As one of the oldest casino games, roulette has withstood the test of time, still going strong as a popular option. Thanks to online gambling advancements, this game has moved from brick-and-mortar locations to online casinos. And it’s available in both RNG and live dealer forms.
While RNG roulette determines the outcome using carefully calibrated computations, live dealer roulette features real croupiers and roulette wheels, creating a more authentic casino experience.
If you’re looking for a way to play live roulette online, keep reading. We’ll tell you all about this game and introduce you to the best online casinos that offer live dealer casino games in the US.
Best US online casinos with live dealer games
How to play live dealer roulette
Before you start playing live roulette, make sure you’ve found the best game that online platforms have to offer. Here are the steps to take:
- Find a reputable online casino that’s legal in your area that has live roulette games in its portfolio.
- Click the “Register” or “Sign Up” button and supply the necessary information to create an account.
- Go to the casino’s homepage and click on the deposit or cashier button. Then choose the payment method you’d like to use, and deposit money into your account.
- Go to the live casino section and locate the live roulette games.
- Select a game and open it to join.
Now that you’ve found a game and have money in your account, you can make your first bet on live roulette.
- Place your bet — Look at the minimum and the maximum table limits and place a bet within that range. In roulette, you can choose between a number of inside and outside bets, as follows:
- Inside bets — Bet on individual numbers or their combinations.
- Outside bets — Bet on patterns and number combinations — black or red; even or odd numbers; first, second or third dozen; and more.
- Watch the wheel spin — Once all players have placed their bets, the croupier will spin the wheel. At this point, you can make additional bets until the croupier signals the end of the betting round.
- The winning number is revealed — Once the ball falls into one of the numbered slots on the wheel, the round is over. The dealer marks the winning number on the table, collects all losing bets and pays out the winning ones.
When choosing a roulette bet, keep in mind that different bets come with different odds. Generally, inside bets pay more than outside bets in any roulette variant. Likewise, you can spread the minimum bet among several inside bets, whereas you need to put the minimum bet in its entirety on each of the outside bets you choose.
Your chances of winning also largely depend on the type of game you’re playing. For instance, two of the most popular roulette variants — American roulette and European roulette differ in the number of zeros on the wheel, influencing the house edge.
European roulette has only one zero, which puts the house edge at 2.70%. Whereas the American variant has an additional zero (double zero), setting the house edge at 5.26%. The bigger the house edge, the greater the likelihood you’ll lose.
Best live dealer roulette casinos for US players
Players in legal online gambling states like Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania can play live roulette at a number of licensed USA online casinos. Here are some of the most prominent options:
1. Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget is the biggest online casino in New Jersey and is also available in Michigan. It features a diverse collection of roulette variants. Some titles offer wide betting limits — between $1 and $10,000 — making them suitable for most bankrolls. In addition to the games from other live casino software providers, Golden Nugget also offers its own Live Casino Floor Roulette streamed from its Golden Nugget Atlantic City location.
2. Caesars Casino
Caesars online casino is powered by one of the top gambling companies in the world — Caesars Entertainment. It offers a decent collection of roulette games, most of which are RNG variants, but the portfolio features live roulette games supplied by Ezugi. Players can choose from American roulette, Atlantic City roulette and classic roulette.
3. DraftKings Casino
Originally known for daily fantasy sports, DraftKings online casino features over 500 games. The library contains live dealer roulette, although the options are not as diverse as at Golden Nugget. However, the casino is still in the process of building its live dealer portfolio, so we may see it continue to add new games.
4. Hollywood Casino
Hollywood Casino is a land-based gambling facility in Pennsylvania, but it also offers online gambling to people in the Keystone State. It features a range of RNG and live dealer games, including live roulette variants. Players can choose from European, American, French roulette and Roulette Advanced, among other titles.
5. BetRivers Casino
This online casino is known as SugarHouse in New Jersey and Rivers Online Casino in other states. Most of its live roulette games are from Evolution Gaming, the leader in live online casino software. Therefore, its portfolio contains Evolution’s famous Lightning Roulette and First Person Roulette. Lightning Roulette is based on French roulette, featuring lightning-fast rounds and multipliers. First Person Roulette plays like the European variant of the game. It also puts you in the center of the action, with the camera focusing on the wheel.
Can you play live dealer roulette for free?
Many online casino platforms offer players a chance to play games for free, but this doesn’t apply to live roulette games or any other live dealer games. This is because live dealer games are streamed from special studios or land-based casinos with human croupiers. Being a live dealer is a job, meaning streaming live games and paying the dealers costs the casinos money, so they need a return on investment. What’s more, the games may be available 24/7, which is an added cost for the casino.
Comparing live dealer roulette vs. in-person roulette
When online gambling took off in the mid-1990s, it became a popular pastime for adults. However, while it offered instant access to casino games from the comfort of your home, it still lacked the thrill of playing against and with other players.
This changed at the beginning of the 21st century when online casinos started streaming table games from land-based locations. The live casino was born, blending the convenience of online gambling with the authenticity of brick-and-mortar casinos.
This exciting and authentic experience makes live and land-based casinos similar, especially because of the presence of a human dealer and other players. Unlike RNG games, live roulette games also feature a real, mechanical roulette wheel.
There are, however, some differences between these games. For instance, land-based casinos are confined by the area they occupy, so the number of roulette games they can offer is limited. On the other hand, online live casinos don’t have that problem, so players can choose between a wider variety of game options.
Live casinos can also offer much lower minimum bets, so players can join regardless of the size of their gambling budget. On top of that, live casino games move much faster thanks to the software players can use to place their bets.
Can I play live dealer roulette online via mobile?
In addition to their website versions, most online casinos also offer mobile platforms you can use to play games on the go. To play live roulette on your phone or tablet, choose a reputable casino and download its app. Most casinos offer both Android and iOS mobile casino apps, so you can play on any device you have.
Alternatively, you can play live roulette games right from your mobile browser. Most casinos allow this even if they have a native app, while some don’t even create apps. To play from the browser, simply visit the casino website, sign up or log in, deposit funds and start playing.
Can online casinos rig live dealer roulette games?
As is the case with other types of casino games, some live roulette games might be rigged. However, this is only the case with scam sites and unethical providers, making it highly unlikely that you will come across a rigged roulette game if you stick to a legal and regulated casino site. These licensed sites comply with state gambling laws that aim to prevent such misbehavior. These casinos use software from reliable providers, such as Evolution Gaming, and independent agencies regularly check this software for fairness.
What’s more, thanks to high-definition cameras, players always have their eyes on the roulette wheel and the ball, meaning everyone is on the lookout for dirty tricks.