Lightning multiplier: meaning and maths

What a lightning multiplier is

A multiplier increases a payout by a set factor. The ‘lightning’ version belongs to Evolution’s Lightning family of live casino games, where the multipliers are drawn at random each round once betting has closed, with a lightning-strike animation on screen. If your bet lands on a struck spot, the multiplier applies; if not, the bet settles at the game’s normal, usually reduced, rate.

It is one of the newer entries in our casino glossary, and the trade-off behind it is always the same: some of the ordinary payout is moved into rare, large boosts.

Lightning multipliers by game

Figures come from Evolution’s pages for Lightning Roulette (opens in a new tab), XXXtreme Lightning Roulette (opens in a new tab), live blackjack (opens in a new tab) and live baccarat (opens in a new tab). Evolution does not publish RTPs for the blackjack and baccarat versions on those pages, so check each game’s help screen.

The maths of a lightning multiplier in roulette

Standard single-zero roulette pays 35 to 1 on a straight up, a 36-unit return once every 37 spins, or 97.30% of stakes. Lightning Roulette pays 29 to 1 when no multiplier lands, a 30-unit return. Without any multipliers that would be 30 ÷ 37 = 81.08%. The multipliers have to fill the gap of roughly 16 percentage points to reach the 97.10% to 97.30% range that UK operator pages list.

Splits, corners, dozens and even-money bets pay the same as standard roulette, so their return is the usual 97.30%. That suggests the lower 97.10% figure applies to straight ups, though the operator pages don’t break the range down. Our expected value guide explains the method.

The average cost is almost the same, but the shape changes. Most winning straight ups now return £30 instead of £36, and a small share are paid at 50x to 500x instead. That is higher volatility, not better value.

Lightning fees in blackjack and baccarat

Card games fund their boosts differently, through a fee charged on top of the bet. A £10 Lightning Baccarat bet commits £12, because of the 20% fee. A £10 Lightning Blackjack hand commits £20, because the fee is 100% of the initial bet; a winning hand then earns a multiplier of 2x to 25x for the following round.

1. Add the fee to your stake to find the real amount at risk per round.
2. Work out how many rounds your budget covers at that total, not at the base bet.
3. Open the help screen and look for the published RTP before you play.
4. Remember that the boost is random and cannot be targeted or predicted.

On a £100 budget, £10 Lightning Blackjack hands cover five rounds at £20 each, against ten hands of standard blackjack. Our Lightning Blackjack page covers the rules in full.

Lightning multiplier myths

• ‘Some numbers get struck more.’ Lucky Numbers are drawn at random each round; earlier strikes do not change later ones. See hot and cold numbers.
• ‘Covering many numbers catches the multipliers.’ Each extra straight up adds its own cost; the edge on each stays the same.
• ‘Higher multipliers mean a better game.’ A bigger top boost is paid for elsewhere, usually through a lower base payout.

Our comparison of Lightning Roulette and XXXtreme shows how two versions trade base payouts for bigger boosts, and our answer on whether Lightning Roulette is worth playing weighs it up.

Lightning games and our partner offers

Lightning games are live casino titles, and our partner offers are slot offers, so don’t expect to use them on these tables. Live games are often excluded from bonuses or count for less towards wagering; check each casino’s live lobby for availability. 18+ and terms apply.

• Casumo’s welcome offer is a 50% bonus up to £100 for new customers who opt in and deposit £20 or more; the bonus needs 10x wagering within 7 days, bets are capped at £5 while it is active, and game, play and payment restrictions apply.
• 10bet offers new UK customers a 100% match up to £25 if they choose the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days; the bonus is wagered 10x on slots within 3 days, bonus winnings max out at £1,000, and Skrill and Neteller deposits are excluded.
• Coral gives new players 100 free spins after a deposit and £10 or more in slot bets; spins are 10p each on selected games, must be accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, and carry no wagering on winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don’t qualify, and the offer finishes on 1 February 2027.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.