Hi-Lo Western Live is a re-skin of Playtech’s Hi-Lo Live Dealer game, but this time, it has a Western theme, very similar to the styling used in Sticky Bandit Roulette Live. In fact, you can see the studio in the background.
The main difference in this version of the game is the inclusion of a Side bet, The Wanted Card, which, if chosen, delivers a payout of between 20x and 500x.
The game rounds are fast, and payouts are dynamically adjusted for each round based on the value of the base card.
In this review, I’ll explain how to play Hi-Lo Western, discuss strategies you might employ when playing and demonstrate the game in my Video Review.
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As the name suggests, this is a live dealer game in which you bet on whether the next card drawn from the deck is higher or lower than the previous card.
There are many different betting options. The payouts get adjusted for each game based on the value of the base card. The fewer options to complete the bet, the better the payout.
The idea of the game is to guess whether the next card drawn will be higher or lower than the last card. There are many different betting options, some with fixed payouts and some like the Higher / Lower bets with variable payouts calculated on the value of the base card.
You need to place one or more bets on the betting grid to get started.
The betting options are:
The dealer takes four cards from the dealing shoe when the game starts. The first three cards are discarded or burned, with the fourth becoming the Base card. It’s this card you place your bets against. He’ll then draw a fifth card to compare against the Base card. This situation only occurs when the table first opens. The more likely scenario is the one I describe below.
Once the game is in full swing, the Drawn card from the previous round becomes the Base card for the next round. The dealer draws four cards from the deck, discards the first three and uses the fourth to compare against the Base card.
The dealer turns the fourth card over, holding it up, and faces the camera to show the result.
He places the card on the table to the left or right of the base card, indicating if it’s Higher or Lower.
The playing interface calculates whether you’ve won and makes the appropriate payment to your account.
The Drawn card now becomes the Base card for the next game round and is placed in the centre spot on the table.
I’ll start by saying that you’re in the wrong place if you’re looking for a strategy to guarantee you’ll win. Strategies like that don’t exist; if anyone says they do, they’re lying.
It is a game of chance, but you can use a strategy to bet smart and reduce simple mistakes that stop you from winning. A win, whatever the odds are, is a good thing, so finding bets where you’re more likely to win is what we need to do.
The most obvious bet is Red/Black, which gives a 50% chance of winning. The payout is less than 2:1. It’s 1.92:1 – which is lower than you’ll get on Baccarat and Roulette, so be sure you want to play this game.
I like bets on Higher / Lower when the base card is 6,7,8.
I also like a small bet on Snap and The Wanted Card.
I bet big when the game is more in my favour. You sacrifice the payout, but when a three is the base card, bet a lot on Higher; the same is true when there’s a KIng; bet a lot on Lower. The returns are 1.15:1 on each, so you’ll not win much compared to how much you bet. Of course, you can still lose, but the odds are in your favour.
Bet smart like this, and you’ll keep your bankroll turning over. You might even get a nice hit on the Wanted Card and walk away with 500x!
There are two types of Payouts available on Hi Lo Western Live.
Variable payouts change depending on the value of the Base card. These apply to the higher and lower categories.
Then, there are fixed payouts for specific results that can occur, whatever the base card. These win if the drawn card falls into one of the categories.
If the Base Card is a Two, the Lower bet is disabled, and if it’s an Ace, the Higher is disabled.
The RTP also changes for every bet type. Therefore, it ranges from 96.00% to 96.67%.
The best RTP is Higher when the base card is a King and Lower when the base card is a three at 96.67%. The worst is Red/Black at 96.00%.
| Card On Table | Lower Payout | Lower RTP | Higher Payout | Higher RTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two | 1.05x | 96.59% | ||
| Three | 11.56x | 96.67% | 1.15x | 96.17% |
| Four | 5.78x | 96.67% | 1.28x | 96.23% |
| Five | 3.85x | 96.59% | 1.44x | 96.33% |
| Six | 2.89x | 96.67% | 1.65x | 96.59% |
| Seven | 2.31x | 96.33% | 1.92x | 96.33% |
| Eight | 1.92x | 96.33% | 2.31x | 96.59% |
| Nine | 1.65x | 96.97% | 2.89x | 96.67% |
| Jack | 1.44x | 96.59% | 3.85x | 96.59% |
| Queen | 1.28x | 96.67% | 5.78x | 96.67% |
| King | 1.15x | 96.67% | 11.56x | 96.67% |
| Ace | 1.05x | 96.59% |
| Bet | Payout | RTP |
|---|---|---|
| Snap | 12.06x | 96.65% |
| Ace | 11.56x | 96.33% |
| Ace/King | 5.78x | 96.33% |
| Ace/Jack | 2.89x | 96.33% |
| 2,3,4,5 | 2.89x | 96.33% |
| 6,7,8,9 | 2.89x | 96.33% |
| Black/Red | 1.92x | 96.00% |
| Wanted | 20x, 30x, 40x, 50x, 100x, 200x, 500x. | 96.17% |
Playtech provides two sets of statistical data on the game. On the main screen, a rolling list of the past 100 game rounds shows the Value and Suit of the card drawn.
It also shows when the result was a Wanted card and its multiplier.
In a separate window, the stats screen compiles results data using the last 500 results. It shows the dispersion of results between all of the cards, the balance between Red and Black, how the results split across the 1/3rd bets, and finally, how many of the results were a Wnated Card.
This information can be helpful, but remember, previous results have no bearing on future results!1
Hi-Lo Western Live is an excellent upgrade from the original Hi-Lo Playtech, launched about seven years ago. Adding the Wanted Card, which gives a multiplier payout, is simple yet brings the game up to date as players have become accustomed to multiplier payouts.
The game’s styling fits the existing Sticky Bandits theme on Roulette. The horseshoe-shaped table is a nice touch. The auto shuffler keeps the game moving, and while I’m not a fan of these, they work well for this game.
If you like the simplicity of Hi Lo games, this is a great choice.
If you’re a fan of the Hi-Lo game, where you bet on the outcome of two cards, there are similar games you can try.
Playtech Hi-Lo is the obvious choice, but don’t ignore Dragon/Tiger or Lightning Dragon Tiger for some multiplier action, and while not quite the same, the High Card wins!
Neil Walker
I’m Neil Walker, and I created this site to provide information on everything related to Live Dealer Games. I do extensive research, play and test all the games, and author all the content. I’ve appeared in the media and presented at conferences—you can read more about me on my About Page. I’ve been doing this full-time since 2014, and I am trusted for my straightforward reviews and honest opinions.
Where you can find me:
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