What is live dealer roulette?

Many historians believe that a primitive form of the game, meaning little wheel in French, was devised in 18^th France by Mathematician Blaise Pascal. Since that time, it has spun continents and undergone makeovers by many a mathematician, entrepreneur, or both, all of whom played a part in what online live dealer roulette is today.

As far as formal roulette definitions go, these are often lengthy explanations of a game round which we promise to present in finer detail further down. For now, just know that it is a game of chance where players choose to place their chips on individual numbers, or a grouping of numbers, based on where they speculate the roulette ball will lay to rest on the wheel.

Therefore, live dealer roulette is the 21^st century reiteration of this 300+ year old concept that benefits from the rapid growth of technology, reduced latency and the advent of mobile and AI, making it accessible anytime, anywhere.

Pretty cool, right? Let’s get into it then.

Benefits of live dealer roulette

• Real-time gameplay
• Interactivity
• HD-streaming
• Varying bet levels
• Innovative releases
• Accessible 24/7, on the move

A closer look at the live dealer roulette table layout, wheel, numbers and more

The game of roulette is a wonderful thing. Much like a classical instrument or a high-performance sports car, each wheel and betting table is masterfully designed and crafted to the highest precision before it can be used to play the game. From the get-go, it’s clear that there’s more to it than meets the eye. Let’s take a look.

The roulette table and dolly

The roulette table is the area where you place your bets, so make sure you familiarise yourself with it. The surface of the table is covered in coloured felt with marked red, black and green sections. These coloured sections make up a grid that highlights the several types of bets that you can make. The table also includes the racetrack area, aptly named as it actually does resemble a racetrack. This area is basically used to place call bets quickly during a game. It’s a more advanced feature, so for now, focus on getting your head around the main grid area.

The dolly is a marker that is placed on the winning roulette number, so all the players know exactly what the outcome of the game was. Online, the croupier either places it on a physical table or it’s digitally overlaid on the winning number in the game’s interface.

The roulette wheel and ball

The little wheel is divided into alternating red and black pockets but how many numbers are there on a live dealer roulette wheel? It is divided up equally between 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers, numbered from 0-36, while the 0 is green. This applies to all variants of the game, but there are, of course, some differences between them too. For example, the American roulette wheel numbers include an extra number, 00, which brings the number of pockets up to thirty-eight. The differences between the wheels will be highlighted on the Variants page, so check there if you’re looking for further details.

The roulette ball is typically between 18-20 mm in size and is made out of either acetal, nylon or phenolic. The material it’s made from affects the bounciness of the ball, and the livelier it is, the harder it is to predict where it will come to rest.

The roulette dealer

Live dealer roulette is essentially hosted by a games presenter, and much like any other individual who must perform in front of a camera, each one undergoes intensive training before they’re ready to step beneath the spotlight. In fact, Evolution Gaming has its own state-of-art training facilities – the Evolution Academy – in both Riga and Malta.

Roulette chip values

The chips are used to place your bets. Each one is colour coded with a different value assigned to each colour. Unfortunately, these aren’t standard between the various software suppliers so you cannot memorise colour-value associations blindly. Take the two game providers we’ve listed below for example:

Authentic Gaming chips Yellow : €1 Orange: €2 Green: €5 Blue: €10 Purple: €20 Red: €25 Grey: €100 Black: €250

Evolution Gaming chips Orange: €0.50 Grey: €1 Red: €5 Green: €25 Burgundy: €50 Black: €100 Purple: €500

As you have probably guessed, the chips in online casino live dealer roulette are digital. This means that all you have to do is choose the value you want to bet and place them on the type of bet you want to make. This is all done through the interface that is displayed on the screen.

Roulette etiquette

This includes all the unwritten rules of playing live dealer roulette. Although they are not the pinnacle of playing and winning, you are still expected to abide by them or run the risk of being asked to leave the game. Always be polite to the croupier and leave them a tip if you win big on the wheel. You should be respectful to the other players too and avoid any touchy subjects in the group chat. Finally, remember that when you’re at the table you’re there to participate. It’s OK to sit in for a couple of rounds while you’re getting the hang of things but don’t remain a bystander for too long.

The game environment

The environment is completely dependent on whether you’re viewing a stream from a real casino or a studio. In addition, the look and feel of the studio environment will vary on whether the provider utilises green screen technology or actual tables. Some providers form close relationships with online casinos to create unique, bespoke gaming areas. All this variety means that you’re sure to find playing surroundings to suit your style.

The stream

Game providers harness continuous advancements and reduced latency to provide you with high-level roulette. Since your internet connection and speed will affect the stream, there’s usually the option to adjust it accordingly. Multiple camera angles with close-up and slowed-down shots of the ball landing in the winning pocket also enhance the experience. A perfect example of this is Evolution’s Immersive series. The stream you settle on is up to your specific preferences.

The interface

The interface displays all the information you could possibly need to play a game of live roulette. The betting layout, hot and cold numbers, history, customisable settings, stats on last rounds, sound, visuals, cameras and game info are all found here. Most interfaces will be free from too much clutter, so they can be optimised for a wide variety of screen sizes.