Marble Race Live from Evolution

Welcome to the races! Marble races that is, with Evolution’s Marble Race Live.

This is a game so elegant in it’s simplicity, and so beautifully executed that it’s bound to be a success for Evolution and partner casinos. This is despite the game’s very average returns. Hint, hint Evo…lift those payouts!

Marble Race sits in the live game show category, but rather refreshingly for a game show, outcomes are entirely dictated by physical chance. There are no random number generators deciding whether and how much you win or lose.

Rather, six coloured marbles are released and roll down an obstacle course designed to ensure their positions change quite a lot during the race.

You can play Marble Race Live at any casino carrying Evolution’s live games, including 888, Dublinbet, Leo Vegas, bet365 and Stake.

How to Play Marble Race Live

The aim of Marble Race is to pick the winning marble(s). To do this, simply place your chips on the betting grid provided.

There are two betting grids to choose from…

1. the regular grid (shown top) for win selections only, or
2. the compound grid (shown below) that lets you select a winner, and/or a 1st and 2nd place combination.

A win selection pays 4.75:1. The 1st and 2nd place combination pays 27:1.

The 1st and 2nd place bet requires your chosen marbles to place 1st and 2nd in chosen order. In horse racing terms, it’s an Exacta, rather than a Quinella. The compound betting grid clearly indicates the order for selections.

Once betting time is done, the marbles are released.

The bumpy road straight out of the gates establishes an early order.  This changes dramatically as the marbles navigate other obstacles like the snaking river leading into pin-ball flappers, a pachinko board and finally a corral guarding the finish line.

The race is quick, but long enough for you to get caught up in the multiple lead changes as you follow your marbles down the course, before finally coming to rest over the finish line.

Bet Payouts and returns summary

The return to player (RTP) rate for either of the 2 available bets on this game isn’t good. The simple win bet is your optimal bet, but will still see you burning cash at a rate only slightly better than an American Roulette table.

Bet	Payout	RTP
Win	4.75:1	95.83%
1st & 2nd	27:1	93.33%

Our thoughts on Marble Race Live

This is a fun game to play. No arguments there. But at the current payout settings it’s a little expensive for our liking.

Evolution can afford to lift the payouts marginally for a smaller house edge. Our suggestions, in case anyone is listening…

Bet	Payout	Expected value	RTP
Win	4.9:1	4.9 × 1/6 – 5/6 = -0.016	98.33%
1st & 2nd	28:1	28 × 1/30 – 29/30 = -0.033	96.67%

Or, at the current base payout rate, add a random multiplier applied to one of the marbles to shrink the house edge a little. What’s the bet Lightning Marble Race is already on the drawing board?