Lightning Roulette: A Classic Wheel With a Storm Overhead

Published: 24 September 2026 · By the Royal Casino Advisor editorial team

Roulette has been part of British nightlife for longer than any of us have been alive, from the grand old clubs of Mayfair to the tables that now live inside our phones. Evolution's Lightning Roulette arrived in 2018 and did something clever: it left the wheel completely alone and added a thunderstorm on top.

What follows is the version of this review I'd give a mate over a pint, organised around the questions I'm actually asked about it.

"Is it proper roulette?"

Yes. It's the single-zero European wheel with 37 pockets, a live dealer and the familiar felt. You can play every bet you know. If you've never touched a roulette table, our quick rule of thumb is that anything on the outside of the layout (colours, odd and even, the dozens) pays small and often, while anything on the numbers themselves pays big and rarely.

"So where does the lightning come in?"

Once the dealer calls no more bets, the screen darkens and somewhere between one and five numbers are zapped, each one tagged with a prize of anything from 50x to 500x. Should the ball settle in one of those pockets, a chip sitting directly on that number is paid at the tagged amount. Chips anywhere else, on colours, splits, corners or columns, are paid at their usual rates whatever the lightning did.

"What's the catch?"

There's always one, and here it is. A single number at a normal European table pays 35 to 1. At this table, when your number wins without being struck, you get 29 to 1. The six-unit haircut on every ordinary single-number win is what bankrolls the occasional 500x.

Because most wins happen on untagged numbers, the everyday experience is a little meaner than an ordinary table. The fireworks make up the difference over the long haul, and only over the long haul.

"Is it worse value than normal roulette?"

Barely, and only for number players. Evolution's published return is roughly 97.3% across most of the layout and a shade under that, around 97.1%, for single numbers. A classic European table returns 97.3% on everything. So outside-bet players lose nothing by sitting here, and number players pay a couple of tenths of a percent for their shot at the big tag.

"How would you play it with forty quid?"

Carefully, and with numbers kept few. Here's the routine I use.

• Pick four favourite numbers and put 25p on each, so each spin costs a pound and the forty quid covers forty spins at worst.
• With four numbers out of 37, one of them will come up about one spin in nine, on average. An untagged hit returns £7.25 on top of the 25p chip.
• Over forty spins at a pound, the long-run average cost at about 97.1% is £1.16. Real evenings swing well away from that; occasionally one swings a long way up.

If I want the session to feel busier, I'll add a colour bet. If I want it to last longer, I'll cut to two numbers. What I won't do is chase a number because it was tagged last round; tags are redrawn every spin.

"Can I try it free?"

Not really: it's a live broadcast, so there's no demo version. What you can do at most casinos is open the table and watch without placing chips. It's worth ten minutes, if only to see how seldom the tagged number and the ball actually meet.

Tables Like This at the Five Casinos Below

Every one of the five casinos below runs a live section where multiplier roulette sits alongside the classic wheels. The exact tables you're shown depend on the site and where you're logging in from. Before accepting a welcome offer, check how live roulette counts towards it; the code itself goes in at the cashier ahead of your first deposit.

"What about the other storm tables?"

XXXtreme Lightning Roulette turns the dial up: bigger tags, chains of lightning and an even stingier payout on untagged single numbers. Thrilling, and harder on a small budget. Auto Lightning Roulette drops the dealer and quickens the spins, which is lovely until you notice how much faster your balance moves. With any variant, find the paytable first and look for one number in particular: what a single number pays when no lightning hits it.

Before You Sit Down

• Outside bets are paid as normal, full stop.
• The tags are random every round; there's no "hot" number.
• Many bonus offers discount or exclude live roulette. Read before you play with bonus money.

The company behind the table, and its other shows and wheels, get the full treatment in our Evolution review. If you'd like something slower and more solitary, try Starburst or Book of Dead, and find the rest on the games hub. Our responsible gambling guide explains how to set limits before a live session.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lightning Roulette the same as European roulette?

The wheel and layout are the same: single zero, 37 pockets. The difference is that one to five numbers get random prize tags each round, and single-number wins without a tag pay 29 to 1 instead of 35 to 1.

How big can the lightning multipliers get?

Each tagged number carries between 50x and 500x, paid only to chips placed directly on that number.

What return does Lightning Roulette offer?

Evolution publishes about 97.3% on most bets and around 97.1% on single numbers.

Are colour and dozen bets affected?

No. Outside bets pay exactly as they would on an ordinary European wheel.

Is there a way to beat the lightning?

No. Tags are redrawn every spin, and choosing more or fewer numbers only changes how often you win, not the house edge.

Where can I find tables like this?

Casino Purple, ZeSlots, Casino Winner, YourWin24 and Cas2Bet all run live sections with multiplier roulette; which tables you see depends on the site and your country.

18+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, never income. Please play responsibly and read our responsible gambling guide.