Lightning Roulette has been electrifying players with exciting table action since it debuted in 2018. Evolution Gaming’s now casino classic is a twist on European roulette, but gives players more ways to win thanks to Lucky Numbers, multiplying earnings up to 500x each bet. Read our guide below to learn more about the rules, strategies, odds, and tips for this unique live casino experience.
Lightning Roulette Rules
Lightning Roulette is like classic European roulette but comes with random lightning multipliers.
Here are a few things to note down:
The Basic Setup
It’s like regular roulette but amped up. You place bets on your favorite numbers or groups. The dealer then spins the wheel in one direction, whereas the ball spins in the other. Like European roulette, you’ll see 37 pockets, numbered 0 to 36.
The Lightning Strike
Before the ball stops spinning, the lightning bolt feature activates, wherein:
- Lightning hits a random number between 1 and 5.
- These numbers get a multiplier of 50x, 100x, 200x, 300x, 400x, or even 500x.
When you bet on one of these numbers and it wins, your payout is multiplied.
How Betting Works
You can bet on:
- Straight-Up (single number): The best bet for those multipliers.
- Split, Corner, Street, Line, and Dozen Bets: Same payouts as regular roulette, but no multipliers apply here.
In Lightning Roulette, the straight-up bets pay 29:1 rather than the usual 35:1. It balances out the huge multiplier potential.
How a Round Plays Out
- Place your bets (single numbers, groups, colors).
- Lightning strikes on random numbers with multipliers before the wheel spins.
- If lightning strikes your chosen number, you win a generous payout.
- If not, you get the standard 29:1 payout on straight-up bets (or normal roulette payouts on other bets).
What Makes Lightning Roulette Different?
- Multipliers = Massive Wins: A $1 bet can turn into $500 if the right lightning number hits.
- Same European Rules: Red/black, odd/even, and other familiar bets work like you’re used to.
- Fast-Paced: The lightning element adds excitement and makes every spin feel like the one that could change everything.
Lightning Roulette is a high-risk, high-reward game that spices up traditional roulette with a storm of unpredictability. Whether you’re betting big or just enjoying the ride, the rules are easy to follow, and the payouts? Shocking.
How to Play Lightning Roulette
Lightning Roulette offers a variation of European roulette but with an exciting twist. While the game is played on exactly the same board as European roulette, things are significantly different after the betting ends.
Step 1 – Find a Lightning Roulette Table
Head to a casino that offers Lightning Roulette, either online or in-person.
Step 2 – Place Your Bets
Secure your spot and place your Inside and Outside bets within the designated time. You can bet on specific numbers, colors (black or red), or even/odd numbers.
Step 3 – Wait For Lightning to Strike
Once all bets are in and the betting phase has ended the live dealer will pull the lightning lever and wait for lightning to strike on up to 5 numbers. Players who win a straight-up bet on one of these lucky numbers won’t receive the usual odds of 35:1.
If your number is struck, you could win a multiplier between 50x – 500x your bet. The lucky numbers are chosen using RNG software as is used for the other components of the game, ensuring fair play.
Step 4 – Watch The Ball Land on Winning Bets
The live dealer will spin the wheel as a ball releases onto it. The ball will spin until it loses its momentum and falls into 1 of the numbered pockets on the wheel.
The payout for bets on numbers with no multiplier is typically set at 30:1 or 29:1. If your bet covers one of the lucky numbers struck by lightning and that number wins, then your payout is multiplied by the randomly assigned multiplier.
Step 5 – Collect Your Winnings
The dealer will pay out winning bets and collect losing bets. You can then choose to place new bets for the next round.
Play Lightning Roulette for Free
To test out how Lightning Roulette works without risking any money, you can also try playing the game for free here. This game, courtesy of Lucky Block, allows you to play Lightning Roulette for free before you try it out with your own money.
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Live Dealer Lightning Roulette
Many casinos also offer live casino Lightning Roulette. This brings a real live casino feel to a game that uses digital technology to enhance the odds – an exciting and unique combination.
Online casinos with live dealer options are increasingly common and afford players a great experience and a way to ensure they are playing a fair game. You can read more about them and which sites offer the best live dealer games, in our full guide.
Lightning Roulette Payouts & Odds
Lightning Roulette payouts generally follow the same trend as European roulette; it has unique odds for straight bets that sit at 30:1 instead of 35:1. Additionally, if a player wins on a straight bet that happens to be a lucky number, they can win odds ranging from 50:1 to 500:1. Below, we look at the top Lightning Roulette payouts:
| Bet type | Payout |
| Straight bet (1 number) | 30 to 1 |
| Column bet (12 numbers) | 2 to 1 |
| Dozen bet (12 numbers) | 2 to 1 |
| Even/odd bets (18 numbers) | 1 to 1 |
| Red/black bets (18 numbers) | 1 to 1 |
| Low/high bets (covers 1-18 or 19-36) | 1 to 1 |
| Lucky Numbers | 50 to 1 – 500 to 1 |
Lightning Roulette Pros and Cons
Lightning Roulette offers many advantages over standard roulette, but there are also some drawbacks. Here, we look at the key considerations for deciding which variant of the popular game to play on the best roulette sites.
A chance to win higher prizes
Lightning Roulette allows huge multipliers up to 500 times your initial bet, allowing a huge return on your wagers. Bets with odds this high are difficult to find, especially on casino table games, making the Lightning Roulette live dealer experience unique for the huge payouts it offers.
