Unibet Live Casino is one of the best in the world and thousands of players compete our live casino in Canada.
But how do Live Casinos actually work? We’ve all seen the movies where croupiers and dealers seamlessly dole out cards, chips and other rewards to players on their tables. It all seems so easy.
But of course, mastering the Live Casino is difficult and dealers will go through a lot of training to become the best in their chosen field.
This guide will take you through how a Live Casino works, from how cards are shuffled to how dealers are chosen.
We’ll reveal the intricacies of the Live Casino that you won’t know even existed.
How Live Casinos work
Casinos can be found all over the world and they take many different forms. Some are glitzy, glamorous buildings with multiple floors and countless games to play. These are the casinos you’re likely to find in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and Macau.
Other casinos are not as well polished. Local casinos can be shabby and badly organised, with a limited number of games and tables available to players.
But the general principle of Live Casinos remains the same. They need to be a safe place for people to gamble in, where they can play in comfort and not feel intimidated by their surroundings. Many Live Casinos make sure the chairs are comfortable, drinks and food are easy to get and facilities like toilets are accessible. It’s never too hot or too cold in a good casino. Lighting is another key factor in Live Casinos — most will set the lighting to a soft twilight, so it always feels like the right time of day.
Casinos are not easy to build and run, however. A casino must have enough money in the bank to pay a potential jackpot win. They enter a contract just like the player when you’re betting on the slots, roulette tables or any other game in their casino. Casinos that possess large amounts of cash will have a safe and secure vault. Many casinos will also offer hotel and restaurant services, so they can cater for players all day! If you’re a regular or a high-roller, you could also earn complimentary food and drink — known as comps — to keep you sweet.
The layout of a casino is unique to each hall, but the general principles remain the same. Tables such as roulette and craps will be in wide, open spaces so players know exactly where to find them. Slot machines can often line the walls of casinos, while poker game such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha will probably be played in a quieter, more discrete area.
What it’s like being a casino dealer?
Casino dealers are meant to be invisible. They are there to run games and pay out when required. A good casino dealer will not make themselves the centre of attention but will instead act as a steward for the game you’re playing.
It may look easy but being a casino dealer is very hard work. And there is a lot of training involved. Here, we take you through what it’s like being a casino dealer.
Casino dealer training
The training aspect of being a casino dealer is difficult. In fact, it’s intense. Many poker fans like to think they know how to shuffle cards but it’s only when you go on a course that you realise how good you actually have to be. Many casino dealers will take a course in dealing that could last between 80 and 100 hours. Dealers need this much practice because their job has to be perfect — there is no room for mistakes.
A dealer in training will typically need to learn these key aspects:
Know how to shuffle correctly - This involves shuffling fast and efficiently, without accidentally revealing any cards to the players at the table. A shuffle must be done with speed and style to maintain the image of the game.
- Pitch cards - This is also known as dealing the cards — but there is a style to doing it. You can’t simply throw the dealt cards at each player on a blackjack table. Dealers must learn to pitch correctly and accurately, using their thumb and forefinger to grip each card before the middle finger fires it to where it needs to go. Dealers will practice pitching cards for hours, just like archers or pool players. There is a skill in accurately pithing the cards and not accidentally revealing them!
- Cut chips - Dealers need to know how to cut chips quickly and effectively. Not only does it look good and stylish to cut chips with one hand, it is crucial to counting them with speed. Dealers will learn how to take a stack of chips and cut them with one hand into smaller stacks, before ‘splashing’ the last stack. By doing this, you can cut a hand of 20 chips into four stacks of five very easily.
- Quickly calculate payouts - This is where mental math comes in handy. A dealer must be able to calculate a payout immediately. If they’re on a blackjack table, they need to know what double $17 is as much as they need to know double $583. In poker, they need to know how to split pots when some players are all in. And Roulette requires dealers to actively calculate large multipliers quickly and efficiently.
- Enforce rules - The realer is also the referee in the Live Casino. They must know the rules of the game they’re hosting, and be willing to enforce them. Timid or inexperienced dealers can be intimidated by some casino players but the rules must be enforced.
- It might take up to nine weeks for a dealer to perfect their game at blackjack, while roulette and poker are two other games that need diligent practice.
So what happens when you get in the casino?
As a player in the casino, you might not even notice the dealers. That is the beauty of what they do. They’re there to officiate and run games. So what games can you play in a Live Casino? Here are just some that are available in casino halls — as well as at Unibet’s Live Casino online!
- Roulette - The most iconic game in the casino world is the roulette table. This is a table laid out with bet options, with a spinning wheel at the far end. The aim is to predict where the small ball will land on the spinning wheel. There are between 37 and 38 segments on the wheel, with each number assigned a red or black colour. You can bet on numbers, colours, splits and many other combinations in roulette — and the beauty of it is that it’s all down to luck.
- Slots - There are usually plenty of slot machines available in live casinos, and you can also play slots online with Unibet! Slots require the player to enter a bet and spin reels on a machine, in the hope of landing a payline and a big jackpot. Millionaires have been created through slot machines and there’s always a chance of landing a big win.
- Poker - The poker tables in any live casino can be intense. Players will compete against each other for the lion’s share of a pot. In poker, you must bet and bluff your way to winning hands using the strength of your cards. Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud and Omaha are three popular poker games.
- Blackjack - A gripping game between the player and the dealer, in which you have options to hit, stick or fold. The aim is to get cards totalling as close to 21 as possible, but not over. If you beat the dealer, you win the game and your bet.
Are dealers experts in one game?
Generally, a dealer will become specialised in a particular game in the casino. But the best dealers are expected to be able to officiate over any number of games. The skills needed to deal in poker can be used in blackjack, where it’s all about hand skills, card mathematics and chip movement.
In roulette, mental arithmetic and chip dealing are the two big skills a dealer needs. But that doesn’t mean they cannot then head over and rule over a game of poker!
Play Live Casino Games with Unibet
Now you know a bit more about how the Live Casino works, it’s time to test your own skills online! The Unibet Live Casino brings the glamour of the casino hall direct to your computer, smartphone or tablet. You can play poker, test your luck in roulette, challenge the dealer in blackjack or go for a jackpot in our online slots.
There are loads of games to play in the Live Casino, with dealers and hosts available to interact with while you’re enjoying the action! So why not test the games today and discover which part of the Live Casino is best for you?
Before you go, feel free check out live casino promotions & casino welcome bonus for new players in Canada!