Although online roulette has become enormously popular worldwide, there are still a number of players who prefer to visit traditional brick-and-mortar venues. The reason that most cite for this preference is that internet gambling sites simply lack the exciting atmosphere that exists on a real-life casino floor – particularly when it comes to the roulette wheel.
For some of the more forward-thinking online casino proprietors, this presented not a major problem but, rather, a lucrative opportunity to fill an obvious gap in the market. To fill this gap and provide players with the best of both worlds, these sites have developed live roulette.
The Basics of Live Roulette Online
Live roulette is virtually identical to both real-life and standard online roulette – the only real difference is in the aesthetics. Players interact with a live roulette dealer – usually, an attractive woman, although male croupiers are not unheard of – via streaming video. The top online casinos also use an actual roulette wheel, which the roulette croupier spins, just as she would in a traditional offline casino.
The player is able to play internet roulette by placing chips on the virtual table layout, which is the only simulated element of the game. If, for example, a player wagers on black in live roulette, then the dealer sets the real-life wheel in motion and, if the ball lands on black, the player wins. Simple as that.
Traditionalists will enjoy the authenticity that comes with hearing the live roulette dealer call out “no more bets” as she waves her hand whilst the exciting sounds of a real-life casino floor can be heard in the background. For an even more realistic experience, players can seek out live roulette that allows multiple players on the same game, although this is less common.
The only other small difference between live roulette online and real-life roulette has to do with betting limits. Live roulette games tend to accept very small bets compared to those taken at traditional venues. This makes roulette online a good option for inexperienced players or those who prefer to play it safe. Meanwhile, the rules and odds of live roulette remain exactly the same – since the presence of a live dealer has no bearing on the number of chambers on the wheel or any other standard feature of the game.
The Requirements for Live Roulette Online
Ideally, players who opt to play live roulette online should have access to relatively fast internet connections. Buffering is frustrating at the best of times but it can become truly infuriating – and costly – in the middle of a live roulette game.
The video feed for live roulette is usually unidirectional – i.e. players can see the dealer but not vice versa – so a computer with a webcam is not an essential requirement. However, computers with webcams tend to have software that is able to support conference video so they are a good option.
Like desktop and mobile optimized Triple Diamond slot, many mobile sites also offer roulette these days so players can play the casino game while they’re on the move – provided they have a suitably advanced smartphone or tablet running on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile or the like.
American, French and European Roulette
As is the case everywhere else, European roulette is the most popular version of the game online, which is why it is the easiest to find. However, live roulette is also widely available with American and French rules and wheels.