Live Hold Em will better recreate the atmosphere of a land-based casino and introduce a social aspect that is lacking from the online variants of the game.
Live Hold Em, what is it?
Live Hold Em is obviously the live dealer version of the Hold Em poker casino game, also known as Casino Hold Em. So, what is Hold Em? Hold Em is very similar to Texas Hold Em, however, in Texas Hold Em, players will be in competition against the other players at the table. In Casino Hold Em, all players are trying to beat the dealer’s hand, not each other’s. Live Hold Em allows players to play from home, while still enjoying the social aspect that they would get if they were playing at a land-based casino. Players won’t have to drive to a casino, or pay for accommodation, but they can still get the benefits of socializing with other players and the dealer while playing.
What Makes Live Hold Em Special?
One of the biggest draws for all live dealer games is the fact that they use real casino equipment. There is no Random Number generator to determine the cards in your hand, but rather a real deck of cards that is dealt by a real dealer. Besides that, everything is identical to online versions of the game, as well as what is available in a land-based casino.
Guide on How to Play Live Hold Em
The first thing any gambler will need to do if they want to play Live Hold Em, is to find a casino that accepts players from America, that offers the game. Then go ahead and signup and create your account. Once this is done, deposit funds into your casino account through whichever banking method appeals to you. Next, it is time to find Live Hold Em, so navigate to the Live Dealer games tab, select the game you want to play and join.
Once you join, you’ll be greeted with the live video stream from the online casino. Here you’ll see the table itself, the dealer, the cards, and the graphical interface. The rules are all the same, so place your bet and have fun.
The Rules of the Game
The rules of Live Hold Em are relatively simple. Players only have to worry about one thing, making sure their hand is stronger than the dealer’s hand. Unlike in Texas Hold Em, where you’re playing against all the players at the table, in Casino Hold Em, you’re only playing against the dealer. Each player will be dealt two cards and will use the community cards to create their hand. The game will progress as follows:
- All the players at the table will place an initial bet, called the Ante. Players also have the option of making some side bets as well, although these are optional.
- Once all Ante bets are placed, the live dealer will shuffle all the cards and give each player two cards. The dealer will also deal themselves two cards, face down.
- After this, three more cards will be dealt, placed face up on the table. These are three of the community cards, which will be used by all players to make their final hands.
- After the first three community cards are revealed, players then need to decide if they want to remain in the round and raise their bet, or fold and forfeit their original Ante.
- After everyone has decided, the final two community cards will be dealt.
- Once all five community cards are on the table, the dealer will turn over their cards. The dealer must have a pair of 4s or better. The final stage of the round is the dealer and all the players making their best five card poker hand.
Once everyone is complete, the results are determined. There can only be one of the following four outcomes for players.
- The first is that the dealer did not have a pair of fours or better and did not qualify. In this situation, all players who did not fold, will collect their winnings according to the paytable.
- If the dealer qualifies and their hand is better than some or all of the player, those players will lose their ante bet, as well as the raise bet.
- If the player’s hand is better than the dealer’s hand, their ante bet is paid out in accordance with the paytable. The raise bet on the other hand is paid out 1:1
- If the player’s hand ties with the dealer’s, the ante and the raise will be considered a push.
Players will be able to play many rounds, but they do need to keep in mind that live dealer games typically have schedules. The games will not be available 24-hours a day. However, if the game is available, players will be able to join anytime and stay as long as the session is running. It is advisable that players check the time schedules, as well as the paytable, as this will differ between casinos.
Enjoy Live Games at Top Casinos
That about covers it for Live Hold Em, we certainly hope this guide has been helpful and motivated our readers to go and get stuck in. Be sure to find one of the top casinos to play at and avoid any lacklustre casino.
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