Live Casino Game Shows

A new phenomenon in live casino games has been building over the past couple of years. It’s a new category of casino games known affectionately as online live game shows or Live Casino Entertainment Games.

This new game type brings a different dimension to gambling online with a live dealer.

The dynamics of the game are different from the more traditional live dealer games with fixed odds and payouts like Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat.

The best live game shows promise entertainment, large un-predictable wins and a playing experience like nothing you’ve seen before.

All of the major live casino software providers (Evolution, Playtech and Pragmatic Play) created new games in this category.

In this article, we’ll explore each of the games, identify similarities between them and most importantly where you can play.

What Are Live Entertainment Game Shows?

There’s been a bit of a debate into what constitutes a live game show. The lines are a little blurred. You could argue that any online live game with a host/presenter is there to provide entertainment, so therefore all games could be classified as game shows.

However I take a different view and in my mind, there are three types of Live Games.

1. Normal table games, that have come from land-based casinos or are traditionally played between players at home or other venues.
2. Table games that have been enhanced in some way to give greater payouts. These are typically games with Multipliers, so the likes of Lightning Roulette, Quantum Roulette, Super Sic Bo fall into this category.
3. Entertainment Games – A new styled game that brings together some aspects of traditional live dealer casino games, blended with RNG/Augmented reality, with a sprinkling of multipliers and the chance of massive payouts for a small bet.

This article is about the games that fall into category three, Entertainment Games.

History of Live Casino Game Shows

This new breed of games was borne out of the desire to attract more players to live casino games.

To somehow find a way to bring some of the excitement that slots can bring with the large unpredictable wins to a live game. Another key component was to make the games entertaining and immersive, to try and attract an audience that would otherwise shy away from playing the more traditional table games.

The first of these live dealer entertainment games to be created was by Evolution, who has been pioneering the way forward in this new category. The game Dream Catcher looks like a familiar wheel of fortune game, but with a twist. Multiplier segments were added to the wheel to boost the possible wins. Playtech followed suit with their version, Spin A Win and the rest is history.

The next major advancement was the addition of Bonus rounds to these games. Monopoly Live was created, and this was a game-changer. This game has a recognisable brand, but more importantly augmented reality is used to take the player on a journey into a virtual world where the bonus round is played. The opportunities for huge wins are limitless, with many wins over 1000’s of stake value.

At this point games consisted of a Big Wheel, multipliers, augmented reality and some known game branding.

Game development went four ways:

• The use of Multipliers applied to traditional table games.
• The use of other mechanics to drive the games
• The creation of games using famous board games and TV shows as the theme.
• The bringing together of slots live and augmented reality.

Have all Entertainment Game Shows been successful?

The live casino providers have been trying to outdo each other with varying degrees of success.

Not all of the games released have remained popular after the initial surge to play them.

One of the issues is player engagement and involvement. To be successful there has to be a gambling element and decisions required by the player. Games that require just a bet to be made and then watch the game unfold are not that popular in the long term, regardless of the payout you can get.

The one exception to that is Crazy Time from Evolution. It is by far the best online game show, the number of player’s amounts to 1000’s in a session and the payouts have been absolutely mega.

Live Game Shows in More Detail

Let’s take a look at all the game show live games

I’ll break them down into categories to make them easier to digest and compare.

1. Big Wheel Game Shows
2. Bingo Type Game Shows
3. Augmented Reality / Slots

Big Wheel Game Shows

What is common between all of these is the Big Wheel, which is used to drive the game.

The most straightforward are Dream Catcher, Spin A Win and Mega Wheel.

Evolution Dream Catcher

Playtech Spin A Win

Pragmatic Play Mega Wheel

Evolution Monopoly Dream Catcher

Evolution Crazy Time

Playtech Adventures Beyond Wonderland

Playtech Money Drop Live

Bingo Type Game Shows

These entertainment games are driven by a bingo machine. Coloured or numbered balls are drawn from the machine during the games to provide a result that is acted upon.

It’s an alternative way of selecting a result, and a bit different from the big wheel games we’ve become used to.

Evolution Mega Ball Live

Evolution Cash or Crash

Playtech Deal Or No Deal The Big Draw

Augmented Reality/Slot Type Game Shows

These entertainment games are driven by an RNG engine. While the game is presented as being a live game – there is a live host/presenter of the game, all aspects of the game, with the exception of the player choice, is drive by a Randon Generator Engine (RNG). The results are determined by a computer, not by a human being or live-action.

I would compare these games to Slots – they have similar RTP’s and in my opinion about as fun!

Evolution Deal Or No Deal Live

Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt Live

Which is the Best Live Game Show to Play?

The best live game show is really down to personal choice.

