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How To Play Live Roulette – The Ultimate Guide 2024

how to play live dealer roulette

On this page, you’ll learn how to play live dealer roulette, how it differs from other roulette games you have played, the varieties of games and where to play them.

You’ll find the best game selection here: low to high-stakes tables, win multipliers, reduced house edge, LED-lit layouts, and so much more!

Live dealer roulette is the best way to play the game of roulette because the innovations you’ll see don’t exist anywhere else.

Also, live roulette is a provably fair, technologically advanced, safe and secure way to play roulette on any desktop or mobile device. Actual roulette wheels are used; sometimes, you can play on tables in land-based casinos!

I assume you already know how to play roulette and only need specific information regarding live dealer roulette.

I still review the roulette rules and the betting options explained; you’ll find them at the bottom of this page. It’s a good read.

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What’s So Special About Live Dealer Roulette?

After you read this page, you’ll know exactly what makes live roulette stand out and why I am dedicating so much space to it on this site.

It’s the only way to play real roulette, with an actual wheel and ball, without visiting a physical casino.

Furthermore, since it’s the software company responsible for developing live dealer roulette, there’s a lot of innovation involved, making the roulette game better than ever. And you can access all those games from any device anytime.

Best Live Roulette Games

You’d be forgiven for thinking that roulette is the same old game with the exact probabilities and house edge wherever you play it. However, you’d be wrong!

Live dealer roulette has evolved in several exciting directions, some of which I’ll mention in this article.

Speed Roulette

A separate niche in live dealer roulette aims to speed the game up. Four versions of the game have been developed. Two have live dealers, and two use automated slingshot wheels.

GameDeveoperSeconds Per SpinBetting TimeHuman Dealer?
Speed Auto RouletteEvolution03-3815No
Slingshot Auto RouletteEvolution35-3717No
Speed RouletteEvolution25-28EmbeddedYes
Speed RoulettePlaytech3510Yes

French Roulette

French Roulette has existed for several centuries – it’s the traditional version of the game.

Live dealer roulette has given it new life, and now you can play traditional French Roulette with the la partage rule at any time of day from any device!

If you’re playing even money bets, the ball drops in the Zero pocket, and you lose, and you get half your stake back! It’s probably the best version of Roulette if you play even money bets, as the RTP is higher than standard European Roulette.

Innovative Roulette Games, incl. Multiplier Roulette

Here’s a list of the latest innovations that bring the game of online roulette to the next level. You can’t see these in land-based casinos yet, although Lightning Roulette will be available at the Hippodrome Casino in London.

The innovations include games with win multipliers and Blaze Roulette, where the table layout lights up.

Here are some of the most popular innovative roulette games.

GameDeveloperInnovation
Xxxtreme Lightning RouletteEvolutionMultipliers
Quantum RoulettePlaytechMultipliers up to 500x on straight-up bets
Double Ball RouletteEvolutionTwo balls; 1300:1 jackpot
Age of the Gods Bonus RoulettePlaytech4 progressive jackpots, bonus round
Mega Fire Blaze RoulettePlaytechProgressive jackpots, multipliers, bonus round
Aviator Casino RouletteEvolutionLED table; streamed from Tbilisi, Georgia
Spread Bet RoulettePlaytechSpread bet payout up to 400:1

Roulette Streamed from Real Casinos

Authentic Gaming is the leading company that streams roulette action from land-based casinos and allows you to place bets online.

This represents a separate niche in live roulette that other developers also exploit.

Most notably, Authentic Gaming streams live casino action from the tribal Foxwoods Resorts Casino in Connecticut, the second-largest Western casino in the world.

You can also “visit” Hippodrome in London, as well as Grosvenor and Ritz Club. I can also recommend the Maltese casinos Casino Malta, Portomaso and Oracle.

Visit this page to see the complete list of casinos you can play at without travelling there.

