How to Succeed in a Live Casino Setting

Posted by Harry Kane on Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Given that the average Brit wagers just £135.20 per year (or £2.60 each week) on gambling, it appears as though the overwhelming majority of players operate responsibly and engage in relatively infrequent wagers.

If we delve beyond these numbers, however, we see that the average player is also wagering more active through mobile devices. This has also created an increase in the popularity of live casino platforms, which connect people to real-time gambling experiences while they’re on the move.

But how can you profit when playing at a live casino and and make the most of your hard-earned bankroll? Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

1. Focus on the ‘RTP’ Rate and the Return Provided by Live Casino Games

Some rules and best practices are largely universal across both live and online casino platforms, with the importance of prioritising each game’s return-to-player (RTP) rate offering a relevant case in point.

The RTP rate is usually expressed as a percentage and describes the amount that you can expect to recoup for every £1 wagered on average. Each game must publish its RTP rate at a live casino, so you can make an informed decision about which titles offer the best returns.

For example, the high-stakes, ‘American Live Roulette’ title has an RTP rate of 94.74%, equating to an average return of £94.74 for every £100 spent in real-time. However, you can also access a raft of blackjack iterations with an average RTP rate of 99.28%, creating an approximate return that will unlock considerable gains over time.

Interestingly, you can also use a live game’s RTP rate to determine the precise house edge that you’ll face when playing a particular title.

You can achieve this quite simply, by subtracting the published RTP rate from a value of 100%. So, if you access a real-time baccarat iteration with an RTP rate of 98.94%, you can subtract this from 100% to create an exact house edge of 1.06%.

This way, you can quickly gauge both your average return per stake and the theoretical advantage held by the house, enabling you to make more informed decisions despite the fast and furious nature of live gameplay.

2. Leverage Live Casino Bonuses to Your Advantage

The rise of live casino gameplay has encouraged operators to promote their real-time gambling channels with even more gusto, usually through the deployment of increasingly creative and generous welcome offers.

Because of this, live casino bonuses can take many forms, while some may be restricted in terms of where and how they’re deployed. Typically, however, you’ll receive a cash bonus when you make a minimum deposit of £10 or more, the value of which will be subject to game weighting restrictions and wagering requirements.

While the latter describes the amount that you’ll have to play through before withdrawing any winnings, the former imposes restrictions on the contributions made through certain verticals. So, table and card games may only contribute 20% to your wagering requirements, whereas slots and other titles could contribute 100%.

These restrictions will be in place regardless of the precise structure of the offer, whether it comprises a deposit match up to a fixed value or awards a finite amount of capital when you meet a minimum deposit threshold.

It’s just as important to understand these terms and conditions as it is to evaluate the financial value of each bonus, as this provides you with a detailed insight into a potential bonus and makes it easier to find one that suits your preferred games, gambling frequency and the size of your bankroll.

If you’re a live tournament poker player, you’ll also be familiar with exclusive ‘rakeback’ offers. The ‘rake’ refers to the portion of any money that you bring to the poker tables that ends up being returned to the operator, which can quickly accumulate over time.

It’s through the rake that the live operator banks its profit, but there are instances where casinos will offer a fixed percentage to players when they sign up. So, you may receive 25% or 30% of the rake for a limited time period or tournament, significantly boosting your bankroll and minimising any losses that you incur.

Regardless, there are some tremendous offers and promotions out there, with live casinos often focusing their efforts on poker, blackjack and roulette gameplay. So, be sure to compare the available offers in detail before making a commitment, while factoring in the considerations referenced above.

3. Make Bankroll Management Your Key Watchword

While bankroll management is pivotal at any online casino, it’s arguably even more important when playing at a live operator and accessing games in real-time.

After all, the pace and authenticity of live games create a truly immersive iGaming experience, while the ability to interact with dealers and compete with other players (in the case of poker tournaments) introduces a novelty value that can distract players and cause them to lose their discipline.

Ultimately, it’s more important than ever that you create a viable live betting bankroll before you start playing, with this fixed at an amount that you can comfortably afford to lose over a predetermined period of time. This can be a month, week or daily gambling session, so long as it’s proportionate and based on your financial circumstances.

We’d also recommend that your stake activity suits your bankroll. For example, there’s no point in players with a small bankroll wagering huge amounts on the spin of a roulette wheel, as this will cause them to exhaust their money in no time at all.

Also, try to maintain focus and avoid chasing losses emotionally, even in instances where you’re financially worse off than you were at the beginning of a gaming session. Remember, the sunken costs fallacy is a huge obstacle to gamblers, who may become overly immersed in the live casino environment and look to recoup losses even as they continue to mount.