Online Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the oldest and most entertaining casino games. It appeared in Italy as early as the 1400s and quickly moved to France to win over the royal court of King Charles VIII. The game became a favorite of the wealthy and aristocratic circles.
Nowadays, baccarat is still a common high-roller choice in land-based casinos. However, the rise of the online casinos has allowed players worldwide to enjoy it in a budget-friendly manner. The game fascinates with its fast-paced, entertaining nature. It also has a low house edge and great odds, which also makes it attractive.
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Read further for a detailed overview of the game and its rules. You will find the most popular strategies used in the game and a few tips that will make your experience better.
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Baccarat Main Rules Explained
Baccarat is most frequently played with six or eight card decks. The suits do not matter; only the cards’ values are taken into account.
The most popular online baccarat version is called Punto Banco, and we will use it as an example to explain the game’s basic rules.
Baccarat Gameplay
The gameplay is pretty straightforward. The cards are dealt to two positions – the player and the banker.
Usually, each position will receive two cards. However, in some cases, a third card may be dealt. The position whose value comes the closest to 9, wins. Thus, you have only three possible bets – to bet on the player, the banker, or a tie.
It is important to note that the total value of both cards cannot exceed 9. If it does, the number 10 has to be subtracted. Number cards 2 – 9 are worth their face value. The picture cards and the 10s are worth 0. The Ace is counted as 1.
Baccarat Types of Bets
The main bets in baccarat are the banker, the player, and a tie. The most favorable option is the banker. It has the lowest house edge and a 5 % commission.
The player has a slightly higher house edge but entails no commission. The tie is a bet for the adrenaline lovers. It has the highest house edge, but the payout is massive.
There are also several baccarat side bets you can enjoy online:
| Bet | Description |
|---|---|
| Player pair | The player’s first two cards are a pair. |
| Banker pair | The banker’s first two cards are a pair. |
| Perfect pair | Either the player or the banker has a perfect pair. |
| Either pair | Either the banker or the player has a pair. |
| Panda 8 | The player wins with three cards that have a total value of 8. |
| Lucky 8 | A hand of total value 8 beats the other hand. |
Types of Online Baccarat
Some of the most widely-enjoyed baccarat types include:
Punto Banco
This is probably the most popular game type. It first appeared in Havana, Cuba in the 1940s. The game is played with six card decks and follows the 2-hand format. Thus, you have the usual bets on either the player, the banker or a tie. The winning hand is the one with a total score closest to but not greater than 9.
Chemin de Fer
Chemin de Fer is much older than Punto Banco. In fact, it is believed to be the version from which online baccarat was derived. If you are wondering about the name’s origin, Chemin de Fer means “railway” in French. That said, the game is a dynamic, multi-player format, where you cannot bet on the banker. Instead, the players take turns to play this part. The game is played with 6 decks of 52 cards.
Mini Baccarat
Mini Baccarat is very similar to Punto Banco. However, it is faster-paced, uses 8 decks, and the stakes are significantly lower. In other words, Mini Baccarat is very suitable for beginners or for anyone who enjoys clean, straightforward gameplay with smaller risk.
Baccarat Banque
This is not a very common online baccarat version, but you can still find it at some Internet-based casinos. Like Chemin de Fer, it is also an older variation of the game. It is played with 3 decks. The dealer/banker is determined at the start of every game.
After the bets are placed, the first cards are dealt in the following manner: one to the player’s right, one to the player’s left, and one to the bank. The second cards are dealt likewise. In the end, there are 3 hands of 2 cards on the table. You are allowed to bet on either of the player’s hands. The banker’s hand is not available for wagering.
European Baccarat
While European Baccarat may seem almost the same as Punto Banco and Mini Baccarat, there are several key differences. To begin with, the banker has the option to draw a third card.
Another important difference is that you have the choice to either draw or stand if your initial score is 5. Finally, in some games, the house may fund the banker’s hand, and if anyone bets the same amount as the banker’s fund, the other players cannot place stakes in this round.
Live Dealer Baccarat
As the name implies, live dealer baccarat is played at online casinos with an actual person dealing the cards. This is a great way to experience the game without having to visit a real-life casino. There are amazing live dealer baccarat products from some of the best gaming providers in the world that are loaded with stimulating features.
Also, the games are live-streamed in HD from professional studios across the world and are cross-platform optimized. Thus, you can play from any device with a decent Internet connection.
As you can see for yourself, online baccarat comes in many variations. Whichever one you choose, you will hardly regret it, as this game is easy and exciting to play and very affordable.
Baccarat Odds
Baccarat is very attractive to gamblers mainly because of the low house edge.
