Pragmatic Play was previously known for online slots and other slot games, but the company acquired Extreme Live Gaming in 2018 and now also offers live dealer games. The company opened a completely new studio after the merger to offer the highest quality live dealer games, including roulette. 

Join us as we review Pragmatic Play’s live version of Speed Roulette.

Game overview

Just like other much-loved casino table games, such as online blackjack, online roulette continues to be enjoyed by virtual casino players around the world. But many roulette fans are turning to live dealer games to help them recreate the atmosphere of real casinos while enjoying the convenience of playing from home. Live Speed Roulette from Pragmatic Play aims to entertain people by providing them with exciting and fast live roulette games! 

As you may have guessed from the title, this game places a serious time limit on betting, giving you less than 30 seconds to place your bet during the spinning of the wheel. This means the betting action is always thick and fast, but it could leave newer players feeling a bit overwhelmed if they’re still learning the game. Let’s take a look at how to play this cracking title so you don’t feel out of your depth when you give it a go.  

How to play roulette

On the surface, roulette is a very easy casino game to play. First, you place a bet – for example, on black or red, a number between one and 36, or a combination of those numbers. The dealer then spins the roulette wheel and drops a ball into the spinning wheel. Whichever colour or number it lands on is the winner! But before you jump into a game, you should know there are various versions of roulette, each of which is slightly different. The three most popular versions are American, European, and French roulette, each named after their place of origin.

If you’re an experienced European roulette player, the good news is that you’ll already be familiar with how to play Pragmatic Play’s Live Speed Roulette and won’t have to learn any new rules. For newer players, though, it’s a good idea to know the basics of each version of the game before you start playing Speed Roulette. 

The rules

First up, we have the American version. This take on roulette is almost identical to both the European and French versions of the game, but there are two differences. The first is the layout of the roulette wheel. The American version of the game has an extra green pocket, so a total of two. These two green pockets are labelled zero (“0”) and double zero (“00”) on the American wheel. The house edge for this version of the game is 5.26%.

This differs from the European and French wheels, which only have one green pocket, labelled zero. The European version of the game has a house edge that is much lower than the American version but is almost double the French version. When you play European roulette, the house edge sits at 2.7%. The French version of the game is identical to the European version of the game, including the wheel, but it also has some special rules that lower the house edge. Thanks to these unique rules, the house edge sits at an almost non-existent 1.35%.

The second important difference between the American version and its European counterparts are the bets. The European version of the game has a special bet named a “call bet,” which covers different sections of the wheel. There are five call bets in total. American roulette also has a unique bet called a “five-number” bet. It is also known as a “top line,” or “basket” bet and covers numbers zero, double zero, one, two, and three. It’s considered the weakest wager in the game at a house edge of 7.89%. 

Now that you understand the differences between each of these games and have a better idea of how play might differ between them, what do you need to know about the European rules when it comes to betting?

There are two main types of wagers in roulette – inside and outside bets – and they’re called depending on where you make them on the roulette table. 

Inside bets

• Straight-up bet – Payout 35:1 – A bet that is placed on any single number, including zero.
  
• Split bet – Payout 17:1 – A bet that is placed on two adjacent numbers on the roulette table, including zero and one, zero and two, and zero and three.
  
• Street bet – Payout 11:1 – A bet that is placed on all three numbers in a row, including zero, one, and two, as well as zero, two, and three.
  
• Corner bet – Payout 8:1 – Covers four numbers that are touching each other, including zero, one, two, and three.
  
• Line bet – Payout 5:1 – Covers two rows of numbers that are touching.

Outside bets

• Column bet – Payout 2:1 – Covers an entire column of numbers.
• Dozen bet – Payout 2:1 – Covers the first 12 (one to 12), second 12 (13 to 24), or third 12 (25 to 36) numbers of the roulette wheel.
• Bet on colour – Payout 1:1 – A bet that is placed on red or black being the winner. (Half the numbers from one to 36 are red and the other half are black, so both are equally likely to come up.)
• Bet on odd/even – Payout 1:1 – A bet that is placed on any odd or even number from one to 36 being the winner.
• Bet on high/low – Payout 1:1 – A bet that is placed on low numbers (one to 18) or high numbers (19 to 36) being the winner.

Now that you know the rules and main bets of the game, you can start developing the best roulette strategy! Let’s take a quick look at specifically how you interact with Speed Roulette and some of the tools that are on offer.

Interface and game features

In Pragmatic Play’s Live Speed Roulette, the screen primarily consists of the dealer and the game, but there are also interface options and features you can interact with to play. In the bottom centre is the betting table, while the left-hand side of the screen is home to your balance, as well as other betting options and trends. On the right-hand side, you have the video and audio options at the top, which also allows you to control the camera settings, with the game’s live text chat appearing slightly farther down. The quick betting options and your total bet are displayed on the bottom right.

As with all of Pragmatic Play’s live dealer games, Speed Roulette aims to offer a high-quality video stream as well as low-latency play so that you never miss a bet, but you can tweak these settings to suit the speed of your internet connection. The game is also optimised perfectly for mobile play, with the interface adapting to the smaller screen space available on mobile devices.

Our verdict

While the rapid nature of Live Speed Roulette may be a bit much for new players or low-rollers, it undoubtedly offers a high level of excitement for those who like their betting action on the quicker side. The platform is also high-quality, which should help minimise any disruptions to your game.

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