You’d be forgiven for thinking that online casino gaming couldn’t possibly compare with the real thing. And in many instances, you’d be right on the money…no pun intended.
In some ways, the experience of a real-life casino is unbeatable. The sights, the sounds and the all-round chaos in the air adding up to an unforgettable outing. Certainly a more immersive experience than playing from home via your PC.
…or so you’d think.
Slowly but surely, the classics take on roulette online is being replaced by cutting-edge live-dealer gaming. In the case of live roulette, the usual algorithms and software have been replaced by a real human being. Not to mention, a consummately professional and highly-experienced human being, who knows exactly what they are doing.
Ultimately, the objective of live roulette is to combine all the benefits of online gaming with the closest possible replication of the classic casino experience. A tall ask perhaps, but one that plenty of online casinos are pulling off pretty well. In fact, dive into one of the better live roulette experiences online and you may find it even more enjoyable than the real thing.
Still feeling a little sceptical? Understandable, but consider the following advantages of live roulette and you will soon see why it is the number-one choice for millions of discerning gamers worldwide:
It’s way more convenient – Right off the bat, not everyone has the capacity and/or the inclination to travel long distances to a decent casino. Depending on where you live, the nearest casino worth checking out could be miles away. Even if it is just around the corner, it is still a case of getting yourself up, out and in business accordingly. With live roulette online, all the epic action you could ever wish for is right there at the touch of a button.
The stakes are more flexible – In the average casino establishment, you’d be lucky to find a roulette table accepting anything lower than a £5 stake. Assuming you have only £10 or so to play with, probably not within your budget. Even where slightly lower stakes are accepted, you will never find a real-life casino accepting 10p or so at the roulette wheel. Online, the stakes are far more flexible. With the added bonus of being able to practice at a standard online roulette wheel for free, before taking it over to a live-action wheel and putting a wager or two on the line.
No chaos or crowds to worry about – Some get a real kick out of crowded and chaotic casino floors, others less so. If you fall into the latter category, you may as well avoid the crowds altogether by playing from home. Even at peak times, you won’t find yourself fighting to get a seat at an open roulette table, or being deafened by the din of a dozen drunken Englishmen in the background.
You can take your time – Playing roulette at a traditional casino often means playing alongside people with very different levels of experience. If you are relatively new to roulette, this can add up to a somewhat disconcerting experience. After all, the last thing you want is to feel as if you are being rushed and pressured into making your mind up by the other impatient players at the table. Playing online, this isn’t an issue. You could take your time to your heart’s content – you can even fire your questions at the host if you don’t really know what you’re doing.
24/7 opening hours – Most leading casinos have relatively extensive opening hours, but don’t tend to operate 24/7. Even if they did, you’d be unlikely to pop out to a casino at some random time of day or night, simply to kill 15 minutes with a spot of roulette. One of the biggest draws of online gaming for audiences worldwide is its instant 24/7 availability. Whenever the mood takes you and however little time you’ve got to play with, a world of epic roulette action is right there for the taking.
No dress code – It’s nice to occasionally get dressed up to the nines, but let’s face it…we sometimes just can’t be bothered. Hence, if you are not in the mood to get ready (or even get dressed), you don’t have to worry about any kind of dress code when playing from home. Even when playing in front of a live host, it’s not as if they can see you through your screen. The ultimate combination of hardcore roulette action and total relaxation!
Superior bonus offers – No real-life casino on earth is going to stuff your pockets with additional cash to play with, simply for signing up. By contrast, get started as a new online casino customer and you could lay your hands on a serious wad bonus cash. Admittedly, terms and conditions may dilute the ‘real world’ value of the bonus funds you are handed. Nevertheless, even bonus funds subject to wagering requirements are better than no bonus funds at all.
It could save you money – Last but not least, a trip to a casino isn’t only about the cash you might (and probably will) lose at the tables. It is also about the vast quantities you will burn through at the bar, at the restaurant and on taxis both ways…where applicable. All in all, an excursion to a casino can quickly turn into a pretty costly experience. Playing from home, the only expense is that of your gambling budget itself. Rather than spending £30 on unnecessary extras, why not use it to try your luck with a few more spins? Or try something completely new?
As you’d expect, purists will always argue that nothing beats the real-life casino experience. Nevertheless, just as there’s a time and a place for the real thing, the same applies with online roulette. Particularly when it comes to live-roulette online, which is fast becoming the new bar-setter for global gambling industry as a whole.
Tips for Choosing a Quality Online Casino
Of course, the potential benefits outlined above only apply when you find a decent casino to do business with in the first place. Right now, there are (literally) thousands of online casinos offering tens of thousands of different versions of roulette. All staking claim to being the best in the business – some not quite delivering on their word.
If live roulette is your thing, there are a few basic ground rules to follow when signing up with an online casino. Particularly if you want to maximise both your enjoyment and your bankroll, these are the five golden rules of online gaming to live by:
1.Check What’s on Offer First
Right off the bat, not every online casino offers the same high-quality live roulette. Some offer a couple of token tables, others don’t even go that far. By contrast, some have dozens of live roulette tables of unbeatable quality running 24/7. Hence, it’s worth checking what is actually on offer, before going through the process of signing up.
2.Check the Bonuses and Promotions
As touched upon previously, there are generous rewards and incentives to access as a new casino customer. Nevertheless, not all casino bonuses are as generous as they appear to be. There are even instances where bonus funds cannot be used to play roulette. Rather than taking things for granted, ensure the terms and conditions of the bonus offer suit your playing style and preferences.
3.Deposit and Withdrawal Restrictions
We can’t all be high-rollers. Some get a real kick out of playing for pennies and never allowing their bankroll to creep below the -£10 mark. In which case, minimum withdrawal requirements of say £100 aren’t exactly ideal. Unless you intend to play purely for fun, it’s a good idea to check out any deposit and withdrawal restrictions that apply, just in case.
4.Mobile Roulette
The extent to which you can access quality roulette on the go will also vary significantly from one casino to the next. If you plan on playing live roulette via your smartphone or tablet, choose a casino that prioritises quality mobile gaming. You will usually find that the most established casino brands on the market these days do a pretty good job for their mobile customers.
5.Reviews and Recommendations
Last up, the easiest way to track down a safe bet for quality online roulette is to consult the reviews and recommendations of other gamers. Independent ratings and review sites can be great for seeing who is and isn’t up to the job, before wasting any money on a dud. It’s rare to come across a genuinely dodgy casino these days, but there will always be those who build reputations for all the wrong reasons. See what the general consensus has to say and direct your business accordingly.
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