrageous version of roulette that takes the Lightning Roulette formula and amps it up to eleven. Just like in Lightning Roulette, the presenter pulls a lever after the wheel is spun, making random pockets on the wheel electrified. But, this time around, there is a bonus Chain Lightning round, in which electrified pockets can be struck again, offering 600–2,000 times higher payouts.

Finally, there is Immersive Roulette. It features multiple camera angles that zoom in on the wheel as the ball is spinning. The cameras provide high-definition video at 200 frames per second, allowing for cool slow-motion shots of the ball going around the wheel.

Live casino poker game on a mobile phone screen, with hands holding cards appearing to come out of the device, creating an immersive gaming experience.

Live blackjack

The most common online live blackjack types are:

  • Live Blackjack
  • Speed Blackjack
  • Infinite Blackjack
  • Infinite Fun 21 Blackjack
  • Lightning Blackjack
  • Free Bet Blackjack
  • Power Blackjack

There are special cards and tables used in all those blackjack live games. The cards have microchips and the table has a microchip reader embedded under the felt. As the blackjack live dealer deals the cards, the table automatically registers which cards they are and enters them into the system. Note that some blackjack types and some casinos let you surrender, getting back 50% of your bet.

Live Blackjack has all the same rules as real-life blackjack. A Speed Blackjack table can host up to 7 players at the same time. Each player can make decisions without waiting for other players to make theirs. Infinite Blackjack lets an infinite number of players sit at the same table while offering added bets, such as Six Card Charlie — if a player gathers any six cards without their sum going over 21, that player immediately wins the hand.

Infinite Fun 21 Blackjack also features unlimited seats at the table, but there is no Six Card Charlie rule. There are other rules to make up for it, such as Bonus 21 and Super Bonus 21. They let a player get 50 times the payout for special card combinations, such as having three spades in the hand.

Lightning Blackjack lets players who win one hand get a payout multiplier in the next one. In Free Bet Blackjack, the player gets a free split or double, while in Power Blackjack there is a special set of rules for splitting and doubling that favor the player. All the six special blackjack types are Evolution blackjack games.

Live poker

The most common live casino poker types are:

  • Casino Hold'em
  • 2 Hand Casino Hold'em
  • Side Bet City
  • Three Card Poker
  • Caribbean Stud Poker

Casino Hold'em is the most popular type of live poker that is identical to poker played in an actual casino. 2 Hand Casino Hold'em features two separate hands for the player as well as a bonus bet that increases the odds of winning. Each round uses a single deck that is reshuffled afterwards and offers payouts of up to 200 times the bet. Side Bet City removes the anxiety of choice and lets players compete against a paytable. There are no decisions to be made in this poker type besides the initial wager, which can be on the 3-card, 5-card, or 7-card hand.

In Three Card Poker live poker online game, both the player and the dealer get three cards and decide if they want to play. The dealer plays only if the dealer’s hand has a Queen or higher card. Caribbean Stud Poker gives each player five cards face down. The dealer turns over one of his cards, after which the players may look at theirs. There is a progressive jackpot in this type of poker.

Live show

Some of the most interesting live shows are:

  • Sweet Bonanza
  • Monopoly Big Baller
  • Crazy Pachinko

They feature elements from live casino games and add the goofy fun of a live show. Both types of iGaming fun can be found on energycasino. The main draw of a live show game is the host, who is often charming and personable. The shows are always interactive and dynamic, providing a unique experience with each round.

Sweet Bonanza

In 2017, Evolution casino launched the Dream Catcher game, which drew inspiration from Money Wheel games, where a vertical wheel is spun by the presenter. Pragmatic Play responded by launching their own version of the Money Wheel called Sweet Bonanza. In all versions, players put bets on a field and wait for it to land there.
For Sweet Bonanza, you can get a live stats tracker that lets you figure out which fields are more or less likely to come up next. It can also indicate if there is a high chance of an upcoming bonus round.

Monopoly Big Baller

Monopoly Big Baller is a live bingo show that features a riverboat cruise while drawing 20 balls one by one. The show uses augmented reality, which means there are items and elements that the presenter can manipulate and which seamlessly blend with the scenery.

Players in this live gambling show match the drawn numbers with the numbers on their card. If you complete one or more lines on your card, you win. Another version of this game is called Monopoly Live and is based on the game of Monopoly. It features all the Monopoly spaces as well as potential penalties for players who land on the wrong ones.

Crazy Pachinko

Crazy Pachinko takes the pachinko formula and combines it with slots. Pachinko entails dropping a ball down a wall with multiple pegs. The ball bounces around the pegs and lands in one of the slots at the bottom. This live show is hosted by a presenter who narrates the action.

The player qualifies for a Bonus round by collecting three symbols in the Qualification stage. In addition, the player has the option to boost the slot multipliers during the Top-up stage, making Crazy Pachinko one of the more exciting live casino games.

Live show prospects

There are many live shows, and we should look forward to many more exciting ones coming. Perhaps the most interesting concept regarding live shows is them becoming more and more like virtual reality. EnergyCasino is already experimenting in that way, although with classic casino games.

Take for example their Oktoberfest slots game, where the classic slot symbols are replaced with Oktoberfest staples and the background music is similarly themed. Playing that game feels like being at the Oktoberfest. There is also the Stock Market game where players can play with stocks, and again it replicates the same feeling as being in the stock market. We can expect other experiences beyond casino games to serve as the foundation for other live shows, using a fun formula that is easy to grok.

The most promising developer of live shows is Pragmatic Play. It offers all its games via a single API and in 33 languages. It received multiple awards and is certified and licensed in over 40 markets. The second one is Evolution.

© 2006-2023 ReadyBetGo!

ReadyBetGo! is an independent gambling news and information service. If you plan to play in casinos, ensure
that you are not breaking any local laws. It's up to you to know the legality of your actions when you gamble.