Best live poker games in South Africa for 2024
You can play live poker online at some of South Africa's hottest online casinos. Check out the best live poker games and live poker tournaments in South Africa at legal and licensed online platforms.
Top live poker casino sites in South Africa
- 1Springbok CasinoRead reviewWelcome Package
100% up to R11500
Games: 450+
Win rate: 97.75%
Payout speed: 1-2 days
Pros and cons
South African theme and focus
Supports fiat and crypto payments
No live casino
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
- 2Yeti CasinoRead reviewWelcome Package
100% up to €333 + 100 Free Spins
Games: 3.000
Win rate: 95.58%
Payout speed: 1 days
Pros and cons
3,000+ casino games
Integrated sportsbook
Free play not supported
Bonus offer
Wagering requirements 50x Valid for 1 day Max cash out $100 Eligible games Joker Pro, Starburst Payment options
- 3YakoRead reviewWelcome Package
100% up to €99 + 99 Free Spins
Win rate: 96.6%
Payout speed: 3-5 days
Pros and cons
Excellent welcome package
Regular free spins offers
Limited table games
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
- 4Yebo CasinoRead reviewWelcome Package
200% up to
Games: 200+
Win rate: 97.64%
Payout speed: 1-3 business days
Pros and cons
Aimed specifically at South African players
24/7 live chat
No live casino category
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
- 5Thunderbolt CasinoRead reviewWelcome Package
100% up to $950
Games: 160+
Win rate: 96.52%
Payout speed: 3 days
Pros and cons
Generous welcome package
Regular promotions and offers
No live casino games
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
- 6African GrandRead reviewWelcome Package
200% up to R4,000
Games: 100+
Win rate: 96.45%
Payout speed: 3 days
Pros and cons
Great welcome package
Various ongoing promotions
No live casino games
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
- 7Punt CasinoRead reviewWelcome Package
200% up to R3333 + 50 Spins
Games: 160
Win rate: 95.58%
Payout speed: 2-3 days
Pros and cons
Crypto payments accepted
Mobile app available
No phone support
Bonus offer
We're working on getting bonus deals with this casino, stay tuned!
Payment options
Top 5 online casinos for live poker games
| 🏆 Best overall live casino | |
| 🂡 Best for live poker | |
| ♦️ Best for live roulette | |
| 🎲 Best for live baccarat | |
| ♣️ Best for live blackjack |
How does live poker work?
Live poker is available at many online casinos in South Africa. A real dealer hosts the game at a physical table. The action is live-streamed from a purpose-built studio, offering an engaging and enjoyable gaming experience.
Several variations of live dealer poker exist, including casino hold'em and three-card poker. In these games, you play against the dealer, and the objective is to create a higher-ranking poker hand.
Some SA online casinos offer live poker tournaments where you play against other players.
Why play live poker?
There are many benefits to playing live poker. Firstly, you compete against a real dealer rather than a computer, making it more interactive and sociable. The live chat function lets you communicate with the friendly dealer. At the same time, multiple cameras allow you to enjoy the gameplay from all angles.
Live poker games are fast-paced and exciting, enabling you to try your hand at multiple variations while enhancing your poker skills. They also offer better odds and stake options than poker games at brick-and-mortar casinos. Moreover, you don't have to travel long distances to find your nearest casino – you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
Rules of live poker
Each variation of live casino poker has its own rules. The objective of all live poker games is to win with a higher-ranking hand than the dealer has. In terms of hand rankings, you can win with each of the following, ranked from low to high:
| Poker hand | Definition |
|---|---|
| High card | Highest card wins |
| Pair | Two cards of the same rank |
| Two pair | Two different pairs |
| 3 of a kind | Three cards of the same rank |
| Straight | Five cards in a sequence |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit |
| Full house | Three of a kind, plus a pair |
| 4 of a kind | Four cards of the same rank |
| Straight flush | Five cards in a row in the same suit |
| Royal flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 – the same suit |
Live poker odds & payouts
The odds and payouts offered in live online poker will vary from game to game. However, you can use the following casino hold'em paytable to get a good idea of how much you can expect to win with each hand, alongside the odds of each hand occurring in the game:
| Poker hand | Payout | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 100:1 | 649,739:1 |
| Straight flush | 50:1 | 72,192:1 |
| Four of a kind | 25:1 | 4,165:1 |
| Full house | 10:1 | 693:1 |
| Flush | 7:1 | 509:1 |
| Straight | 5:1 | 254:1 |
| Three of a kind | 3:1 | 46:1 |
| Two pairs | 2:1 | 20:1 |
| One pair | 1:1 | 1.3:1 |
| High card | 1:1 | 0.99:1 |
How to play live poker online
Getting started at live poker sites in South Africa is straightforward. Here are the simple steps you need to follow to enjoy live casino poker:
Choose an online casino from this page.
Submit your details (name, date of birth, email, home address, etc.) and agree to the casino's T&Cs to create an account.
Decide which banking method to use and make an initial deposit to fund your bets.
Browse the live poker lobby and decide which games you want to play.