Native Roulette

In recent years, there has been an increase in native language tables, with live dealers who speak a particular language.

You’ll find German, Turkish, Russian, Greek, Swedish, and Danish Roulette in most casinos. Indian Roulette is becoming popular, as are Japanese, Brazilian and Koren. As long as there’s a demand, there will be a native roulette table.

Low-Stake Live Roulette

Low stake live roulette can be considered a separate niche, as live dealer roulette tables don’t have small table limits.

However, a few live roulette games defy this rule and offer bets for as low as 10p.

Sometimes these roulette tables will be innovative ones. You’ll find the complete list of low-stakes roulette tables on this page.

High Roller Live Roulette

If there’s a niche for penny players, there’s most certainly a niche for high roller players who bet thousands on a roulette spin.

Only a handful of tables will accept such a high bet, and you’ll find them here.

Live Dealer Roulette vs Land-Based vs RNG Roulette

You may come from a land-based roulette background, where you’ve played roulette in brick-and-mortar casinos. Or you might play online, but only the automated roulette games using a random number generator (RNG) to produce results.

I explain the differences between RNG and live dealer games in this article.

Here I’ll briefly repeat, live dealer games are truly random in a life-like way, while in RNG, you’re betting on results of randomly generated numbers by a computer.

Playing RNG means you’re missing out on the beauty of actual roulette wheels and balls and don’t have the interaction with a human presenter.

Live dealer roulette, played online, is superior to land-based roulette. It is more technologically advanced, you are more confident the wheel is not biased in any way, you are safer as you’re playing from your own home, and you’re still getting the authentic roulette experience as an actual wheel is used.

It’s not even a contest.

Live dealer roulette is the superior version of roulette. The only argument in favour of land-based casino roulette is that you can enjoy the atmosphere and the social aspect of spending a night at the casino.

But no one can do that every night! Live dealer roulette comes to the rescue when you want to play without going out.

How To Play Live Roulette

Roulette with a live dealer is very easy to play.

The primary aim of the game is to predict which number or colour the ball will land on when it’s spun on the wheel.

The wheel contains 37 numbers 0 to 36 (on a European wheel) or 38 numbers 0,00 to 36 (on an American wheel).

The numbers are coloured Red or Black. The colours alternate around the wheel, while the numbers are assigned a colour determined by their position in a number sequence. I’ll explain that shortly.

After players have placed their bets, the croupier sets the wheel spinning before flicking the ball around the edge in the opposite direction. Sometimes the wheel is spun one way, and other times it alternates between clockwise and Anti-clockwise.

When the ball loses momentum, it will skip over the edges of the number segments before finally settling in one of the number wells.

The croupier places a dolly on the winning number on the table and removes all the losing bets.

This is usually done by sweeping them with their hand into a collection hole by the side of the table.

Winning bets are then paid out.

The Wheel

The European roulette wheel has 37 numbers, 1-36, with an additional 0.

For numbers between 1-10 and 19-28, the even numbers are coloured Black and the odd numbers Red.

The even numbers are assigned Red, and the odd Black for numbers between 11-18 and 29-36.

The 0 (Zero) usually is Green.

The American roulette wheel has an additional 0 called the 00 (double Zero), usually green.

The Table

The layouts for American and European Roulette are different in online live roulette.

European Roulette Wheel Layout

European Roulette table layout

American Roulette Wheel Layout

american roulette layout

Live Dealer Roulette: How to Place Bets

Evolution Live Roulette

evolution live roulette

Playtech Live Roulette

playtech live roulette

Pragmatic Live Roulette

pragmatic live roulette

In live dealer roulette, you’ll place your bets using a playing interface designed by the software developer. The interfaces have a similar look and feel among all the developers. The differences are generally minor, with some providing more assistance in placing special bets and lots of statistical information.

In the images above, you can see some of the most commonly used betting consoles by live roulette developers.

It takes some know-how to place bets where you want them, which I’ll cover in the following section in more detail.

