The best live casino sites in America bridge the gap between online and offline gaming in a way you have to see to believe.
Here’s how to interact with the best live dealers, play for six-figure cash prizes, and immerse yourself in a world of real-time action at online live casinos.
The Best Live Casinos Compared
Everyone has different tastes, so we’ve separated the best live online casinos into categories. Each category covers an important aspect of the live gaming scene.
Best Overall Online Live Casinos
🥇 Winner: Wild Casino
- Pros: More than 60 live tables, play from $1, 20 novel games.
- Cons: Some live games are excluded from bonuses.
Why we chose Wild Casino: This is the best live online casino thanks to some incredible numbers: more than 25 blackjack tables, 16 roulette tables, and nine baccarat tables, mean there’s always a place available to play. Dedicated table game promotions and automatic VIP status when you sign up are also great perks.
🥈 Runner-Up: Black Lotus
- Pros: Super generous welcome offer and good range of classic games.
- Cons: Mobile UX could use an update.
🥉 Podium Finish: Cafe Casino
- Pros: Exclusive games, plenty of game shows, and there’s always space at the live tables.
- Cons: Could have a few more classic table games.
Best Live Casinos for Blackjack
🥇 Winner: Wild.io
- Pros: 19 live dealer blackjack tables, betting limits for high rollers, VIP games.
- Cons: Can be difficult to navigate to specific blackjack tables if you have a preference.
Why we chose Wild.io: This casino has more live dealer blackjack games than almost all its peers. Every table has room for seven players, and, with minimum bets from $1, you shouldn’t have any issues finding a game. Overall, BC.Game is a great live casino for serious blackjack players.
🥈 Runner-Up: Black Lotus
- Pros: Multi-language blackjack tables, blackjack leaderboard promos, instant crypto withdrawals.
- Cons: The software can be slow sometimes.
🥉 Podium Finish: Wild Casino
- Pros: Always plenty of space at tables.
- Cons: Some more blackjack variants would be good.
💡 Quick Tip: Stand when the dealer is weak (showing a 4, 5, or 6) and you’ve got a total of 12 or higher to give yourself the best shot at winning.
Best Live Online Casinos for Selection of Games
🥇 Winner: Cafe Casino
- Pros: Spaces were available at live tables every time we checked this casino out.
- Cons: Some more game shows would take things to the next level.
Why we chose Cafe Casino: Cafe Casino always operates at least 13 blackjack tables as well as three roulette variations. Its range of game shows and other unorthodox favorites like Wheel of Fortune and Lucky Kick make it our top destination for variety.
🥈 Runner-Up: Wild.io
- Pros: Carries the full range Evolution live tables including game shows.
- Cons: Can only deposit in crypto.
🥉 Podium Finish: BC.Game
- Pros: Solid selection of casino classics, including European roulette, which has a more favorable RTP.
- Cons: Not as many niche games like baccarat as others.
💡 Quick Tip: Play live blackjack and baccarat if you want the best long-term expected returns.
Best Live Casinos for Bonuses
🥇 Winner: Black Lotus
- Pros: 200% welcome bonus up to $7,000, loyalty rewards, 30+ live games.
- Cons: Bonus wagering requirements could be improved.
Why we chose Black Lotus: It’s easy to see why Black Lotus is our pick for the best bonus, you just can’t do better than $7,000 in bonus funds. Even with its higher wagering requirement, a bonus that size will give you plenty of free play to open your account with.
🥈 Runner-Up: Raging Bull
- Pros: 350% welcome bonus plus some free slot game spins.
- Cons: Needs more live dealer casino games.
🥉 Podium Finish: BetUS
- Pros: 200% welcome bonus up to $5,000
- Cons: Some live dealer games are excluded.
💡 Quick Tip: Join a variety of online live casinos to get multiple welcome bonuses.
Best Live Casino Apps & Mobile Sites
🥇 Winner: BetUS
- Pros: Mobile app with 60+ live games, $50,000 betting limits, early payout games.
- Cons: Needs more low-stakes games.
Why we chose BetUS: The BetUS mobile site is the best of our top 10 live casinos. Access to all its live dealer games is super easy, and as long as you have a solid mobile connection, its chat features and video stream were super stable no matter which table we hit.
