Chances are, you've heard of the Deal or No Deal game. It was a widely loved TV show led by Noel Edmonds, where contestants aimed to grab a fortune of up to £500,000 by picking from 22 boxes each hiding a different cash amount.
Fast forward to 2019, Evolution Gaming introduced an online spin on Deal or No Deal. This version, found at various online casinos, occurs every couple of minutes and lets players land hefty winnings with 16 briefcases as opposed to boxes.
This comprehensive guide explores the inner workings of Live Deal or No Deal, clarifies the game's rules, and evaluates if there's a strategy to boost your winning chances.
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How Does Live Deal or No Deal Work?
Deal or No Deal is part of a larger collection of live game shows you can wager on at online casinos. Other fan favorites hosted by live presenters include Dreamcatcher, Monopoly Live, Mega Ball, Lightning Roulette, Lightning Dice, and more.
Each Deal or No Deal session in Evolution's games kicks off every two minutes, breaking the action down into a trio of phases players must navigate.
Qualification
Boosting the monetary worth of any of the 16 briefcases (if desired)
The Deal or No Deal game
Deal or No Deal Qualification
Before diving into a round of Deal or No Deal, you need to qualify by spinning a three-segment wheel. Aligning all three portions gains you access to the game.
Every wheel spin carries a cost, and as qualifying is mandatory for winning, keep tabs on your spending as it's not displayed on-screen.
When spinning the qualifying wheel, you’re presented with three alternatives, each influencing the odds of qualifying.
Normal Mode – Align all three segments to enter the game.
Easy Mode – One segment locks in place, meaning you only need to align two segments. This choice triples the spin cost.
Very Easy Mode – Two segments are locked, leaving you to line up a single segment. Selecting this ups the spin cost by nine times.
Here’s a snapshot of the qualification wheel. Notice the three gold parts aren't lining up at the top, hence qualification remains inaccessible.
This image showcases a successful qualification, with all three golden segments perfectly aligned.
Once qualified, you move to the next phase, gearing up to play the actual game.
Boosting Briefcase Values
Once you make it through qualification, you can choose to enhance the numbers in any or all of the 16 briefcases. Each briefcase starts with a set value, but you're free to increase that amount if you wish.
Deal or No Deal Box Values
Briefcase 1
0.1 x your bet
Briefcase 9
8 x your bet
Briefcase 2
0.2 x your bet
Briefcase 10
10 x your bet
Briefcase 3
0.5 x your bet
Briefcase 11
12 x your bet
Briefcase 4
0.7 x your bet
Briefcase 12
15 x your bet
Briefcase 5
1 x your bet
Briefcase 13
20 x your bet
Briefcase 6
2 x your bet
Briefcase 14
25 x your bet
Briefcase 7
3 x your bet
Briefcase 15
50 x your bet
Briefcase 8
5 x your bet
Briefcase 16
65 - 500 x your bet
To enhance a briefcase's value, pick a number, then spin the wheel. Whatever value the wheel lands on, it adds to the briefcase. You can adjust your stake per spin, which raises the wheel's potential values.
Due to the rapid-fire nature of live games playing out every two minutes, you need to qualify and enrich your briefcases within this timeframe. Once those two minutes elapse, the main game gets underway.
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Playing Deal or No Deal Live
With your qualification intact and potentially boosted briefcases, it’s showtime. What prize awaits you in the end?
Deal or No Deal always secures you a prize. The prize comes from the final briefcase value or from a banker’s offer, if accepted.
At the start, the host's assistant reveals the contents of 3 briefcases, eliminating those numbers from play. Following this, the banker presents an offer for you to either take ('Deal') or leave ('No Deal'). If low-value briefcases are opened, the offer tends to be attractive. Conversely, if high-values are removed, expect a less appealing offer.
This pattern repeats as the assistant opens 4 more briefcases and their values are taken out of play. Another banker offer is made, and again, you decide whether to deal or not.
The cycle continues until you're down to 2 briefcases.
If you're still in the running by now and haven't accepted any banker’s offer, you have three choices.
Accept the bankers final offer
Choose the number in the host's briefcase (yet to be revealed)
Opt to switch for the remaining briefcase's value.
No matter your choice, a prize will be yours.
After the game wraps up, you circle back to the qualification screen for another round, should you choose.
Live Deal or No Deal Strategy
Jumping into the game, you'll face three deciding stages.
Should you stick with ‘Normal,’ ‘Easy,’ or ‘Very Easy’ mode when qualifying?
Normal Mode spins come at a cost equivalent to your bet times one.
Each spin in Easy Mode costs 3x your bet
Very Easy Mode calls for a spin costing nine times your wager.
The odds of qualifying grow more favorable as the modes advance, but so does the spin expense.
So, which is the best option?
In fact, considering stake sizes, all options present similar probabilities.
Normal Mode : Chance of qualifying is 1/18 (18x your stake)
Easy Mode : Chance of qualifying sits at 1/6 (6x your bet)
Very Easy Mode : Chance of qualifying becomes 1/2 (2x your stake)
Thus, with a basic £1 stake, qualification for the main event will set you back £18 on average across all selections.
Deal or No Deal RTP
According to Evolution Gaming, Live Deal or No Deal comes with an RTP of 95.42%. Playing with different qualification spins or tweaking briefcases doesn’t alter the RTP.
Should you up the ante by increasing briefcase values?
Though upping values doesn't influence the RTP, it gives you an opportunity for bigger wins, albeit at a cost.
Where to Dive Into Online Deal or No Deal?
Several online casinos carry Live Deal or No Deal, but not all. Even if a site offers Live Dealer games, Deal or No Deal might not be included.
You will find Deal or No Deal Live at 888Casino—a platform we fully endorse. They not only host an extensive range of casino games but also boast an impressive selection of Live Dealer games, including Evolution's Deal or No Deal.
Conclusion
Live Deal or No Deal combines thrill and entertainment. Despite being a game of chance, there's no foolproof strategy to increase your winning odds.
For quick wins, consider accepting banker offers that surpass your total stakes - this provides a low-variance approach.
If aiming for the jackpot, reject most offers until later in the game or continue till the end, hoping the host's briefcase holds a high value. This approach embraces high variance.
Several top-tier bookmakers offer Deal or No Deal Live. When it comes to this and other live dealer experiences like Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher, or Monopoly Live, we recommend Unibet Casino.
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