Introduction To Live Roulette

Contents

 1. The Origins Of Roulette
1.1. Introducing Blaise Pascal
2. How The Game Of Roulette Has Evolved Through The Years
2.1. Land-Based Roulette Variants
2.2. Online Roulette
2.3. Live Roulette
3. What Makes Live Roulette Such A Popular Option Today?
3.1. Player Engagement
3.2. Professional Game Management
3.3. Best Seat In The House
3.4. Swift, Efficient Game Flow
3.5. Lower Betting Limits
4. The Technology Behind Live Roulette Online
5. Get Started With Live Roulette Games

The Origins Of Roulette

Roulette is one of the longest standing table games you’ll find in any land-based or online casino. Although the specific date of roulette’s creation is something of a mystery, it’s widely acknowledged that the brains behind the concept of roulette and the roulette wheel are down to one man – Blaise Pascal.

Some people believe that the idea behind roulette was centred around a board game dating back to ancient China, which required players to put up to 37 figures onto a game board with numbers totalling 666. Interestingly, if you add up all the numbers on a conventional roulette wheel, the total is also 666. Despite that spooky comparison, the most likely and believable creator of roulette remains Blaise Pascal.

Introducing Blaise Pascal

Pascal was a Frenchman with a real head for numbers and science. The mathematician became obsessed with the idea of designing and building a machine capable of continuous movement without the need for an energy source – something that we now know to be impossible.

In his desire to design and build a perpetual motion machine, Pascal is said to have stumbled upon the roulette wheel. Of course, Pascal’s original version was not adorned with 37 numbered pockets, but the principle of the wheel’s motion and operation remain.

In 17th century France, there were two games that locals would frequently bet on called ‘Roly Poly’ and ‘Even-Odd’. Both of these games were based on staking on the outcome of the spin of a wheel. Many believe Pascal’s creation and these two games helped create the fusion of the game of roulette we know and love today.

How The Game Of Roulette Has Evolved Through The Years

The real breakthrough moment for roulette came towards the end of the 18th century. It was a period of heavy gambling restrictions across France and much of Europe, but Prince Charles of Monaco opted to establish some of his very own gambling houses in Monte Carlo, featuring games like roulette that quickly captured the imagination of the region’s aristocrats and royalty.

The game eventually gravitated towards Germany and the rest of Europe. During the early 19th century, the game of roulette was exported across the Atlantic to the US along with a host of European migrants to Louisiana. However, the game of roulette was not so well-received here, at least in the first instance. Casino operators were unwilling to have roulette games on their casino floors with a modest house edge of only 2.70%. This was one of the main reasons why double zero roulette was created, in order to provide American casinos with a higher house edge of 5.26%.

Roulette Variants

American Roulette

American roulette is the double zero roulette version that many land-based and live casino sites offer today. What do we mean by double zero? This wheel not only includes a green single zero, but it also features another green double zero, resulting in 38 numbered pockets on the wheel instead of 37. The rules of American roulette are like the original European roulette. However, the addition of the double zero almost doubles the house edge of the game from 2.70% to 5.26%.

Are payouts the same for European and American Roulette?

Yes, The numbers are in a different order, but the payouts are identical. For example, a straight up win will pay out 35:1 in either game.

The payouts are the same though, which is why many players prefer European roulette games to give their bankrolls the best chance of growth.

French Roulette

Many consider the French variation to be the best possible alternative to classic European roulette. On the surface, French roulette appears almost identical to European roulette games. Their wheels both feature only a single zero and their number sequences are identical. The key difference here is the rules and regulations available in French roulette. First, there’s the La Partage rule, which means you’ll get half your stake back if you place an even-money bet and the ball lands on zero. The En Prison rule is even better if you can find a table that offers it. This rule gives you the chance to win your stake back after a spin of zero, if your bet was an even-money bet.

Multi-Wheel Roulette

Exclusive to online roulette sites, multi-wheel roulette games increasingly capture the imagination of adventurous players. Players can bet on the outcome of multiple roulette wheels at the same time. The number of active wheels tends to range between two and eight. You can decide how many roulette wheels are active during each spin, and you must place the same bet for all active wheels. For example, if you stake €2 on red and five of the eight wheels land on red, you’ll receive a payout on five wheels and lose your stake on three wheels.

Online Roulette

As the concept of video-based casino games has expanded through the decades, casino floors have started operating more video roulette games. These machines allow players to play their own exclusive game with a digital roulette wheel that operates based on a decentralised random number generator (RNG), which creates randomised spins and fair outcomes. Video screens have also given rise to other forms of video-based table games, such as blackjack and video poker.