🥈 Runner-Up: Wild Casino
- Pros: Easily searchable mobile site, instant withdrawals, fiat and crypto payment options.
- Cons: Not many live casino bonus offers.
🥉 Podium Finish: Wild.io
- Pros: Streamlined interface, Evolution Live games, instant crypto withdrawals.
- Cons: No live chat support.
💡 Quick Tip: Make use of mobile security features, such as Face ID logins, if they’re available.
Summary
Here’s a quick recap of what the best live casinos in America offer and why we rate them so highly.
| Category | Our Criteria | Best Online Casinos |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | The top all-around casino that excels in game variety, bonuses, security, and customer experience. | Wild Casino |
| Best for Blackjack | The live casino that offers the broadest selection of blackjack games at stakes suitable for all players. | Wild.io, |
| Best for Game Selection | The top site when it comes to the quantity and quality of its live dealer casino games. | Cafe Casino |
| Best for Bonuses | The best live US online casino for added value, including welcome bonuses, cashback, and loyalty rewards. | Black Lotus |
| Best App | The slickest live casino you can use anywhere at any time. | BetUS |
Popular Live Casino Games
From classics to modern innovations like instant payout casinos, leading live dealer online casinos have everything you could want.
Here are the games you can play and how to get maximum value from them.
Live Blackjack
- The Basics: You win by getting a better total than the dealer without going over 21 (the best total). You start with two cards but have the option to take more if you need. The dealer also has two cards but can only hit if they have a total of 16 or less.
- Variations Available: Classic, Early Payout, Unlimited, Lightning, Switch.
- Suggested Strategy: Use basic strategy charts available at any blackjack casino to know when to hit, stand, double, and split. Alternatively, stand on 12 or more when the dealer has a weak up-card (4, 5, or 6).
Live Roulette
- The Basics: Predict where a ball is going to stop on a numbered wheel. The beauty of live roulette is that you can bet on single numbers or groups of numbers, e.g., single numbers pay 35x, while betting on all the red numbers pays 1x.
- Variations Available: American, European, French, Lightning, Blazing, 500x, and Auto.
- Suggested Strategy: Place outside bets if you want the best long-term expected win rate.
Live Baccarat
- The Basics: In this card game, the best total is 9, so you’re picking the hand (Banker or the Player) you believe will get closest to this score. You can also bet on a tie.
- Variations Available: Classic, Speed, Squeeze, Dragon Tiger.
- Suggested Strategy: Always bet on the Banker as it has a lower house edge than the Player hand (1.06% vs. 1.24%).
Live Poker
- The Basics: Make ranked poker hands to beat the dealer in a showdown. The strength of a winning hand (based on traditional poker rankings) determines the amount you win. For example, a full house pays more than a straight.
- Variations Available: Casino Hold’em, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, Three-Card Poker.
- Suggested Strategy: In most variants, you should always play/raise if your starting hand contains an ace or a pair.
Live Craps
- The Basics: Craps is a live casino game where you bet on the outcome of a dice roll. Specific totals have different outcomes during the come-out roll and the point roll. For example, everyone wins if a 7 or 11 hits during the come-out roll. However, during the point roll, a 7 ends the game.
- Variations Available: Classic, Simplified, High Point.
- Suggested Strategy: Focus on low-house edge options, such as pass line bets.
Live Game Shows
- The Basics: Live game shows are non-standard offerings, including prize wheels or unusual mechanics such as prize grids and lottery draws.
- Variations Available: Dream Catcher, Crazy Time, War of Bets, Dice Duel, T-Basket, Wheel of Fortune, Lucky 7 Lottery Draw.
- Suggested Strategy: These games are designed to be fun, so play conservatively and enjoy the show.
