Live Casino Hold’em

Complete Guide on Live Dealer Casino Hold’em in 2024

Online Live Casino Hold’em

Whether you’re a poker pro or a total beginner, Hold’em is a poker variant you must have heard of. Apart from well-known Texas Hold’em Poker, there’s also Online Live Casino Hold’em — another poker version created to please players thirsty for some real-life casino action.

The game is highly entertaining and popular in every part of the planet, including the US. Thanks to its thrilling nature, Live Casino Hold’em has been around for years and has never ceased to attract new players.

Unlike some other poker titles, Online Live Casino Hold’em has nothing to do with random number generators. Instead, the game features professional dealers trained to use real cards and provide a genuine casino experience.

If you want to learn more about this exciting poker variant, read on, as this guide covers all the game details US players should be familiar with before they join any of the accessible Live Casino Hold’em sites.

Live Casino Hold’em — Game Details

Casino Hold’em was introduced in the 1990s by Stephen Au-Yeung, who came up with the game to help his partner get ready for Texas Hold’em Poker sessions. Then, in the early 2000s, the game was presented to the public and has been offered by many online gaming platforms as a live casino game ever since.

Players worldwide have accepted Live Casino Hold’em with open arms because this game is played against the actual human dealers and not other players. This ‘player vs. dealer’ approach has enabled poker fans to feel like they are in a brick-and-mortar casino while enjoying the absolute comfort of their home.

Another difference between Live Casino Hold’em and Texas Hold’em is that there are no blinds whatsoever. There is another bet called ante that has to be paid before any cards are dealt.

Benefits of Live Casino Hold’em

There’s no doubt that playing Live Casino Hold’em has many advantages. Here’s a list of the few most prominent ones players often highlight:

  • The game can be played from any device you find handy — it can be your desktop computer, laptop, or even your smartphone or tablet. Moreover, if you choose to play Live Casino Hold’em on your mobile device, you’ll be able to do it anywhere you want, as long as you have a stable internet connection and a full battery. 
  • Players can choose among different betting limits created to fit all pocket sizes.
  • The games are led by professional croupiers, and you can even choose the one you find the most attractive.
  • There’s a live chat feature that enables players to communicate with the dealer and other players.
  • Cutting-edge HD streaming provides a real casino feel.
  • The casino house edge varies from below 2% to a maximum of 2.5%. Usually, it’s somewhere in between — 2.16%.

The Look and Feel of Live Casino Hold’em

Live Casino Hold’em provides an unforgettable online gaming experience in terms of audio-visual effects. First of all, the gameplay is streamed in HD, thanks to several sophisticated cameras featuring the latest technology innovations. Furthermore, players can adjust camera angles so that they can pay close attention to the dealer’s moves.

When it comes to the game’s audio settings, you’ll be able to set the volume yourself and hear real sounds from the dealer’s surroundings without any kind of side noise. What’s more, the game comes equipped with a live chat option you can use to communicate with the dealer and players alike.

Finally, the most important thing about Live Casino Hold’em is the feeling you can’t get with RNG-based poker games. This game has combined a real-time poker experience with online gaming and created the perfect blend — a game played in real-time without the need to leave your home at all.

How to Play Live Casino Hold’em

As already mentioned, Live Casino Hold’em used to be a warm-up for Texas Hold’em poker games. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that the two poker variants have some things in common.

Namely, Hold’em poker games are played with a standard 52-card deck, and the objective of the game is the same for both variations — one has to create the strongest five-card poker hand out of their two hole cards and five community cards.

In case you are not familiar with these terms, here’s what the cards represent:

  • Hole cards — Two cards every player and the dealer initially get face-down, which shouldn’t be revealed to other participants.
  • Community cards — Five cards dealt face-up, which are visible to everyone. 

The Gameplay

Before the hole cards are dealt, every player has to make an ante bet. Additionally, if your hole cards are good, you can opt to make an AA bonus side bet as well.

After the bets are made, all the participants, including the dealer, get their hole cards, which should be hidden from everyone else. The dealer will also place three community cards on the poker table. These cards are known as “the flop.”

If you’ve placed a side bet and the combination of your two hole cards and three community cards turns out to be a pair of Aces or better, the dealer will pay out your winnings. Then, each player decides which way they would like to proceed. They can choose to:

  • Fold — decide not to play their hand and lose the money from the ante bet
  • Call — decide to keep playing and make a call bet, which is worth twice the stake of their ante bet

If at least one of the players decides to call, the remaining two community cards (also known as “the turn” and “the river”) are added to the board.

Finally, it’s time for players to make their best five-card poker hand combining their hole cards with five community cards. After that, their hand needs to be compared to the dealer’s hand. As you can assume, the strongest poker hand wins.