Read the game rules, place a qualifying bet, and enjoy live casino poker in South Africa.
Types of live poker games
Every casino on this page features a broad selection of live poker games, catering to different styles, budgets, and stakes. Here are our favourite live poker titles available at SA online casinos:
The objective of this game is to create the best five-card poker hand out of the seven cards dealt. The main difference between casino hold'em and Texas hold'em is that the former is played against the dealer, not other players.
The main difference between the standard game and Ultimate Texas Hold 'em is that you can raise at any time in Ultimate, so you can have much higher payouts in this version. This game also has an optional side bet, known as the Trips bet.
As soon as you place an ante bet in Caribbean stud poker, you see one of the dealer's cards and all five of your cards. You can call or fold in one betting window before revealing the dealer's remaining cards.
Instead of five cards, three-card poker (yes, you've guessed it) only uses three. The objective is to beat the dealer's hand with only three cards. You can also place side bets in this variant, including pairs plus and the six-card bonus.
Another popular live casino poker game is Teen Patti, an Indian version of three-card poker. The rules and side bets are the same, but the Indian theme offers something slightly different and is an excellent option if you want to mix things up.
Top 5 tips for how to win live poker games
One of the great things about live and standard poker is that, unlike slots and roulette games, there are strategies you can employ to improve your winning chances. If you're new to the game, here are some top tips to help you get started:
Understand poker hand rankings.
Before playing live casino poker, you need to understand the poker hand rankings. So, study the rankings and ensure you have a decent hand (or are skilled at bluffing) before playing a bet.
Check the game's RTP.
This means the return to player percentage; in other words, how much a game typically pays out over time. The higher the RTP of a live casino poker game, the better.
Play free poker games before placing a bet.
Playing free games before risking real money is always a good idea if you're new to poker. Unfortunately, free live poker games are not typically offered, but there are free-play versions of online poker, allowing you to try different variants and test betting strategies.
Feel free to fold.
There is no shame in folding. If you don't have a good hand, it's better to fold and protect your bankroll than to bet on poor hands.
Gamble responsibly.
Set your limits and decide how much you're willing to lose before you start playing. You want to avoid losing all your precious bankroll in one session!
Live poker vs. traditional online poker
Though they're both great fun, there are some differences between live poker and standard online poker that you need to be aware of when deciding which version is best suited to you:
| Live poker | Traditional online poker |
|---|---|
| ✅ Hosted by a real-life, professional dealer | ✅ Greater selection of games on offer at SA online casinos |
| ✅ Play against the dealer rather than a computer | ✅ Play at your own pace with no betting windows |
| ✅ Can practise bluffing strategies | ✅ Free versions of poker available |
| ❌ Can’t play live poker for free | ❌ Can’t utilise bluffing strategies |
| ❌ Lower RTPs | ❌ No social element |
Live poker casino bonuses
You can unlock casino bonuses for live poker games by creating an account at South Africa's leading online casinos. The most popular offer for new players is the welcome deposit match bonus, for example, '100% deposit match up to $1,600'.
Once you’ve registered, you can then take advantage of ongoing promotions like reload and cashback offers to boost your bankroll. Just remember to check the T&Cs before opting in to ensure that live casino games are eligible for the offer, as some game restrictions could apply.
Popular live poker software providers
Live casino is an ever-growing sector, which is why many leading software providers are now producing live dealer games to cater to the burgeoning demand. They include:
Evolution Gaming
The leading developer of live casino games offers a variety of live poker titles, including three-card poker, Texas hold'em and casino hold'em.
Playtech
A long-standing iGaming provider with an impressive live casino offering, including Teen Patti and casino hold'em.
Ezugi
Although Ezugi doesn't have the widest selection of live casino games, you can enjoy the likes of casino hold'em and Teen Patti from this renowned software studio.
Live poker on mobile
You can enjoy live poker on your smartphone or tablet no matter where you are in South Africa. Live poker games are compatible with various devices thanks to HTML5 technology. Log into your preferred mobile casino site via your browser, head to the live casino section and start playing.
For the best mobile gaming experience, download a dedicated casino app to receive app-exclusive offers while playing live poker online.
Play 20,000+ casino games
Browse other live casino guides
Whether you're a fan of live poker or live blackjack, be sure to check out some of our other live casino guides to help you get started:
Live poker FAQs
You can play live poker online at several casinos, including Casino Tropez, our number-one pick for SA players, which offers a great live casino section with poker titles.
Live poker is legit, provided you play at a licensed and regulated online casino.
Yes, you can play live poker for real money. Create an account, make a deposit, and place a real-money bet.
You can't usually play live poker games for free due to the costs incurred by the software developer to run these games. But you can play standard online poker for free at most SA online casinos.
That depends. Live poker is more immersive than standard RNG poker, but the latter tends to have higher RTPs and free-play options.
Yes, you can count cards in live online poker. Though it can be a successful strategy, it's complex and requires attention to detail to get it right.
To win at live dealer poker, you must create a ranked poker hand that is better than the dealer's.