Live Casino Games RTP & Features
If you’re still unsure what the best live table games are, here are some stats and facts to consider.
| Casino Game | RTP | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | 99.5% | Low house edge and great for using mathematically justified betting strategies. |
| European Roulette | 97.3% | Wide range of payouts from 1x to 35x, and the house edge is more favorable for players than American roulette. |
| American Roulette | 94.8% | The extra 00 on the board tips this game well into the house’s favor. The rest of the table remains the same as the European version. |
| Poker (Casino Hold’em) | 97.8% | Standard payouts and bonuses for making specific hands, such as a royal flush. |
| Baccarat | 98.9% | Low house edge and the ability to bet on a tie. |
| Craps | 98.6% | Lots of betting options, all of which have different amounts of risk. |
Bonuses Available at Live Casinos
We’re always open and transparent, so here’s the truth: live games and bonuses aren’t always the best of friends.
Basically, in a lot of cases, you won’t be able to clear bonuses (hit playthrough targets) playing live dealer games.
That’s because their contribution weighting is either 5% or 0%. So, at best, 5% of your bets contribute to a playthrough target. In contrast, slots at the best online casinos have a 100% contribution weighting, so you should use them to clear bonuses.
Despite the contribution weighting issue, there are ways to boost your bankroll playing live casino online real money games. Here’s how:
Cashback
What is it? You get a percentage of your losses back when you play real money games, including live games. For example, get 25% cashback on losses at Decode Casino.
How to Claim: Play live casino games for real money. If you win, great. If you incur a net loss, you get some money back.
Reload Bonuses
What is it? Extra credit for adding funds to your casino account. Slots of Vegas has a penchant for reload bonuses that include site credit and free spins.
How to Claim: Make a qualifying deposit (usually $20+) on specific days/times or with a promo code.
Hand Bonuses
What is it? You can win special bonuses and prizes for playing live table games, including blackjack and roulette. For example, Live Blackjack Classic at Cafe Casino offers side bets that pay bonus prizes based on specific card combinations.
How to Claim: Play live blackjack and baccarat games with bonus bets. For example, 21+3 blackjack allows you to win bonus prizes, including progressive jackpots, when the first three cards dealt make ranked hands.
Leaderboard Races
What is it? Earn points each time you play live casino online real money games to earn a spot on the leaderboard. The top earners at the top of the playing period win a share of the prize pool.
How to Claim: Enter a tournament, such as Miami Club Casino’s Morning Spins contest, and play eligible games. Earn as many points as possible to earn your spot on the leaderboard.
Pros & Cons of Playing at Top Live Casinos
Here are the main reasons some people love live dealer casino games, and others prefer digital online offerings such as slots:
Pros
- Webcams give you a real-time overview of the action so you can see everything that’s happening.
- You can chat with the dealers and other players. This makes games more interactive and immersive.
- Software providers have added clever twists to classic casino games, such as Lightning Prize Multipliers.
Cons
- Sometimes you need to wait for a place at a table.
- Playing live casino sometimes doesn’t count toward bonus playthrough targets.
Tips for Playing Live Casino Games
When all is said and done, we play live games to have fun. However, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win, so here are four tips to improve your long-term expected returns:
1. Claim as Many Bonuses as Possible
Live casino bonus offers provide guaranteed returns when you comply with their wagering requirements. That means you can add betting credits to your bankroll, regardless of whether you’re winning or losing.
2. Be Ready for Fast Play
Live casino dealers can’t wait for you to make a decision because there are other players in the game, so you’ll have between 15 and 30 seconds to place your next bet.
3. Have a Strategy
You should know exactly how much you’re going to bet and why, even if you’re playing at a no-limit casino. Your bet amount should be based on your total bankroll (less than 5%), and there should be a reason behind every wager you make.
4. Check the Game RTP
Games with a higher Return to Player (RTP) value have a lower house edge. When the casino has a lower edge (i.e., less advantage), your long-term expected win rate is better. Live casino games with high RTP values are roulette, poker, blackjack, and baccarat.
Live Casino Game Providers
Before we bring this guide to a conclusion, let’s look at some of the companies behind offshore casinos and the best live casino games:
Fresh Deck Studios
- Founded: 2019
- Specialty: HTML5 live casino games
At present, Fresh Deck only covers casino classics, including baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. However, it’s a popular provider because of its HTML5 software. HTML5 makes Fresh Deck live casino games available on desktop and mobile devices, no matter if you’re playing at one of many top casino apps or mobile sites.
