Play for the Paycheck: Live Football Studio US (Evolution Gaming)

One of the true blue-chip firms the modern casino sector, Evolution brings elite-level practices to seemingly everything it does. Their catalogue of games is second-to-none, they regularly collaborate with other top brands, and in an industry never short on tawdry stories, they seem to be more or less free of scandal.

They’ve been enriching their international presence of late, making waves in the best way possible.

This outstanding designer has been on a bit of a Football Studio kick of late, releasing several titles that take different approaches to the theme. This might be the strongest of the bunch, though.

Let’s take a look at the unique gameplay that makes this title so special.

It’s not easy to make a unique statement in the world of live casino gaming. So just how does the design team do it here?

It seems that the answer lies in simplicity!

One important thing to keep in mind: this title was almost certainly designed as a companion to watching American football. Even time zones are taken account, with play being streamed live from the provider’s studios in Michigan and New Jersey!

The betting table is divided into two sides: Home and Away. Each is dealt one card by the dealer, and the side with the higher-value card wins.

Players can wager on either side to win, which all such bets paying even money. It’s also possile to predict a Draw, which pays 11:1 if both cards turned over have the same value.

For the record, we strongly discourage betting on Draw… it carries a massive house edge. For reference, Draw bets come with an RTP of 89.64%, meaning that more than 10% of all money risked goes directly to the casino’s coffers. Compare it to the “Home” and “Away” bets, which sport a far, far superior RTP of 96.27%, and it becomes obvious that there’s just no reason to bet on Draw. Ever.

Aside from that ultra-simplified gameplay, this title offers style for fans of NFL play. Live score updates are projected on the bottom right corner of the screen. When no matches are in progress, sports-related news and events will be displayed instead.

Clearly, the most distinguishing feature of this game is its combination of straightforward betting options with live football score updates.

Anyone who has spent time following the NFL season and playoffs can testify that there is a lot of down time between plays. It feels like this game might have been devised to appeal to harcore fans of American Football – especially those who like to spice up their viewing with a bit of gambling action.

It’s easy to imagine gamblers with this title open on one device and a Cowboys game on another!

The question is, does this title offer enough to hold the attention of gamblers who are not necessarily football fans?

To be frank, that’s not a question we can answer definitively here. This is, without a doubt, a game that keeps things simple… after all, it’s hard to get much simpler than betting on which of two cards will be of higher value! But simple isn't always a bad thing.

More important than any casino game’s degree of complexity is the value it provides to its players. And in that respect, this game is well worthy of any gambler’s time and attention.

An RTP of 96.27% may not touch the outstanding odds on offer in Roulette, or with sophisticated Blackjack play, but they are indeed superior to many of the games that can be found in the lobbies of many casinos… it even compares favorably to many slot games on today’s market.

It seems more or less a sure thing that this game will appeal most to NFL football fans, of course. And rightly so! It does seem to have been made expressly for them, so it would be odd if this weren’t the case.

Still, players who don’t already love the NFL shouldn’t necessarily feel excluded here.

With odds this favorable, design this stylish, and gameplay this approachable, this release from Evolution should be on every gambler’s starting roster.

Oh, and the betting range makes it a viable choice for players of just about any bankroll size!

From where we’re sitting, in the Tuesday Morning Quarterback’s chair, this title could go all the way.