If you aren’t quite aware how online baccarat works, or even regular baccarat in general, never fear. We have you covered. Online baccarat is perhaps one of the easier online casino games to learn and people still play it to this day for that very reason. It’s a fun-filled game that offers a little bit of everything without being too overwhelming.
Most online casinos have some type of baccarat in their roster. It doesn’t matter if they are running regular baccarat, live dealer baccarat, Mini baccarat, Chemin de Fer, Punto Bunco or anything else. If you sit down and seem a little confused by what’s in front of you when playing baccarat, stick around and learn everything you can.
History of the Game
Baccarat is a really old game. More than 600 years old in fact, and dates back to the 1400s where it was first created in Italy by Felix Falguiere. Back then, the game was referred to as “bacarra”, which is Italian for the word zero. The game was later known as Baccarat worldwide, adopting the French spelling.
France is where the game went next and was a favorite of King Charles VIII and was known as Chemin de Fer and quickly became popular in aristocracy circles. It then also became popular in England after that. Originally the game was a three-person game, but Chemin de Fer changes all that between the two players, the Player and the Banker.
Since early adoption happened to quickly in Europe, the game quickly spread around the world and developed into a casino game in the early 1940s and became the form that people know of and play today. The game wasn’t quite as popular as other casino games back then but was still given a fair shot in the casino world, and after James Bond made it more popular in the later years, the game soon started to take hold, developing into the game we know online. Today, hundreds of thousands of people are playing online baccarat worldwide.
Content of Our Expert Guide Book
On this page you’ll find everything you need to know about baccarat, how it’s played and the best ways to try and win. Baccarat isn’t just any old online casino game, it’s one with a rich history and a lot of people enjoy playing it because there’s not a lot of strategy involved, and it’s something people can play for real money, but still have load of fun in doing so.
How to Play Baccarat
If any player wants to learn how to play baccarat or online baccarat, then it’s pretty easy to get started. The first thing that any player will do is bet. Players can bet on either the Player side or the Banker side, or bet on a Draw result. From there, players will just sit back and let the game play out. You don’t necessarily have to understand how to play, that’s all there is to it.
As the game continues, the dealer will then deal cards out face up, two for the player and two for the banker. After that has occurred, there will be a result between the two hands and whoever wins will pay out to all the people that bet on that particular side.
Here’s the kicker. Baccarat is usually played with between 6 or 8 decks and face cards and tens are valued at zero. Aces are worth one and every other card is determined at face value. You can only go up to 9, and when you go over, you reset back down to zero. If the player is given a 6 and a King, then their total is 6. If the banker has a 2 and 7, their total is 9. This means that the 9 is higher than the 6, and so the banker wins because it’s closer to 9.
There are a few exceptions to the rule that players can learn as time goes on. If the Bank gets a value of 7 or less, they’ll draw a third card depending on the player’s hand. If the player has between 0 and 5, they’ll draw a third card. Here’s a list of what the Bank will draw, and what the Bank then does in that case:
Bank on 2 – A third card is drawn.
Bank on 3 – A third card is drawn unless the player’s third card dealt was an 8.
Bank on 4 – A third card is drawn unless the player received 0, 1, 8 or 9 on the third.
Bank on 5 – A third card is drawn unless the player received 4, 5, 6 or 7 on the third.
Bank on 6 – A third card is drawn unless the player received 6 or 8 on the third.
Bank on 7 – A third card is not drawn.
How to Win at Baccarat
In order to win at baccarat, whether its on the table or online, the player will need to bet on the correct outcome of the wager. If a player’s bets on the player hand, they’ll win even money back. So, a bet of $100 will give you $100 back. Should a player bet on the Bank, they’ll be paid out 95%, so the casino takes a little bit of commission.
Baccarat Tips
While baccarat is largely a game of luck, there are a few things that players can do to get the most out of their game. If you’re able to find any kind of commission that less than 5% on the Bank win, then play there. You likely won’t find that online, but if you do happen to see it in a land-based casino, then crack on with it!
While a lot of online casinos that offer baccarat will give players the option to bet on the Tie, it’s not advisable to do so. It does have a really high payout compared to the rest of the available bets, the house edge sits at just under 15%, so it’s far more advisable to play on one of the more likely bets. It’s also not very often that you see a tie bet.
Bonus Online Baccarat
Getting a bonus that online baccarat will offer you isn’t too difficult. There are very few specific baccarat bonuses for players online, but those who do enjoy the game, and other table games like it.
Live Baccarat
Live baccarat will be very similar to those that enjoy playing at a real casino because you’ll get the comfort of playing from home translated directly into a casino atmosphere. Live baccarat works well because the person behind the table is real and they are standing in what appears to be a casino setting. Players will be able to interact with the dealer, players, and everyone else in that regard, and it’s all live!
Betting in Baccarat
Baccarat is interesting because there are only three bets that a player can make. Either you’re betting on your own cards, which you have absolutely no influence over, or you’re betting on the dealer’s cards which, likewise, you have no influence over. The other bet to make is a tie bet, but we never advise players to make the tie bet because it’s highly unlikely and it doesn’t pay out as well as you’d expect.
The payouts for both the player win and the bank win pay out even money, but the bank win takes 5% off the top as commission. If you continuously bet the same kind of pathway, you’re bound to do well eventually.
Baccarat Variants
Multiple varieties of baccarat aren’t extremely popular, as most people enjoy playing the standard version of the game. Should someone want to mix things up though, Mini Baccarat is there for players to play which usually has less players than the standard version. There’s also Chemin de Fer, which is the classic French version of the game and while it has a few variations, such as smaller decks, players will get the decision to draw a card if they wish, and the cards are dealt face down.
There’s also Punto Bunco which tends to be a little more popular than some of the other variations, but in this version of the game, it can take up to 14 players and differs in no way from the original version of the game.
The Best Software
The best software that players can get is the type of software that comes from trusted companies. Usually, the best online casino sites will have software from trusted providers and these providers have their games tested and regulated by authorities.
There is really no “best” casino or software though, it just comes down to what players know and trust, and the reputations of them all. It’s worthwhile knowing that the online casino that you’re going to play at is an online casino that has been around for a long time and has a pre-existing relationship with the software provider.
Advantages of Playing Baccarat Online
Much like any other online casino game, baccarat online is a game that can be dictated at your own speed. You can decide how much you’d like to play, how quickly you want to play it and whether you want to try something else for a bit of a break. The real beauty is being able to play at any time of the day or night, no matter where you are in the world, on whatever device. Finally, you don’t need to treat the casino as a “night out”, you can simply just play in your swimming trunks!
Free Games vs. Real Money Games
Free play online baccarat and real money baccarat shouldn’t be any different. The games, when played at trusted software providers, don’t really have any differences between them save that there isn’t as much pressure on because there’s no real money on the line. Other than that, the RNG should be the same, and the rules will not differ at all from an online baccarat game for real money.
Advantages of Playing For Free
There are a few advantages to playing for free and to be honest, we’ll always suggest that players play for free first. This gives them a good understanding of the game, will allow them to practice bankroll management and learn the different kinds of tips and tricks they can do.
Baccarat on Mobile
Players will often require a game or a casino to be mobile compatible. This will let players play from wherever they are in the world at any time of the day or night in any location. This is a huge advantage to playing on mobile and while live baccarat may not be available on mobile, almost any and all other types of baccarat are available to play.
Our Conclusion
If you’re looking to play some baccarat then trying the game out online is probably your best port of call. Not only is baccarat fun and exciting, but it’s hugely luck-based and if you’re someone who has been able to practice bankroll management and strategies, then you should go quite far with any game of online baccarat.
