NetEnt have set some lofty goals with their latest Live Max Roulette game release. With promises of re-defining the idea of live casino gaming, they’ve implemented some very impressive ideas. From a company with NetEnt’s size and reputation, surprising players is no easy feat.
At first glance, Max Roulette Live looks like nothing we’ve seen before. It’s played with 4 separate roulette wheels all working in tandem. This opens the game up to new types of bets and spreads we’ve never seen before in a live roulette game.
How Live Roulette Max Works
First of all, let’s take a look at this game’s unique set. While there are four roulette wheels, they’re not equal. The first one – the one closest to the camera which gets the most attention – is the main wheel. This is where most of the action takes place.
For instance, you still have the option of going for regular roulette bets, which will be resolved on the primary wheel. That kind of negates the whole point of playing this title over other live table roulette games, though. To be fair, the whole thing has a very pleasant look and feel to it. Not to mention that it is exceptionally well-made, and easily one of the best live roulette games on the market. Our point is that, if you just want to stick to good old European roulette, that’s perfectly fine.
Now, since there are 4 wheels, it makes sense that they are all auto-roulette. There is only one presenter, and their job is mostly to keep players engage and not actually spin the wheel. This may not be to some players’ liking, which is why we’re bringing it up.
The secondary wheels are called “X Wheels.” Their role is more of a supportive one, which kind of depends on the type of wager in question. Let’s explain through an example.
For instance, straight bets – bets on a single number – use X Wheels as a sort of multiplier. If one or more of the X Wheels hits the same result, the reward is multiplied. This multiplier can be anywhere between 2 and 4, depending on the number of winning X Wheels. Though this mirrors multipliers seen in other live roulette tables, it’s generally a more fun and engaging method.
Roulette Max Bet Types
Again, the trouble of describing the purpose of the X Wheels is that it largely depends on the type of bet. We’ll start with how regular wagers are affected and work our way towards some of the new, unique bet types.
For starters, let’s look at the simplest ones. As described above, straight bets are barely affected. They’re played on the main wheel only, and the X Wheels work as potential multipliers. This applies to pretty much all inside bets. This means that the RTP rate is a fairly standard 97.05%.
- The Red/Black wager received an interesting overhaul. Firstly, they only pay out if 3 or 4 wheels hit your choice of colour. It’s quite an exciting change for what is usually the most boring roulette bet type. While this does increase the house edge a bit, there are upsides. First of all, the payouts are much bigger. Hitting the same colour on 3 wheels pays at odds of 2:1, while doing so on 4 wheels pays 4:1. These boast a somewhat iffy RTP rate of 93.35%.
- Line bets are identical to any other roulette game. These only take the main wheel into account while the X Wheels are ignored. As such, the payouts are also industry standard, which means a 94,74% RTP rate.
- Column bets predict that the ball will land on one of 12 numbers. All numbers on the bet table are split into 3 columns. Now, to get actual returns, you’ll need more than one wheel to hit the chosen column. 2 Hits result in a push, while 3 and 4 hits pay out 5:1 and 11:1 respectively. These are quite strong with 97,41% RTP.
Spread Bet
Now, this is where things can get a bit more complicated. One of this game’s unique innovations is called the Spread bet. The outcome of a spread bet is based on the combined sum of all the numbers hit across all four wheels. Essentially, you pick one of six possible spreads: 0-17, 18-36, 37-82, 83-96, 91-119, or 120-144. The wheels spin, and the resulting numbers are all summed. If the outcome is within the spread range you chose, you win!
Obviously, because of the rule of averages, not all of these pay the same. Their respective RTP rates are also different. Here’s a handy table with further details:
Bet | Payout | RTP |
0-17 | 299:1 | 95.80% |
18-36 | 19:1 | 91.14% |
37-82 | 1:2 | 95.05% |
83-96 | 4:1 | 93.17% |
97-119 | 7:1 | 96.22% |
120-144 | 84:1 | 92.86% |
MAX Bet
The so-called MAX bet is also rather unique to Max Roulette by NetEnt. This wager pays out if any 2 or more wheels get the same result. The difference from a straight bet is that the MAX bet wins on any repeated result, while straight bets require a specific number. These bets are paid out regardless of the combination of Main or X Wheels – any of them will do.
A number on 2, 3, and 4 whells pays out 4:1, 49:1, and 499:1 respectively. Also, you get a special return of 9:1 if you get one number on two wheels and another number on the other 2. This combines for an RTP of 91.96%.
Conclusion
That covers our handy Live Roulette MAX guide. As a final note, the overall RTP of this game is 97.05%, according to NetEnt. Of course, this assumes you’re playing with optimal MAX roulette strategy. You can now hop into NetEnt’s flagship title on any live casino out there and start spinning. Good luck!