Roulette Bets, Payouts and Probabilities

Roulette offers many more betting options than the simple Red/Black and straight-up number bets everyone uses.

Read the following guide even if you’re familiar with roulette bets. I mention some eye-opening things that might change how you approach your roulette betting.

First, let’s briefly cover the inside and outside bets, and then we’ll deal with the payouts of “called bets” in more detail. This information can be challenging to find, and you’ll be glad you’ve read it here.

Outside Bets

I’ll cover the outside bets first, as everyone is familiar with betting on Red or Black. Two more bets, Even / Odd and Low / High, offer the same chance of winning and the same payout.

In this context, I must also mention the Voisins du Zero called bet, as it offers a good payout and covers just one number less than these standard two-sided bets.

If you’re a player who often bets on these two-sided bets, I suggest you play at a French roulette table. The house edge is reduced from 2.70% to 1.35% for these bets as the la partage rule gives half your stake back if you lose when the ball lands on zero.

The Dozen and Column bets offer an increased payout and roughly a 1/3 chance of winning. Tiers du Cylindre is a “called bet” that acts the same as these bets.

BetOther NamesPayoutProbability
Column2-132.43%
1st 12 (Dozen)2-132.43%
2nd 12 (Dozen)2-132.43%
3rd 12 (Dozen)2-132.43%
Odd1-148.65%
Even1-148.65%
RedColour Bet1-148.65%
BlackColour Bet1-148.65%
Low1-181-148.65%
High19-361-148.65%

Inside Bets

The inside bets are all bets on numbers.

They start with the most obvious one: betting 1 unit on a number. If you place your chip at the border between the two numbers on the betting layout, it will be a Split bet where either of these numbers will pay 17:1. If you place your chip on the cross-section between four numbers, that’s a Corner bet.

Lightning Roulette, Xxxtreme Lightning Roulette and Quantum Roulette are roulette games that randomly assign win multipliers to straight-up numbers.

If you like betting on straight-up numbers, consider playing one of the games above to have a chance to land a win multiplier. Note that multipliers only apply to straight-up bets, not Splits or other inside bets. Consider playing Mega Fire Blaze Roulette if you want multipliers on all inside bets.

A Street or Line bet is made by placing a chip at the outside border of the line on the betting layout that displays a row of three numbers. You can also do that but cover two rows instead, in which case it’s a Double Street bet covering six numbers.

The 5-number bet is absent from the above table as it’s a Basket bet that can only be placed on American roulette wheels. It’s among the worst bets you can make on this game.

BetsOther NamesPayoutProbability
Single NumberStraight, Straight-Up35:12.70%
2 NumbersSplit17-15.41%
3 NumbersStreet, Line, Basket*11-18.11%
4 NumbersCorner, Square8:110.81%
6 Numbers6 Line, Double Street5-116.22%

* A bet on European roulette 0, 2, 3 is also called a Basket bet, although it only covers three numbers.

Called Bets

Placing a called bet in live dealer roulette is a simple process that can be done with just one click.

However, it’s worth noting that a called bet combines various bets that cover your chosen numbers.

Some roulette tables may not have a racetrack. Therefore, to play with called bets, you must check if the table has a racetrack before placing your bets.

Jeu Zero (Zero Game)

Zero game is a bet of 4 units on a total of 7 numbers that include zero.

It is made up of three Split bets. 0 and 3, 12 and 15, 32 and 35 each pay 17:1, and a single straight-up bet on the number 26 pays 35:1.

The odds of winning this bet are 18.9%. You play Jeu Zero to cover the wheel portion right next to the zero, but you hope the ball will land on 26, as this will give you the best payout. You’ll win almost 9x.

NumbersUnitsPayoutBet Type
0,3117 to 1Split
12,15117 to 1Split
26135 to 1Straight
32,35117 to 1Split
Total Numbers = 7Total Units = 4

Voisins du Zero (Neighbours of Zero)

This bet is an expansion of Jeu Zero. It covers 17 numbers and uses nine units to place the needed bets.

