How to Play and Win Real Money in an Online Live Casino
If you’re like most of us, the current pandemic has forced you to say bye-bye to your land casino, and howdy-do to your local online casino. Happy to have you here, Mate.
And although you may miss your traditional casino crew, I’m here to tell you that us online folk are just as good. Maybe even better. You don’t have to see us drunk, for starters. Or smell that sour lager breath in the homeward-bound Uber. Because when you play live casino games for real money online, you get the best of both worlds: human interaction, and cutting loose your mate Steve, who always has one too many before getting you all kicked out.
That’s because live casino games for real money have just the same real, Aussie dollars you’d get at a bricks-and-mortar casino. But now, you can make those dollars straight from home. Save on petrol, even. (And that late night kebab.)
And honestly. When you play live casino table games, you’ll hardly even realise it’s not the “real” thing. Except for, maybe, the whole lounging in your boxers part.
Even still, you may be wondering “Are live casino games real?”. Well, I’ve got great news for you. They’re super, super real. You get real strategies, real money, how to’s, and real humans. It’s like you never even left.
I’ll show you what I mean.
1. How Live Casino Works
When you play live casino, you’re connected to a streaming software with a real human Dealer.
You sit at their virtual table, along with any other players in the game. You can all see the Dealer, but they can’t see you. You can, however, chat with the Dealer and the other players through text. That’s really convenient because it means you can ask questions or communicate any issues directly with the Dealer. Just don’t be a dick to them, alright? Thank you. I take good care of my people.
As far as the game goes, it’s like this.
When the Dealer physically deals the cards, they scan them through a machine. Kind of like they do at a supermarket checkout. The cards are displayed directly on your screen. On your side, it looks just like a regular casino game online. You make your bets with virtual tokens, click/tap your actions, and follow the usual cues.
All of your moves and wins are recorded, and paid out instantly. Basically, we’re super efficient, technology-savvy, fair and square, and value mutual loyalty. That’s what I pulled from an old report card, anyway. Thanks, Mrs Bligh. You’re not a bad sheila.
2. How Live Casino Puts You in a Real Casino
An online live casino is pretty much like the real thing. Pretty much. You may be missing the background buzz of a land casino (and the free drinks), but you do still get a genuine, flesh ‘n’ blood human to play against. No shirt, no shoes? Pffft. We’d be chuffed to serve you.
The Dealer is standing at a real casino table in a purpose-built studio. All the tables, wheels, and cards are exactly the professional-grade equipment you’d see in a physical casino. And the live Dealer is classically trained the same, too. They’ve got mad, real-life skills, can acknowledge your bets, and can speak to you directly. They can even remember you. If you’re nice.
3. What Games Can You Play with Live Casino
Sounds choice so far, right?
So back to the big question for today, “Are live casino games real?” I’m gonna say… yeah, buddy. Yep. They’re the real deal.
These are the live casino games for real money, ready for you to play, at Joe’s:
Baccarat
Just like 007 himself. Except Bond might be a tad jealous because you get to play the safe, modern version at a genuine, online, live casino. No chance of being poisoned.
You place a bet on either: the Banker, the Player, or a Tie. Whichever person gets the closest to 9 is the winner. You win if that was the person you bet on. Banker and Player pay even money 1:1, and a Tie pays 8:1 (but has terrible odds, tbh).
Early Payout Blackjack
Played just like regular Blackjack, but with a perk. Now you can pull out of the game at any point in your hand and collect your cash. Basically the only scenario where pulling out is guaranteed to work. Ahem.
Super 6
Same principles as Baccarat. But: this time there’s a side bet called Super 6. Super 6 pays out 12:1 (as opposed to 1:1 in regular Baccarat) if the Banker wins with a sum of 6.0.
Roulette
The classic game you’re used to – both American and European versions. The Dealer announces it’s time to bet, and you put your money on the pocket you think the ball will land in. The Dealer physically spins the wheel (a real one!), and the ball does its thing in the mini-Gravitron.
4. Live Casino Back Betting
Now, this is where it gets really cool. When you play live casino in a game like Blackjack, you have a very nifty opportunity to keep the fun alive and maximize your wins. It’s called back betting, and often you’ll hear bet behind. Those terms are the same thing. I prefer the first one. I start singing “Whoahhh back betting, bam ba lam” as I play the old air drums. Good times.
Online live casino back betting means you put your money on another player at the table. When they win, you win, too. Say what, now? The amount you win is based on your own bet. And while you’re mostly at the mercy of the other player’s hand, you can still decide whether or not you agree with them to split or double down. A silent appraisal, kind of.
Now, live casino games for real money are obviously super popular. And we have to pay real, live humans to facilitate your games. For that reason, there are a limited number of seats at the virtual table. Sometimes they fill up fast.
Instead of waiting in line with your cashola burning a hole in your wallet, you can still get in on the action with back betting. You only need to put your money on a lucky bastard who is seated at the table, and plump up your bankroll while you wait for your turn to play live casino games for real money.
5. Live Casino Strategies
Follow these tips to play live casino.
Choose the right game. This is especially true for Roulette. Remember that European Roulette has nearly half the house edge (2.7%) of American (5.26%).
Make use of back betting. Now, some players don’t like to use back betting because they don’t have control over the strategy. That makes sense. But in the case that someone else at the table clearly has better skills than you, it’s not a bad idea to put your money on them. Ride on their coattails, I say.
Keep a cheat sheet. There ya go. Don’t have a conniption! A perfectly ethical cheat sheet. Obviously, this doesn’t mean you’re actually cheating, but it will help ease the pressure when you play live casino games, particularly with Blackjack. Whenever you’re in doubt, take a peek at your strategy chart. We won’t tell.
Don’t chase losses. While this is true for all casino games, it’s especially good advice in an online live casino. It’s easy to get attached to your table and the Dealer and lose sight of your bankroll. Remember to call it quits if you’re having an off day. Your Dealer will still be there another time.
Check your network speed. I know it’s not technically a tip for inside the game. But if your NBN network isn’t up to the task (fibre to the fridge, anyone? Haha!), you won’t be able to follow. And you could miss something seriously important going on.
And above all…
Don’t be an arse. Hate to hammer it home, but it needs to be said again, properly. Follow the online live casino etiquette. Only take your virtual seat when you’re ready to play, so the others don’t have to wait for you. Don’t use abusive language in the company of your Dealer, or the other players. Keep it PG rated. Remember, you’re all there to have fun win. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to swear like a trooper later. So, ya know. Don’t be that person.
There it is, then. No more laying around at night wondering, “Are live casino games real?? Is it like Ex Machina or Total Recall?” They are real. And you can play live casino games for real money any time, anywhere you want. See? This year may have been spent in Bizarro World. But there’s always a gold lining, now, isn’t there?