Pragmatic Play Live
- Founded: 2015
- Specialty: 4K video streams
Pragmatic Play is the proverbial all-rounder in the live gaming arena. Put simply, it does everything well. From 4K cameras providing real-time overviews of classic games, to VIP high roller tables and exotic offerings such as Mega Sic Bo, there’s something fun for everyone.
Playtech Live
- Founded: 2001
- Specialty: Live casino game shows
Playtech has been around since the early noughties and, despite being a bigger force in the slot gaming sector, it now has a world-class collection of live games. Playtech Live does non-traditional games better than most. Alongside gameshows like Jumanji and Adventures Beyond, you can play live casino slots such as Buffalo Blitz.
Evolution Gaming
- Founded: 2006
- Specialty: Live casino innovations
Evolution Gaming sets the standard for live dealer online casino games. Based in Sweden, this company’s strength is innovation. Many of the industry’s hottest trends are based on Evolution mechanics, including the Lightning mechanic, which adds random prize multipliers to classic casino games.
How Do Live Online Casinos Work?
Live casino games are a feature of new online casinos, controlled by human dealers who run the game from a studio and can be watched on a stream.
These games bridge the gap between land-based casinos and their online counterparts. You get to sit at home (or any location you desire) and take part in a live game happening somewhere else in the world.
That somewhere else is typically a secure studio. However, some sites have live casino floor games that point cameras at tables located in land-based casinos.
Regardless of whether it’s a studio or casino floor, all live dealer games have three main components:
- Webcams: Cameras provide a live video stream.
- RFID Sensors: Microchips track the movement of cards/table elements and transmit the information to a database.
- Digital Overlay: This overlay allows you to place bets. The information collected by the overlay is used in conjunction with game data collected by the RFID sensors.
Live Online Casino Games vs Regular Games
We’ve talked about the best live casinos in the US, the games they offer, and the bonuses you can bank. Basically, you’re ready to play live casino games right now.
However, it’s worth pointing out for the newbies among you that live dealer casino games aren’t the only games in town. The best offshore casinos in the US also offer digital games. Here’s a definition of both and how they’re different:
- Live casino games online are live-action online casino games that are set in secure studios and presided over by human dealers/croupiers.
- Normal online casino games are animated games powered by Random Number Generator (RNG) algorithms that mimic the mechanics of live dealer tables and create fair results.
Now you know the two different ways you can play online casino games, here are some pros and cons to consider:
| Live Casino Games | Digital Online Casino Games |
|---|---|
| You see the action in real-time | Games are powered by RNG software that’s certified as fair |
| Interactive and immersive | Fast-paced and quirky animations |
| Fixed time between betting rounds | You can play at your own pace |
| Vibrant settings with videos, lights, and augmented reality elements | Slightly more relaxed vibe |
| Betting limits typically start at $0.50 or $1 | You can place bets as small as $0.10 |
FAQs
Every licensed live online casino in the US is legit. This means a licensed casino’s live games are certified as fair by independent testing companies. It also means payments and prizes are guaranteed under the operator’s terms.
You can win cash prizes by playing live casino online real money games. Using a licensed live casino with reputable payment methods allows you to deposit, play, and withdraw your winnings safely. You can also make extra money by claiming live casino bonuses.
House edge refers to the advantage an operator has when you play live games. For example, the house edge for live blackjack is 0.5%, which equates to a theoretical Return to Player (RTP) value of 99.5%. This means, in theory, you’ll win $99.50 for every $100 wagered.
You can’t play live casino games using demo chips, but you can play for free with bonuses. For example, you can claim the 350% new customer welcome bonus at Raging Bull and use the free credits to play live dealer casino games.
This depends what games or bonuses you’re looking for. Some top live casinos offer a huge variety of live games, while others give players generous bonuses.
Wild Casino, and Black Lotus are two of the best live online casinos in the US offering instant payouts. These US live casinos process USD and crypto payments, so you can choose the method that suits you best. For the fastest withdrawals, use cryptos such as USDT and ETH.
References
- https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/RFID-radio-frequency-identification (RFID Sensors Explained)
- https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/ (Gamblers Anonymous)
- https://www.coinbase.com/en-gb/learn/crypto-basics/what-is-cryptocurrency (Cryptocurrency Explained)
