Live Casino Holdem by Playtech is a live dealer poker game released in 2019. It boasts an RTP of 99.18% with a minimum bet of $0.5 and a $1,000 maximum wager. Available on desktop and mobile, this game offers a smaller house edge than even the best live casino hold’em games out there.
Playtech started really focusing on live casino games a few years ago. With such fierce competition to beat, they had to present something truly attractive to players. Their take on live dealer casino hold ’em certainly fits the bill – and our Playtech Casino Holdem review will explain why.
Game Specifications | |
---|---|
Game name | Live Casino Hold'em (Playtech) |
Game provider | Playtech |
Game type | Casino Hold'em |
Streaming from | Latvia |
RTP | 99.18% |
Bet range | €0.5 - €1000 |
Max win | 100:1 |
Side bets | Yes |
Supported platforms | |
Supported OS | |
Languages |
Czech
Dutch
English
French
German
Greek
+10
All supported languages
|
Casino Hold’em was invented by Stephen Au-Yeung, who created the variant in 2000 for training purposes. As opposed to the original form of poker game where players are competing against each other, the dealer is your only opponent in Casino Holdem.
The cards are dealt according to the one-to-many principle. This means that all the players use the same hand but draw independent moves. One will also notice that Playtech’s Live Casino Hold’em (as well as the developer’s other live poker variants) has a distinctive way of shuffling the cards – the used deck is placed in one of the two automatic card shufflers after every round, and a fresh deck takes its place.
The action takes place in Playtech’s acclaimed Riga live casino studio. Whether you’re looking for new live dealer casino games or just want to play poker online in a casino, this game fits the bill.
After the Ante bet is submitted, the dealer draws two cards for the player, two cards for the house (facing down) and three community cards (Flop). The players will then either Call and double the Ante or fold and forfeit the bet. Two more cards are added to the community pile (Turn and River) and the dealer finally reveals his cards.
If the dealer does not qualify with a pair of 4s, the Ante bet wins, and the Call bet is returned to the players. The fact the dealer can qualify or not means that there are several possible outcomes for each round. Check out the table below to see what they are.
Result | Ante | Play |
---|---|---|
Dealer does not qualify and you win | Win | Push |
Dealer qualifies and you win | Win | 1:1 |
Dealer qualifies and you lose | Lose | Lose |
Dealer qualifies and you tie | Push | Push |
Player folds | Lose | Lose |
Betting time is limited and failing to beat the clock will automatically fold the hand.
If the dealer qualifies and you haven’t folded, your hand is compared against the dealer’s. IF you win, you collect winnings for both the Ante and Call bets. Playtech Casino Hold’em poker hands are what you’d expect them to be. Here they are in descending order of strength.
Those are the basics on how to win Live Casino Hold’em. The so-called ‘AA’ bet is another option in this game. It’s a side bet, however, and will be covered in the Special Features of this Casino Hold’em game review.
Since there are two main bets in Live Casino Hold’em by Playtech, there are also two payouts. The Call bet is the easy part – it always pays even money, no matter how you win the hand. However, the Ante and AA side bets have different rewards depending on the winning hand. Check out this handy Casino Hold’em payout table for more details.
Hand | Payout | ||
---|---|---|---|
Ante Bet Payouts | |||
Royal Flush | 100:1 | ||
Royal Flush | 20:1 | ||
Four of a Kind | 10:1 | ||
Full House | 3:1 | ||
Flush | 2:1 | ||
Straight or Less | 1:1 | ||
Bonus Bet Payouts | |||
Royal Flush | 100:1 | ||
Straight Flush | 50:1 | ||
Four of a Kind | 40:1 | ||
Full House | 30:1 | ||
Flush | 20:1 | ||
Pair of Aces to Straight | 7:1 |
The RTP of Live Casino Hold’em Ante Bet is at 99.18%, as per the game’s official information. Bear in mind, however, that this only applies if you’re using optimal strategies. The side bet is at a somewhat lower 93.74$. That’s why beginners should probably avoid the side bet until they have a firm grasp on how Casino Hold’em works.
Make sure to choose the game that suits your taste and budget. For more extensive guides on live casino hold 'em basics, read this article.
One advantage of live casino hold’em is that it’s a fairly exciting game, even without extra features and such. There’s plenty to keep track of and think about, with suits some players well. To help you with that, the Playtech Live Holdem game boasts a comprehensive history and stats window. Found in the upper right corner of the screen, it can offer the kind of insight you need to win Casino Hold’em.
Beyond that, the main extra feature is the AA bet. Those of you who’ve played other live casino hold’em games such as Evolution’s will know it as the Bonus bet. This bet is completely optional, and you’ll need to put down a stake at the same time as for the Ante. Essentially, the Bonus bet looks at the player’s hands and the three Flop community cards. If these five cards manage to form a poker hand stronger than a pair of Aces, the AA bet wins.
The AA side bet in Casino Hold’em operates independently from the base game. Even if you fold or lose the Call bet, the AA can still win. This opens up interesting casino hold’em strategies, though we advise caution. The wager’s low RTP rate makes it difficult to consistently profit from it in the long run.