Live Dealer Games at the Best Casino Sites

The whole idea of online casinos has been to bring the glamour and thrill of land-based ones to everyone’s home. And though RNG games are a lot of fun, they hardly can get you wondering whether you’re in your own living room or at a classy casino. Live dealer games, on the other hand, do – they are arguably the single most important step in sites’ journey to recreating the atmosphere of a real casino. But the fun doesn’t stop there. In the hands of cutting-edge software companies and game developers, the live casino offers options that one could never find at a brick and mortar casino. There are curious game variations, tempting side bets, and probably the best of all is that users have a better control over their gaming experience because many settings are customisable.

The Best Live Casinos

Since players expect to see live dealer games, sites provide them. But there’s a huge difference between just any live casino and the one that is powered by the leaders in iGaming, the software companies that are on the wave of gaming progress and win awards and recognition regularly. Though some platforms allow for live dealer games, they are not doing a good job. You’ve probably had the unnerving experience of having to wait long for a game to load or wondering when, if at all, you’re going to see the live-steam because all you see is a blank screen. Don’t worry, we’re here to show you what the best live game options and platforms are. And our top operators are BetVictor, 888 Casino, and Casumo.

If you keep on reading, you’ll learn why these are the very best sites where you can enjoy playing against a real dealer. We’ve taken into account many aspects – not just the software platform but also the game collection, the availability of interesting side bets, the flawless transition to a mobile platform, and, last but not least, the special live casino promotional offers. We’ll now discuss all these in detail, starting with what makes live games a step-up from both RNG games and games in land-based casino palaces.

What’s New with Live Games?

There are two types of streams you can get at casino sites. The first one is a live broadcast from a land-based casino. It allows you to play at a famous place without wasting time travelling. If you’ve ever wanted to play at a casino in gambling paradise Malta, for example, Evolution Gaming are giving you the chance with their Dragonara Roulette table. However, the video is not so good and the dealer – not as dedicated to you as with the second option. The ultimate iGaming experience comes in the form of a live stream from specially built studios with everything you’d expect from a casino, except that these have a much greater number of tables and limits. Also, the dealers are extremely friendly and charming. The studios feature many cameras pointed at the dealer and the table, flawless lighting, and oftentimes you get replays and zoom-ins. Finally, thanks to the good competition in the industry, operators and game developers constantly come up with new and exciting variations, many of which would not even be possible at traditional casinos.

• Immersive Roulette
• Unlimited Blackjack
• Super 6 Baccarat
• Casino Hold’em

Apart from the unique games and side bets and the attractive, professional real dealers, online casinos boast some unprecedented customisation options. A player can explore the settings of each game and modify their experience according to their needs. At tables powered by Playtech, for example, you have the option to leave the chips won as a bet in the next round or not, to adjust the volume or turn off background sounds and/or the dealer’s voice. But probably the most exciting features are the camera angle play, the side bets, and the platform. And let’s not forget the exclusive live promotions.

Exploring the Camera Angles

Could anything be better than playing your game of choice against a real dealer? Indeed, there is something that could heighten your gameplay even more. Picture this: the croupiers are put in the spotlight, with multiple lights directed at them; a number of cameras show you the game from different angles and offer an instant replay. At Evolution Gaming’s Immersive Roulette and Playtech’s Live Prestige Roulette, for example, you’ll enjoy zoom-ins on the roulette wheel as the ball finds its place onto the winning slot in slow motion. The close-ups of the smiling dealers, coupled with their amicable behaviour and their welcoming you to the table by name, will make you feel as if you’re a VIP user in a private room.

Side Bets & Bet Behind

Side bets really flourish at gaming sites. There are plenty of interesting options with amazing payouts at blackjack and roulette. Extreme Live Gaming, for example, have quite a number of roulette varieties, each one with a different side bet available, including Sizzling Hot Roulette, Lucky Lady’s Roulette, Golden Ball Roulette, and Dolphin’s Pearl Roulette. Besides the regular roulette bets, these offer the chance to stake on a symbol, with different symbols having different payouts.

The ‘bet behind’ option is something truly unique to online operators and unavailable in regular casinos. Whether all the seats at your table of choice are taken or you prefer not to make the big decisions yourself, you can bet behind a player already seated at the table. That way you’ll accept their decisions, when it’s time to hit, stand or double down and if they win, you’ll win as well. Unlike traditional casinos, where seats are limited, online you can bet behind at almost any table. Besides, there are variants, such as Playtech’s Unlimited Blackjack and Evolution Gaming’s Live Blackjack Party, where there are no restrictions on the number of players.

