Playtech have a license deal with Sony which has allowed them to create this multi-layered live casino game, based on the incredibly popular TV game show.
There are various types of bonus round but ultimately the game is all about getting multipliers, which can give a maximum payout of 2000x if everything falls perfectly.
It’s a live casino game so the wheel used is a real one, and is operated by the dealer/presenter, but an RNG engine is also in use to select Millionaire numbers, symbols, and multiplier amounts.
Despite the name, it is not actually possible to win one million pounds in this game. The minimum bet is 20p but the maximum is £100, or £25 for a straight up, meaning the absolute maximum win the game can produce is £439,655.
Understanding the Game
Since there is quite a lot to talk about with Who Wants to be a Millionaire Roulette – it’s possibly the busiest roulette variation we have seen – it will be easier to give a basic run down, then explore the game section by section.
On a basic level then, this a standard European roulette game that has bonus rounds and multipliers built into it.
To trigger these extra features, an RNG randomly selects specific numbers before each spin called Millionaire numbers, and if the ball lands on one of these Millionaire numbers then the multiplier or bonus round attached to it will be granted.
Only inside bets placed on these numbers will count, and the type of inside bet will dictate how much any eventual payout will be worth; a straight up bet will be worth more than a split, for example.
The interface will be familiar to anyone who has ever played live casino games before.
The betting board is where you click to drop chips, and the value of those chips can be decided beforehand from the various different value amounts at the side of the screen.
While the live stream is broadcast to you like a TV show would be, the interactive game elements such as the betting board, racetrack, and any decision buttons are laid over the top so that players can actually play the game.
Now you have a basic grasp, we can look into the game in more detail.
The Betting Board
The betting board does not look any different to normal, but it will shrink and expand depending on what stage of the game you are at.
During the 18 seconds of betting time, the betting board will be larger to make it easier to place your bets, but once this time is over, the board will shrink back down to a smaller size, leaving more room for the game to be shown, but still allowing you to see your bets.
The other thing you will notice, is that once the Millionaire numbers have been chosen, they will flash on the betting board along with the symbol of the bonus that has been attached to them. These will be explained shortly.
This helps you keep track of what is coming up if the ball lands in your favour.
Payouts
While outside bets will pay out the same amount as usual, the payouts for inside bets have been reduced.
As mentioned, it is only the inside bets that benefit from the extra multipliers and bonus rounds, which is why these bet types have been reduced, in order for the game to pay these larger multipliers.
Playtech need to keep the game balanced or it would make a loss, so they borrow RTP from inside bets in order to add these extra more entertaining features.
As such, the payouts for inside bets are:
| Outcome | Payout |
|---|---|
| Straight Up | 29:1 |
| Split | 14:1 |
| Street | 9:1 |
| Corner | 6.5:1 |
| Line | 4:1 |
This game is all about the inside bets, there’s no point playing it unless you are going to attempt to enter the bonus rounds, so this shouldn’t be seen as a negative.
Of course, since some inside bets have more chance of landing than others, the amount of the payout that you win is determined by the bet that got you into the bonus round in the first place.
| Outcome | Payout |
|---|---|
| Straight Up | 100% |
| Split | 50% |
| Street | 33% |
| Corner | 25% |
| Line | 16.5% |
So if you won a 100x multiplier with a £1 straight up bet your payout would be £100, but if you won it with a split bet your payout would be £50, and so on.
Multipliers and Bonus Rounds
This is where things can seem complicated, but in actual fact it’s just that there are a lot of different possible outcomes, all of them being pretty simple.
The RNG will select up to 10 Millionaire numbers before each spin, but these numbers can then be given different symbols which denote what happens if the ball lands on them:
- Multiplier – Instant 100x Multiplier Win
- Blue Question Mark – 50x or Millionaire Round with 150x Potential
- Purple Question Mark – 100x or Millionaire Round with 300x Potential
- Bronze Millionaire Symbol – 8 R0und Bonus Game
- Gold Millionaire Symbol – 10 Round Bonus Game
The multiplier symbol is nice and easy; if the ball lands on a number with this symbol a 100x multiplier is applied and the game moves on. This is subject to the details mentioned in the ‘Payouts’ section above of course.
The only initial difference between the two question mark symbols is the multiplier you are given. Whether it’s 50x or 100x, you have a choice to make; either take the payout, or play the Millionaire game. However, the Millionaire game will only be worth a maximum of 150x for a blue question mark, or 300x for a purple question mark.
The Millionaire game you play from a question mark symbol is a scaled down version of what you play if you hit a number with a Millionaire symbol (covered below), so you only get 5 rounds in the game instead of 8 or 10, and no lifelines. What’s more, although you can win more than the multiplier you were offered to begin with, you can also win less, so this option is a bit of a gamble – you are basically risking 1 to try and win 3.
The Millionaire symbols throw you straight into the Millionaire game, which will last either 8 or 10 rounds depending on the colour of the symbol that triggered the game.
The Millionaire Game
Whichever version of the game you end up playing (5 rounds, 8 rounds, or 10 rounds), it works in the same way.
Initially, players are shown the four different multiplier amounts that are available, and must decide whether they think the biggest multiplier is underneath option A, B, C or D.
If they get it wrong they just get the smaller multiplier that was underneath the letter they chose, but they still get to progress to the next round. The game will also show you what percentage of other players selected each letter.
Your overall multiplier therefore builds as you go.
Lifelines exist in the 8 and 10 round games, although they happen automatically so are not in your control. They can make it easier by removing lower multiplier options or telling you which letter to pick for a higher multiplier.
About half way through the game, red crosses will begin to appear on the board in the place of multipliers. This will be after round 3 if you are in a 5 round game, and after round 5 in the 8 and 10 rounds games.
This means it is impossible to walk away with nothing after playing the Millionaire game, but you won’t necessarily make it to the final round.
The multiplier values get larger after each round, but if you pick a letter with one of the red crosses underneath it then your bonus game is over and you collect the multipliers you have already amassed, becoming a spectator for the rest of the game.
Eventually, there will only be one multiplier available, with the other 3 letters all containing a red cross, so you really do need some luck to make it to the end.
In order to get the maximum payout of 2000x that this game offers, you would need to trigger the 10 round game and then select the highest multiplier on every single round.
RTP
The theoretical return to player percentage is 97.29% for Who Wants to be a Millionaire Roulette. A mere 0.01% lower than the usual RTP of 97.30% for European roulette.
The difference here, is the way the RTP is distributed.
Thanks to the larger potential payouts, while the game still pays out at a very similar level to regular roulette, a smaller number of players will enjoy a greater share of the RTP as they win bigger multipliers, while the majority who win inside bets that do not have multipliers will get smaller payouts.