Bear in mind that the dealer must hold at least a pair of 4s to qualify. When this is the case, the payouts are as follows:

  • The player’s hand is better than the dealer’s — In this case, the ante bet pays according to the AnteWin pay chart, and the call bet pays 1 to 1.
  • The player’s hand is equal to the dealer’s — Tt’s a push, meaning that no one wins or loses and players get their wager back.
  • The dealer’s hand is better than the player’s — The player loses all bets.

In case the dealer does not qualify, the player automatically wins and gets paid the ante bet according to the AnteWin pay chart, while the Call bet is a push (the player gets the money back).

Live Casino Hold’em Strategy

At first glance, placing bets in Live Casino Hold’em might look like a walk in the park. After all, you only need to decide whether to call or fold your hand. However, in reality, this is easier said than done.

If you fold too many times, you’ll lose your money on ante bets without even getting a chance to show your cards. Furthermore, you need to count in the fact that the dealer must qualify before playing their hand. Ultimately, there’s always a chance for your hand to improve once the two remaining community cards are dealt.

However, above all, you should consider whether it’s mathematically wise to play a hand or not. If you manage to learn optimal strategy, you can keep the casino’s house edge steady at around 2.5%.

Should I Call or Fold?

The moment of deciding whether to call or fold is probably the most stressful moment in Live Casino Hold’em. Luckily, there are some guidelines that can help poker players make the decision much faster.

Namely, the situations in which you should call include you holding:

  • A pair
  • Two overcards
  • Ace or King high
  • A flush draw<

On the other hand, it would probably be better to fold if:

  • The board is paired, and your cards don’t match the suit
  • You’ve missed the flo>
  • You hold low unpaired cards
  • You hold no overcards, Aces, or Kings

Another extra tip includes keeping your antes low since Live Casino Hold’em requires placing this bet every time as long as you play, regardless of you calling or folding your hand. Also, every time you call, you’ll have to double your ante bet, so it’s wiser to set it low and stick to the plan at all times.

One more thing you can do to stay in the game longer is to avoid AA bonus side bets. Poker experts claim that these bets only help the casinos increase the house edge significantly. After all, if you think about it, a chance to hit the Royal Flush straight away is one in a million.

How to Get Started

Now that you know how to play Live Casino Hold’em, it’s time to learn how to access the game online. Here’s the whole process in a nutshell:

  1. Find the right online casino
    You know what they say — well begun is half done. In other words, the first step is also the most important one, as finding the perfect online casino will save you from any potential stress later on. While on the lookout, make sure that the casino you choose offers Live Casino Hold’em.
  2. Create an account
    Once you choose the online casino, you’ll have to create an account. To do this, click on the ‘Sign-Up’ button and fill out the registration form by providing your personal details, such as your first and last name, email, phone number, address, and any other vital information.
  3. Fund your account
    After your account is ready, you can log in and make your first deposit. Look for the Cashier section, select the desired payment method, type in the amount you’d like to deposit, and confirm your transaction.
  4. Use a bonus code
    If a casino offers any kind of bonus, don’t hesitate to claim it right away. Sometimes, you’ll have to provide a bonus code upon your deposit in order to trigger the bonus, so make sure that you know it before funding the account.
  5. Choose the Live Casino Hold‘em game
    Now comes the fun part! Open the casino’s game library and find Live Casino Hold’em among the live dealer titles. Start the game by entering the live casino lobby and selecting the dealer and the table you prefer.
  6. Win and withdraw your money
    Apply the strategy we’ve shared with you in this text, and you’ll most likely win some cash sooner or later. Last but not least, don’t forget to visit the Cashier section once again. Only this time, select the desired withdrawal option, type in the amount you’ve won, and request a well-deserved payout.

Summary

In essence, Live Casino Hold’em is like a more action-packed version of Texas Hold’em, suitable for poker fans who appreciate a realistic online gaming experience. Pro dealers, low house edge, and the fact that you can play it wherever you are have made Live Casino Hold’em one of the most popular poker variations in the iGaming industry.

FAQ About Online Live Casino Hold’em

Below are some of the questions players frequently ask about Online Live Casino Hold’em.

Yes, they can. Many online casinos accept US players with open arms and offer a plethora of Live Casino Hold’em tables with attractive professional dealers.

Yes, you can. Live Casino Hold’em is available on both smartphones and tablets powered by top operating systems like Android, iOS, and Windows.

The main goal in Live Casino Hold’em is to create the strongest five-card poker hand out of two hole cards and five community cards. Also, in this poker version, players don’t compete against each other but against the dealer — that is, the casino itself.

Before the game begins, every player has to make an ante bet. Then, both players and the dealer get two hole cards, while three community cards are placed on the table. Players decide to call or fold, and if there’s at least one call, the dealer adds two more community cards to the board. Afterward, every player’s hand is compared to the dealer’s, and the strongest one among them wins.

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