Things to consider is the entertainment value of the game:

• Did you have fun watching and playing?
• Did you lose your money quickly or slowly?
• Were the wins small and constant or big and not very often? This is the volatility of the game – some players like a more volatile game than others.
• Did the game make sense – i.e. could you work out the best way to play to get enjoyment?
• Are you playing just for the thrill of the big win?

The best overall Entertainment Game show that I would recommend is Evolution Crazy Time.

I think this game delivers on multiple levels.

You can play really conservatively, and using a strategy can turn your money over for hours, while you watch others busting out chasing the big wins.

Equally, you can play high stakes on just the wheel and walk away with a profit – forget the bonus rounds.

Or just play just the bonus rounds  – you’ll lose lots but hope to make it back up with a big win or two.

A lower volatility alternative would be Playtech’s Adventures beyond Wonderland which has the same sort of game mechanic, but fewer big win opportunities.

If you prefer something simpler, then Pragmatic Play’s Mega Wheel will do the trick.

What are the RTP’s of the Live Game Show Games?

The RTP’s are all different, and depending on the game show you’re playing there may be a range of RTP’s for the different bet types.

Let’s take a look at each live entertainment game and compare the RTP’s.

• Cash or Crash – 99.59% RTP.
• Spin A Win – 97.22% RTP.
• Adventures Beyond Wonderland – 96.82% RTP.
• Dream Catcher – 96.58% RTP.
• Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt – 96.56% RTP.
• Pragmatic Mega Wheel – 96.51% RTP.
• Money Drop Live – 94.01% – 96.48 RTP.
• Monopoly Dream Catcher – 96.23% RTP.
• Evolution Deal or No Deal – 95.42% RTP.
• Mega Ball – 95.40% RTP.
• Playtech Deal or No Deal – 95.28% RTP.
• Crazy Time – 96.08% – 94.34% RTP.

The most obvious game show to play is Cash or Crash, with the highest RTP. But this comes at a cost, in so much the game is very straightforward and can return a profit by just continually cashing out when in profit. Of course, no one plays like that, so the RTP will actually be a lot lower because of the way people will play this game.

Good games to play are Crazy Time and Adventures Beyond Wonderland. If you pay these sensibly you’ll get either a long playtime or return a profit. If you chase big wins, you’ll lose. These games are excellent for building anticipation and then swiping your legs from underneath you., leaving you swearing at the screen. In my experience, this is truer of Crazy Time than Adventures Beyond Wonderland.

Money Drop Live has great potential, but you need the boosters in play increasing the safe zones to really stand a chance of getting a decent win. The idea of allowing the player to determine the risk they want to take on the game is pure genius. It’s a game for all player types.

Summary of Live Entertainment Game Shows

To be honest I was a little sceptical when the first of the game shows appeared. I didn’t see how a game like Dream Catcher could possibly deliver the same sort of highs that a good slot delivers.

In some ways, I was right, because the game lacked something, which was put right with the next game to be launched, Monopoly Dream Catcher.

This really was a turning point, as you had a live game being supplemented with slots type technology. The mix is delightful, with players able to anticipate massive wins for a small bet and still benefit from a “live” experience.

The games that have followed have been both experimental and groundbreaking. Crazy Time seems to have hit the peak, but with more games being developed off the back of TV series and famous board games, I’m sure there is a lot more to come.

Live Casino Game Shows Frequently Asked Questions?

Can You Play Live Game Shows For Free?

Unfortunately, Live Casino Game shows cannot be played for free. However, it’s possible to watch the games and it’s also possible to play for as little as 0.10 a spin.

What is a Live Casino Game Show?

A Live Casino Gameshow is a relatively new concept in online live gambling. Games have been created to provide more entertainment, be it through elaborate studios, hosts dressed in costumes or live betting games we’ve never seen before. The minimum stakes are generally very low, with the potential for big wins being huge.

Which Software Providers Have Live Dealer Game Shows?

Only three Live Casino Providers currently produce live games that can be classified as Game Shows. Leading the way is Evolution, followed by Playtech and finally Pragmatic Play.

What is the House Edge (RTP) on Live Game Shows?

The house edge varies between games. The lowest edge sits with Evolution Cash or Crash at 0.41%, while the worse is Playtech Deal or No Deal at 4.72%. Click for a full list of Game Show RTP’s.

What are the Live Entertainment Game Shows?

The Live Entertainment Shows are currently Dream Catcher, Monopoly Dream Catcher, Spin A Win, Crazy Time, Adventures beyond Wonderland, Cash or Crash, Mega Ball, Deal or No Deal, Deal Or No Deal The Big Draw, Mega Wheel, Money Drop and Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt.

Are there Strategies for Playing Live Online Game Shows?

There are playing strategies you can adopt to make your bankroll last longer, but there are no strategies that guarantee you’ll win. This is gambling, with a house edge already factored in. The only people to win consistently will be the casinos providing the games.

Best Live Casino Game Show Casinos

www.begambleaware.org