More excitement
The additional action in Lightning Roulette comes from the extra randomness of where the multipliers will land. This gives another layer of uncertainty and adds to the excitement as players seek out huge prizes.
Lower odds on numbers
While the multipliers are great when they hit, you’ll be paid less than you would at standard European roulette if you miss out on one. Instead of getting paid at 35:1, you’ll usually only get 30:1 or 29:1.
Not offered by all online casinos
Lightning Roulette is a great twist on the standard game of roulette, but it’s a long way from overtaking the popularity of the original. Every online casino will have standard roulette in some form, but the lightning version isn’t always available.
Lightning Roulette Strategy
While the Lightning Roulette rules are heavily based on standard European roulette, the strategy for the game is significantly different.
Many Roulette strategies, such as the Martingale strategy, stick to bets with 1:1 payouts, such as black and red, or even and odd. Straight-up bets, on numbers, are usually discouraged by standard roulette strategies.
However, in Lightning Roulette, players will need to make straight-up bets to take advantage of the main feature of the game and try to take down a huge bonus. For this reason, when playing Lightning Roulette, you should stick to betting on numbers.
While bets on numbers are far less likely to come in than other bets at the roulette table, the chance of picking up huge multipliers means that the times you do succeed, you can win a huge return on your wager. For this reason, Lightning Roulette has a far higher variance than standard roulette.
Essentially, players trade off their likelihood of winning for the chance to win a far bigger prize than is possible at roulette, or most other casino table games. This is important to remember when searching for the best Lightning Roulette strategy.
5 Lightning Roulette Moves to Boost Your Wins Online
Lightning Roulette is a rush, but knowing a few expert tricks can make it fruitful. It’s not just about hoping for the best. Mix in a little strategy, and you’ll increase your chances of winning.
Here are some tips to remember when you spin the wheel:
1. Understand the Game’s Payouts
Lightning Roulette isn’t your average game. It’s got special “Lightning Numbers” that pay out more, but the standard payouts for straight-up bets aren’t as high. So, know the difference before you place a big bet.
| Bet Type |
Standard Payout |
With Lightning Multipliers |
| Straight-Up Bet |
30:1 |
50x to 500x your stake |
| Split Bet |
17:1 |
N/A |
| Corner Bet |
8:1 |
N/A |
- Example: If you hit a Lightning Number, you could multiply your winnings by up to 500x! But if you don’t hit the Lightning Number, you’ll receive the standard 30:1 payout for a straight-up bet (lower than regular roulette’s 35:1).
2. Mix Your Bets
Don’t just rely on straight-up bets. While hitting a Lightning Number is exciting, it’s rare. Mix in safer bets like splits or corners to keep your balance steady. Combine the high-risk and low-risk bets to balance out your gameplay.
- Example: Bet on your lucky number, but don’t put all your chips in one spot. Spread them around on splits and corners too. That way, even if your Lightning Number doesn’t come up, you still have shots at winning with other bets.
3. Budget Wisely
The multipliers might tempt you to go all in. Also, this game can be fast-paced, so it’s easy to lose track of your spending. Don’t get carried away. Set a budget limit before playing.
4. Take Advantage of Lightning Numbers
The Lightning multipliers are the real showstoppers. Note that they only apply to straight-up bets. So, if you’re aiming for a huge payout, try placing a few straight-up bets every round.
- Example: If the Lightning strikes on the number you had bet on, you could score up to 500x. But only if you placed a straight-up bet on that specific number.
5. Practice with Free Games First
Before playing Lightning Roulette for real, try the free version. It’s wise to learn the game and its multipliers first. Additionally, you can test betting strategies without any risk.
Where Did Lightning Roulette Come From?
Lightning Roulette is a relatively new type of table game and is available at many of the best live roulette casino sites. The well-renowned Evolution game studio first released it in 2018 and it quickly exploded in popularity.
People in land-based casinos now have the opportunity to play this highly popular variant after Evolution struck a deal in 2021 with Scientific Games.
What Are Other Casino Games Like Lightning Roulette?
If you enjoy playing Lightning Roulette, then you might want to try to replicate the same style with other types of games. Thankfully, there are a few similar options available at many leading online casinos that you can also enjoy:
- XXXtreme Lightning Roulette: This is a more extreme variant of Lightning Roulette, with extra features like Double Strikes and Chain Lightning Multipliers meaning that you can win up to 2,000x your stake in a single round.
- Lightning Blackjack: With Lightning Blackjack, you have a chance of getting a multiplier of between 2x and 25x your score after a winning hand that gets applied to your winnings on the next hand, if there are any.
- Lightning Baccarat: Players can win a multiplier of between 2x and 8x their pairs when they match one of the cards in their winning hand to that same value that the lighting round pinpointed.
Conclusion
Many quality Lightning Roulette casinos are on the market today, with Lucky Block standing out as the best all-around option.
Once you understand the rules of this popular variant and are familiar with the main types of Lightning Roulette strategies, you can enjoy your playing sessions.
To get started, you can begin playing Lightning Roulette for real money or for free in seconds.
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Responsible Gambling
Lightning Roulette can be an addictive game to play online, so it’s important to ensure that you always remain in control.
Firstly, ensure you only stake money you can afford to lose on any online casino site. Secondly, be sure to take regular breaks to keep yourself collected.
If you suspect you or someone you know is at risk of problem gambling, you can get help from The National Council on Problem Gambling, or by visiting our dedicated responsible gambling page.