The banker bet comes with a 1.06 % house edge while backing the player will give you 1.24 %. In contrast, the tie bet is very high at 14.4 %, but you get a massive payout of 8:1. With side bets, you have a similar situation.
While typically online baccarat is played with eight decks, there are also other versions, including a six-deck and a single-deck. Thus, the house edge and the odds change depending on the number of decks used, while the payouts remain the same.
The tables below will give you a more precise idea:
Table 1: Baccarat Common bets – 8 Deck
| Bet | Odds | Payout | House Edge % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker Bet | 45.86% | 0.95:1 | 1.06 |
| Player Bet | 44.62% | 1:1 | 1.24 |
| Tie Bet | 9.52% | 8:1 | 14.36 |
Table 2: Baccarat Side bets
| Bet | Odds | Payout | House Edge % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player Pair | 7.47% | 11:1 | 10.36% |
| Banker Pair | 7.47% | 11:1 | 10.36% |
| Perfect Pair | 3.34% | 25:1 | 13.03% |
| Either Pair | 14.2% | 5:1 | 13.71% |
| Panda 8 | – | 25:1 | 10.18% |
| Lucky 8 | – | 4:1 | 13.65% |
Table 3: Six Deck Baccarat
| Bet | Odds | Payout | House Edge % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker Bet | 45.87% | 0.95:1 | 1.06% |
| Player Bet | 44.63% | 1:1 | 1.24% |
| Tie Bet | 9.51% | 8:1 | 14.44% |
Table 4: Single–Deck Baccarat
| Bet | Odds | Payout | House Edge % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker Bet | 45.96% | 0.95:1 | 1.01% |
| Player Bet | 44.68% | 1:1 | 1.29% |
| Tie Bet | 9.36% | 8:1 | 15.75% |
Baccarat Strategies
Generally, the three baccarat betting strategy types can be qualified as positive progressive, negative progressive, and flat progressive. We will explain below exactly what each one means.
Positive Progressive Strategies
While the name of this strategy might seem complicated, it is actually quite simple. The idea is to increase your wager following every win. Your goal should be to balance out your losses and hopefully end on a consistent winning streak to secure a high return on investment.
Of course, baccarat is a game of chance, and no tactics are 100 % bulletproof, so we advise you to proceed with caution. If you want to dive deeper into specific positive progressive baccarat strategies, we recommend looking at the Paroli system.
Negative Progressive Strategies
These strategies are quite aggressive and might be very costly in the long run. Therefore, we advise you to avoid them or at least proceed with extra caution.
The logic here is that you need to increase your bet every time you experience a loss. You must repeat this process until you score a win. Thus, you might end up compensating for your losses with a single stroke of fortune.
The apparent weakness in this strategy lies in the game’s table limits. Once you hit the upper threshold, you might be in for a serious loss. Nonetheless, negative progressive strategies are widely used. Some of the most popular ones include the Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert, and Labouchere.
Flat Progressive Strategies
Flat betting strategies suggest that you bet the same amount of money every time.
Unlike the other two systems, it does not entail a high risk of letting you end up with a big loss. Instead, it helps you extend your play and have a more relaxed and pleasant gaming experience. If you want to maximize your winning chances, you should look for baccarat versions that pay better.
Playing Online Baccarat: 5 Steps to a Great Start
Online baccarat is a lot of fun and can bring you a highly rewarding experience. It is important, however, to start right. This will help you master the game faster and – hopefully – win more. Here is a quick summary of the five basic steps to support your successful beginning:
Step 1
Subscribe at a quality online casino
There is hardly a casino out there that will allow you to play real money games without subscribing. Therefore, you will need to create an account. Thankfully, this simple procedure only takes a couple of minutes. The more important thing, however, is to find a licensed online casino with quality games.
Step 2
Get a welcome bonus
One of the most important things to consider when researching online casinos is the welcome deal for first-time subscribers. The greater the bonus amount, the more winning chances you will get.
Step 3
Place your deposit
The next step would be to check the available payment methods and use the one you prefer to make a wager. Our advice is to always start small as a new player.
Step 4
Choose a game
As discussed at length above, there are plenty of different baccarat versions to satisfy every taste out there. Do not be afraid to experiment in demo mode and try enough games until you find the right one for you.
Step 5
Enjoy and keep your fingers crossed
Once you have equipped yourself with the necessary knowledge on how to play baccarat, the only thing you need to do is apply your chosen strategy wisely and hope that luck will bring you big wins!
Online Baccarat Tips
Baccarat is fun and easy to play. That is why sometimes players may get so absorbed in their game that they end up losing massive amounts of money even given the reasonable house edge. Therefore, we have prepared several useful tips to help you maintain your bankroll.
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