The Platforms

All the wonderful things you get at online casinos would be impossible without the award-winning platforms powered by the greatest software companies. Players can easily recognise a good live platform from a not so great one by the way it loads, the way it feels and the options it gives them. However, it doesn’t hurt to have a company awarded by a respectable body. It really shows players who they should devote their gaming time to and how they should not settle for mediocre gaming. For example, Evolution Gaming have received the prestigious Live Casino Supplier of the Year award by the definitive EGR Magazine seven times in a row.

Evolution Gaming is the undisputed world leader of live dealer gaming. They have won numerous awards testifying their superiority as a live casino provider. Moreover, the quality service they offer has caused many operators to abandon their previous live platforms and switch to the acclaimed Evolution platform. They offer roulette, blackjack, baccarat, 3 card poker, and Casino Hold’em, with a good range of tables and betting limits.

Playtech is a true pioneer in iGaming that has set the stage for many of the novelties in the industry. Their live platform offers an intuitive player experience and excellent quality of the stream. Playtech have won prestigious awards. For example, the “Multi-Channel Supplier of the Year” at the 2016 EGR B2B Awards. Enjoy their blackjack, baccarat and roulette, Casino Hold’em, and the exclusive Sic Bo and Hi-Lo. These games can also be played in the VIP area called The Ruby Room.

NetEnt are famous for their outstanding RNG games. However, their live dealer games seem to be lagging behind those of the leading companies. They only offer blackjack and roulette and their live stream often takes long to load and sometimes doesn’t load at all. They do have interesting variations, though. For example, their Live Starburst Roulette, which you could try at Casumo.

MediaLive were founded in 2005 in Malta and have been offering live dealer games for some time now. They do both streams from land-based casinos, such as the Nova Gorica Casino in Slovenia or the Sanremo Casino in Italy, and professional TV studios with full HD streaming. They offer all the classic games, such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. You can have a taste of their live tables at BetVictor Casino.

Extreme Live Gaming is the latest addition to the live casino industry but they are one that’s already made the news. Founded in 2013 with the ambition to take live dealer games to a whole new level, they became part of the Novomatic Group in 2014 and started making history. With their classic games (roulette, blackjack, and baccarat), fresh new variations, and their allowing players to customise their gameplay, they offer a truly extreme and unique experience.

Mobile Compatibility

Now, what use would cool games with a real dealer be if you couldn’t take them on the road with you? And the live platform providers know that. That’s why they work hard to optimise live tables for the smaller touch-screen and keep their customers happy no matter where they are. In this respect, Evolution Gaming are once again exemplary – they make almost all their tables (and they are a lot!) available for mobile devices. So, if you’re playing at a casino powered by Evolution, you know you can take the real dealer games with you on the road. Playtech also have a very good coverage of mobile live games. And though Extreme Live Gaming tables are not available at BetVictor Casino yet, they are definitely on offer at the site that is widely considered to be the top Mobile operator – Casumo Casino. You can also take a look at another great mobile operator – bet365.

Exclusive Live Promotions

Bonuses – every player loves them! But are there any specific live game promotions out there? Though they aren’t as many as we’d all like, there are some. There are, actually some pretty tempting offers. Ladbrokes Casino, for example, offer an exclusive £50 live bonus. 32Red have the occasional live game related promotion. However, nobody does it quite as good as 888 Casino.

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They have several ongoing promotional offers targeting fans of live dealer games exclusively. There are hidden bonus cards at the 888 blackjack table and the chance to win £8 every time the ball lands on the number 8 at roulette. There are other offers and, we’re sure, many more will come, so keep an eye on their promotions page. But even if a casino doesn’t have a dedicated live bonus, they will allow you to use the welcome bonus to play live games. However, wagering conditions and game weight should be taken into consideration.

Conclusion: Live vs RNG Games

It goes without saying that live dealer games are the top experience at online casinos – both in terms of excitement and similarity to playing offline. We hope, we have managed to show you that playing with a real dealer is, actually, much more than a copy of the real life experience. With the thrilling side bets, the exclusive game variations, and the gorgeous real dealers, the live casino is a must-try for every gaming enthusiast. We believe the live dealer games will only become bigger and better as time goes by. So, make sure you give them a try – you will enjoy them!