This is one of the new live dealer games from Evolution that stretches the casino experience into the realm of a game show. This genre has proven very popular, and this live dealer version of Cash or Crash shows why.
Set inside a blimp floating high above the sprawling castles below, we have a dealer/master of ceremonies that is here to add excitement and explain the game as we move from phase to phase.
The actual gameplay is straightforward and simple, with our host drawing either green, red, or even a golden ball from what appears to be a slightly modified keno machine.
Green balls allow us to advance one rung up the prize ladder, whereas you might have guessed, a red ball sends us spinning into a crash. The gold ball gives us insurance. It protects us against the next red ball.
There are twenty levels to climb, which would be quite the hurdle. But after each round, you are given the option of taking all your cash, wagering half, or going full steam ahead and betting it all.
Make it all the way, and you can earn up to 18,000 times your starting bet. Yep 18000 times, and if the golden ball is drawn, you can win up to 50,000 times your original wager.
How to Play Cash or Crash
This live casino game show by Evolution is very simple to play.
It’s important to note that there are 28 balls in play at the beginning of the game. 19 green, 8 red, and one golden. But of course, as you accumulate green balls and the blimp lifts into the sky, the odds of a next green ball go ever down.
You will have approximately 20 seconds between each betting round to make your play decision. A percentage meter in the corner tells you how many people have chosen to bet it all, bet half, or take their money.
Play stops with either a red ball, you decide to take back all your bet, or reach the 20th level. When the game is over, you can see what players have won streaming by on the left of your screen, which adds to the social aspect of the game.
The Gold Ball gives us a shield against the next red ball, so play continues automatically without any decisions once a gold ball is drawn. You won’t need to make a decision until a red ball comes out and your shield disappears. Then you can decide on what you wish to do next.
Multipliers on every Level with and without Golden Ball
| Level | No Golden Ball | With Golden Ball |
| Level 20 | 18000 | 50000 |
| Level 19 | 6800 | 11000 |
| Level 18 | 2900 | 4000 |
| Level 17 | 1200 | 1500 |
| Level 16 | 550 | 760 |
| Level 15 | 310 | 360 |
| Level 14 | 160 | 175 |
| Level 13 | 95 | 105 |
| Level 12 | 54 | 62 |
| Level 11 | 33 | 36 |
| Level 10 | 21.5 | 24 |
| Level 9 | 15 | 16 |
| Level 8 | 10 | 10.5 |
| Level 7 | 7.1 | 8 |
| Level 6 | 5 | 5.6 |
| Level 5 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Level 4 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| Level 3 | 2 | 2.2 |
| Level 2 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Level 1 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
Cash or Crash Strategy
Basic Strategy in Cash or Crash says the best bet in the game is betting the first round, then immediately cashing out, with a house edge of only 0.4%! This is a phenomenally low casino advantage, but we can’t imagine it would be much fun to play the game this way.
Still, if you like lots of small wins, maybe this is the way to build up a bit of a bankroll before actually risking some money.
What appears to be one of the most popular strategies is just betting half after each win. You’ll have your original wager back with just two quick wins, and then you can see just how far up the ladder you can go. The little blimps at the bottom will tell you the odds after each ball is drawn and can also help you make your decision.
Evolution does offer up some thoughts on what they perceive as the best strategy. This is basically betting up to level 9, then stop.
If the gold ball comes out, wait for the first red ball and then bet only one more round before cashing out, unless you are on Level 2,7,9,10,13 or any level over 15, in which case cash out immediately. Which, well, ok.
In the bottom right, you will see an analysis of past games. Green circles with numbers tell us how many green balls were pulled, red circles tell us the first ball pulled was red, and the gold shields tell us the golden ball was drawn at some point and how many levels were completed. Many people will use this to try and predict coming runs or dry spells.
Conclusion
Evolution’s Live Dealer game of Cash or Crash may not require a ton of strategy. Still, with the dealer/host and the beautiful graphics and the chance to win big, it’s really a very fun game to play. Bets start as low as £0.10 and don’t forget jackpots can grow to up to 50,000 times your original wager