What it means when a game's name starts with live
When the word live sits in front of a game's name, it points to the outcome coming not from software but from a round played out in a studio with real equipment. The wheel actually spins, the cards actually get dealt, and a camera streams all of it live.
The rules stay the same as in the software version, since the logic behind roulette, blackjack and baccarat doesn't change depending on who or what runs the round. The difference sits in execution, not in the bet types or the winning combinations.
Anyone after the software, RNG-based version of these same three games can find it on the software table games page.
Live roulette: a real wheel, a real ball
In live roulette, the dealer physically spins the wheel and drops the ball in by hand. A camera tracks the movement close up, and the outcome depends on which pocket the ball settles into once the wheel slows down.
Betting time - the window during which a stake can still be placed - typically runs until the dealer closes the table ahead of the spin. That moment plays out on camera, rather than as some calculation happening behind the scenes.
Bet types - a single number, a group of numbers, a colour - stay the same as in the software version; the only difference lies in how the result comes about.
Live blackjack: set to the dealer's pace
In live blackjack, the dealer works with a real deck of cards and runs each round at their own pace: dealing out cards, waiting on players' decisions, then moving the round along. The decision logic - hit, stand, double - matches the software version; here it's simply a real person carrying out each step.
Since several players often sit at one table at once, a round's length depends on their combined decisions too, not only on yours. That shared pace is one of the clearest differences from the software format.
For more on the dealer's work and what goes on behind the scenes in the studio, see the live dealers page.
Live baccarat: a quick round, real cards
In live baccarat, the stake works the same way as in the software format: you back the banker, the player, or a tie before the dealer deals the cards. The dealing itself follows a fixed set of rules, played out live in front of the camera.
Since there's no further decision point once the stake is placed, a live baccarat round wraps up fairly quickly, even with the dealer physically carrying out the deal. That makes baccarat one of the easiest live games to follow for anyone trying the format for the first time.
The camera usually zooms in close on the cards at this point, so every card dealt stays clearly visible.
How a live round is built from start to finish
A live round typically opens with the dealer starting the betting window, and the screen shows how much time remains to place a stake. During that window you choose among the available bet types.
Once betting time closes, the dealer carries out the physical action - spinning the wheel, dealing the cards - which the camera streams live. The result appears on video first, and only then does the interface update the outcome and any payouts.
This sequence holds for every live table game, even though what happens at each step varies from game to game.
The next betting window opens almost immediately once a round closes, so there's no long wait before play continues.
Three games side by side
The table below sums up the key, visibly live element of each of the three games.
| Game | What the dealer does live | Round length |
|---|---|---|
| Live roulette | Spins the wheel, drops in the ball | Short, wraps up after one spin |
| Live blackjack | Deals cards, tracks players' decisions | Longer, runs through several steps |
| Live baccarat | Deals cards under a fixed rule set | Very short, no decision point |
Betting time works in a similar way at every table; its length mostly comes down to the specific table and the type of round.
Dealer and chat: how interactive is a live table
Most live tables come with a chat window where you can message the dealer or other players. The dealer typically greets players as they join and responds to some messages while running the round.
This layer is what sets the live format apart from the software version the most: you're not just watching an outcome, you're also following real-time, human interaction alongside the table.
Using the chat isn't mandatory - plenty of players just watch the round unfold, stake or no stake, without ever sending a message.
Where to head next in the live lineup
If you haven't tried a live table yet, it's worth stepping back to the live casino overview page, where we also cover the split between classic tables and game show-style games.
If you already know which game you'd pick, it can help to look at how stake limits work before sitting down at a table for the first time, on the stake limits on live tables page.
The live and software formats can be switched at any point - choosing one round doesn't commit you to the next.