New Concept Live Dealer Games: What to Consider About House Edge
If you have visited the live dealer section of an online casino in recent times, you’ll be well aware that changes are afoot. Alongside the traditional card and table games that have been in casinos for decades (and online casinos since the 1990s), there are numerous new concept games that use a combination of technology and new ideas to freshen up the live casino experience. While there will always be room for the classics in casino gaming, it’s difficult to argue that the wider choice of gaming isn’t a net positive for the sector.
Yet, for discerning casino players, there are always questions about new games, including those of strategy and house edge. In blackjack, for example, we know the allure of the game is the ultra-low house edge, and expert players will have worked on developing a winning blackjack strategy over the years. There is a whole body of literature about tactics for every classic casino game, but we do not have that advantage when it comes to newer games.
New games offer new experiences and different challenges
Let’s start with the most pertinent question: What are these new casino games? Broadly, we would split them up into two categories: Casino game shows and modern variants of traditional games. As a general rule, the new games will have the potential for bigger payouts, yet there might be something of a tradeoff when it comes to house edge.
As you might expect from the game shows, these titles tend to mimic some of the elements of television game shows. Indeed, some titles are officially based on television game shows like Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Aesthetically, there are big changes in these types of games, with the dealers acting more like game show hosts and the casino floor looking more like a television studio.
If we take a game like Crazy Time – a huge hit in the casino game show genre – it’s worth pointing out that its house edge ranges from about 3.92% to just under 6%. It will depend on the bets that you place, but we can clearly see that the house edge is much greater than games like European roulette (2.7%) and classic blackjack (<1%). Of course, the house edge will always depend on strategy. The trade-off, however, comes with the huge prizes on offer with Crazy Time, allowing players to win up to 20,000X their bet. You can clearly see the allure, but it is also clear that Crazy Time and similar options are not ‘grinding’ games like blackjack.
Bigger prizes may come with a house edge trade-off
Similarly, classic games with new twists are becoming hot property at live online casinos. These include games like Quantum Blackjack and Lightning Roulette. Again, you are looking at a significant trade-off. In Lightning Roulette, you can win up to 500X your stake for a straight-up bet compared to 35X in traditional roulette games, but there is a difference in the house edge to accommodate that larger payout potential.
It’s worth noting as well that many traditional live casino games now carry progressive jackpot prizes. You can see some of these at DraftKings Casino, for example. And what we like about them is that you can enter the progressive jackpot game for an additional bet – it’s optional – thereby not compromising the house edge. These games are arguably a good choice for those who might want to hunt a jackpot yet play games like blackjack with optimum strategy.
In the end, like all casino games, the important thing to consider is what you want versus what the game offers. By that, we mean you should do your research on the games, looking at house edge, strategies, and so on. That should be contrasted with your goals – is it making a small profit or shooting for the moon with a jackpot? All casino games are unpredictable by their very nature, but they are governed by parameters of probability, and each is different. There are no guarantees of success, but knowing as much about each game and honing your strategy are the best ways of getting there.