Adam Pearson, Live Casino pro, walks us through Smart Live Casino
Let's start by taking a look at what Smart Live Casino offers!
Smart Live has dealer-led games of Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat, as well as two live Auto Roulette wheels.
This is more than any other TV Casino! You can play all their live games without having to register first, so you can try the games out before you sign up to their website.
Live Feed from the Smart Live Casino Studios
(if the feed isn't showing the station isn't online)
The first thing you'll notice on the Smart Live Casino website is a Flash banner telling you what live games they offer, which turns into a link for you to register. When you click the registration page, a very simple form will open where you give a few simple details to open your account. Smart Live don't ask for credit/debit card details when you first sign up. Instead, you enter those details when you make your first deposit. In my opinion, Smart Live's registration process is the easiest of all the channels.
When you make your first deposit, Smart Live Casino will instantly match your deposit by 150% upto the value of £500 - this is the highest match bonus of any TV Casino. Terms and Conditions do apply to your match bonus, but the bonus is in your account immediately if you enter the promotional code.
If you wish to play for free, Smart Live will give you 1,000 fun chips to learn the games. Unlike other casino channels, these chips do not reload when you log out. However, you are able to reload your fun chips up to five times.
Once you log in, you'll notice that the home page has changed. The Flash banner you click to register has changed to display current promotions, and there are now easy links to play Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat.
If, at any point, you need help during the registration process, or any point thereafter, Smart Live Casino offer a Live Chat service on the website from 8am until 10.30pm, and a freephone customer services line 24 hours a day.
Live Roulette at Smart Live Casino
Smart Live offer more Live Roulette than any other channel. There are two Auto Roulette wheels, and four live tables. Their English Live Roulette table is open from 1pm until 6am in the UK every day, their Auto Roulette tables are live 24 hours, and their three foreign language channels are open for six hours in the evening - times vary depending on which language you are playing. The foreign language tables, and auto roulette tables offer 45 second games, whilst the English Live Roulette table offers 60 second games. This means that Smart Live offers over 3,000 spins every day over all their roulette tables.
The Roulette play page is incredibly easy to use, and provides more statistics than any other channel. On the play page, there are tabs to show how other players are playing - you have the option to hide your name from the players list page, if you would rather keep your bets private - as well as a chat tab, and a stats tab. Most of the stats show their results by using a graphical representation of the wheel. Stats include which numbers are being played the most, which numbers have been spun the most, and a list of the last 185 spins. My favourite tab is the Hot and Cold numbers tab. That tab gives a list of the 10 hottest numbers, and the 10 coldest numbers with their percentages. The web streaming can be temperamental, and will often need refreshing to keep up with the live game. The streaming is usually five seconds behind the live game, but it can often fall behind due to lag.
The standard of roulette dealing at Smart Live Casino is hit-and-miss. They have three croupiers who have experience in High Street Casinos, as well as a multitude of presenters trained to deal the games. Most presenters are able to spin the ball well, but there are a few presenters whose dealing leaves a lot to be desired. The presenters will guide you through how to play the game, and are willing to answer any questions you may have when it comes to playing. The presenters all have their own personalities, and will provide entertainment when you are playing.
As is standard in any TV Casino, Smart Live Casino offers the French Sections, as well as Number and Neighbour bets. Some presenters also explain other ways of playing, including the Zero Spiel, and finale bets.
Smart Live's Low-Limit Auto Roulette Wheel offers the smallest table minimum in any TV Casino, with the minimum bet being 0.25 of your chosen currency. The Live English Table's limits vary depending on where you place your chips, and how you choose to place your chips. Over the telephone, the table limits are 1-500 in total, and over the internet, the table limits are 1-1,500. Smart Live Roulette also impose limits on the amount of chips you can place on a single number, and outside plays. The minimum you can place on a 2:1 bet is 5 chips, and the minimum you can place on a 1:1 bet is 10 chips. The most you can play on a single inside placement is 150 chips.
Smart Live Blackjack
Smart Live Blackjack is live for 16 hours every day from 2pm until 6am in the UK, with betting and decision rounds lasting 10 seconds. Smart Live play one-on-one Blackjack with six decks using European Rules. The table limits are 5 to 500 of your chosen currency.
The play page is very simple, with everything you need to play shown on the screen, along with a chat and stats window. Depending on your possible choices, buttons will appear allowing you to hit, stand, double, split or take insurance. If you do not make your decision within the alloted time, you will automatically stand on your total.
The way the cards are dealt in the streaming window looks confusing at first, as all cards after the first three are dealt in a straight line across the table. The cards are dealt in this manner because every player gets to make their own decisions, meaning that your hand is not affected by anyone else's choices.
At the start of the day, the pre-shuffled cards are taken out of a sealed box. The presenter will perform a courtesy shuffle on air; the cards at Smart Live Blackjack are shuffled approximately once every forty minutes thereafter, with the cutting card being placed about four decks in. The presenters shuffle the cards by hand, using both an aerial shot and a front shot to prove that the cards are being shuffled live.
As with Smart Live Roulette, the streaming is very temperamental, with the streaming often lagging far behind the live game.
Smart Live Baccarat
Smart Live Baccarat is Smart Live Casino's latest live game. It is live for three hours every day from 8pm until 11pm in the UK. Played with eight decks, and following Punto Banco drawing rules, Smart Live Baccarat offer pair bets, along with the Tie bet. Smart Live Baccarat's tie bet pays out at 8:1.
In a similar manner to Smart Live Blackjack, the cards are pre-shuffled off air and placed into a sealed box. At the start of the day's session, the cards are removed from the sealed box, and shuffled on air by the presenter. After the first courtesy shuffle, the cards are shuffled approximately once every hour, with the cutting card being placed about six decks in.
The play page offers statistics related to the game, along with a list of table limits and a chat facility.
What else do Smart Live Casino offer?
On the website, there are hundreds of non-live games, including Video Poker, Video Slots, and Table Games. Smart Live Casino's sister websites - Smart Live Bingo and Smart Live Poker offer real-time games alongside other players. Smart Live Poker also offers a free Poker Training School to make you a better player!
Smart Live Casino offer regular promotions including Midweek Madness and Fantastic Friday reload promotions to make them stand out from the crowd. If you deposit £30 into your Live Games Wallet on a Wednesday, Smart Live Casino will match your deposit. If you deposit £50 into your Live Games Wallet on a Friday, Smart Live Casino will match your deposit. As with the first deposit bonus, terms apply.
If you play regularly, you may qualify to be a VIP member. VIP members receive cashback on their losses, deposit bonuses, and when they refer a friend, the friend gets £20 and the VIP member gets 10% of their first deposit.
Summary
Smart Live Casino has more choice than any other TV Casino, but the choice comes at a cost. The standard of dealing on the roulette tables is significantly lower than its competitors, but the Live Blackjack and Baccarat services are superior to any other Live Casino.