The bet on 0, 2 and 3 is a 2-unit Basket bet that pays 11:1. A 2-unit bet on 25, 26, 27, and 28 will pay 8:1, as it’s a Corner bet. The remaining ten numbers are covered with five Split bets that will pay 17:1 if any of these numbers land.

The odds of winning are 45.95%, and you’d win the most if the ball lands on 0, 2 or 3. The smallest payout is on 25, 26, 27, and 28, but not much less than the 17:1 that is the most common payout in this bet.

NumbersUnitsPayoutBet Type
0,2,3211 to 1Basket
4,7117 to 1Split
12,15117 to 1Split
18,21117 to 1Split
19,22117 to 1Split
25,26,28,2928 to 1Corner
32,35117 to 1Split
Total Numbers = 17Total Units = 9

Tiers du Cylindre (Third of the Wheel)

NumbersUnitsPayoutBet Type
5,8117 to 1Split
10,11117 to 1Split
13,16117 to 1Split
23,24117 to 1Split
27,30117 to 1Split
33,36117 to 1Split
Total Numbers = 12Total Units = 6

This bet covers 12 numbers, a third of the wheel, opposite the Voisins du Zero numbers.

The numbers that aren’t covered by either of these two bets are called Orphans, and we’ll deal with them in the next section.

Tiers du Cylindre is a bet that always pays the same, 17:1, or 3x, as you get 18 units back on a 6-unit bet.

The chance of winning is 32.43%, the same as the Thirds or Columns bet.

Many players prefer to bet on Tiers instead, as it covers a whole physical portion of the wheel.

Orphelins (Orphans)

NumbersUnitsPayoutBet Type
1135 to 1Straight
6,9117 to 1Split
14,17117 to 1Split
17,20117 to 1Split
31,34117 to 1Split
Total Numbers = 8Total Units = 5

Orphelins is a high-risk bet that offers a 21.62% chance of winning. The numbers 1 and 17 pay the most, as a straight-up bet covers one, and 17 is covered by a Split bet twice.

This bet covers the section between Voisins and Tiers and is a high-risk bet when played solo, but it is frequently used as an addition to either Voisins or Tiers bets to cover a more significant portion of the wheel.

For your reference, here are the probabilities and payouts of these two combinations. In either case, it’s the number 1 that offers the largest 35:1 payout.

CombinationNumbersUnitsProbabilityMin. PayoutMax. Payout
Voisins + Orphelins251467.57%8:1 (2 Units)35:1
Tiers + Orphelins201154.04%17:135:1

Neighbours

Finally, Neighbour is a variable bet that allows you to place a bet on multiple numbers adjacent to your chosen number on the wheel.

For example, if you bet on two neighbours, the bet is five units on five straight-up numbers. The chance of winning is 13.51%.

Neighbour bets are placed using the racetrack.

Conclusion and Further Reading

I hope that this live roulette guide has been useful to you. If you want to read more, here are some other interesting posts I have on this site:

How to Play Live Roulette – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does live roulette work?

Live dealer roulette is a variation that can be played online via any device. It streams live roulette action from a studio or a real casino, with a betting console on your screen that you can use to place bets.

How do you win live roulette?

You can win at live roulette like at any other roulette game. The bets and game rules are the same, except in some innovative live roulette games with win multipliers or other extra features.

Why play live roulette?

Live roulette is the best of both worlds, as you’re betting on the outcomes of an actual roulette wheel and ball from any device with an Internet connection. The action is live-streamed to your device, and you can place bets using the betting console.

Is live roulette real?

Yes, live roulette is as authentic as land-based casino roulette. It uses the same high-end wheels, there’s a live dealer, and the action is streamed from a studio or an actual land-based casino location.

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