Meanwhile, some land-based casinos have also developed video roulette machines to operate in tandem with physical roulette wheels that operate autonomously, helping to create a more authentic gaming experience.

Live Roulette

In more recent years, as the quality of broadband drastically improved, it’s been possible for online casino operators to expand into live-streamed games. Live dealer games are operated in a virtual setting, with games broadcast in real-time from a professional studio, handled by real dealers. Thanks to live technology, it’s now possible for long-time land-based casino-goers to enjoy live roulette action in the convenience of their home.

Live roulette differs from conventional online roulette games managed by random number generators (RNGs). Live roulette online operates in almost the same fashion as roulette games hosted in a real casino. The roulette wheel is displayed on-screen while the ball spins around the wheel and lands on a chosen number, with players able to place bets on a digital roulette table at the touch of a button.

Player Engagement

One of the main reasons that people enjoy a trip to the casino is the social interaction with dealers and fellow players. Live roulette tables give players the chance to interact and chat in real-time on both desktop and mobile. The dealers engage in the chats and can guide beginner players through the actions, so those new to live roulette can get up to speed. It’s also an incredibly comfortable gaming environment. Unlike a land-based casino, where you might sit crammed around a table, you can sit wherever you like and place your bets at your leisure.

Professional Game Management

Every individual that hosts a live experience is professionally trained to provide an authentic casino experience and adhere to all the same rules and regulations of your favourite roulette games. These dealers have experienced all game scenarios and their training includes the use of the studio’s own single zero and double zero roulette wheels for your peace of mind.

The Best Seat In The House

The live roulette technology available today means that live-streaming allows you to get closer to the action than even in a land-based casino. With multiple camera angles of the roulette wheel, players can watch the game unfold with more close-ups of the pockets than you’ll find on the casino floor. The result is a more immersive and inclusive gaming experience. Better still, you also get access to real-time data for recent games, allowing you to make informed decisions before you take your chips to the roulette table.

Swift, Efficient Game Flow

The beauty of having professionally trained dealers overseeing your live roulette action is that they know how to maintain the flow of the game. Better still, the payouts of all winning bets are all managed digitally, providing instant wins into your player accounts, with no need to wait for dealers to pay out to individual players. When it comes to placing those bets, you don’t have to stretch and fight your way to the roulette table to get your chips in place before “no more bets”. You can simply drag and drop your virtual chips and change up the numbers you cover each spin using your mouse or finger, depending on whether you play via desktop or mobile phone.

Flexible Betting Options

Another huge benefit of playing live roulette online is the flexibility. When you visit a land-based casino, it’s not uncommon to see players required to stake at least €5 or even €10 per game round. Most live roulette games offer a cheaper point of entry, with minimum stakes as low as €0.10 or €0.25 per spin, giving newcomers a chance to get to grips with the action at a smaller price. At LiveRoulette.com, we’re proud to offer minimum stakes of no more than €1 per round at our live roulette tables.

The Technology Behind Live Roulette Online

Most live casino games, including roulette, are powered by state-of-the-art Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to make the game flow smoothly and for actions to be processed faster. The technology’s purpose is to read the outcome of rounds or cards dealt, then display them digitally on the player’s screen, so that you can keep up with the game and make informed decisions on your play.

We’re fortunate that the quality of broadband connectivity around the world is improving year-on-year. The stability of connections makes drop-outs increasingly unlikely, minimising the prospect of losing your live stream and missing out on the outcome of your bets. The use of live chat support systems also makes it possible for players to raise a game issue with dealers in real-time, just like you would in a brick-and-mortar casino.

Get Started With Live Roulette Games

Although leading live dealer casinos, like our very own at LiveRoulette, require state-of-the-art technology to bring you the most immersive roulette experiences online, the good news is you don’t need to invest in any special software.

You can access our live roulette lobby as soon as you log in, regardless of what viewing device you use – desktop, mobile, tablet or laptop. Just find a live roulette game you like the look of and start playing with flexible table limits for new and seasoned players alike.

When you play live roulette online for real money, we understand that you’ll want to make sure you choose a casino operator that takes good care of your hard-earned funds. That’s why we provide SSL data encryption to protect your sensitive information, deposits and withdrawals away from prying eyes online.

We’re also proud advocates of responsible gaming at LiveRoulette.com. That’s why we require extensive proof of identification to ensure that all registered players are legally obliged to play our table games and have access to self-limitation tools at the touch of a button too. So head off and enjoy a game of roulette, responsibly!


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