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Daniel King

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Daniel King

Online Baccarat: a Guide to Playing

Author: Daniel King | Posted on: 2021-06-11 | Last updated on: 2023-03-13

Online casino games have become increasingly popular. Card games, especially, can be played at a live casino table with real-time dealers – and you can win real money. Baccarat is a popular casino card game that compares the hands of the “Player” and the “Banker” to distinguish who has the higher score and has won the game. In 2020, over 45% of all card games played in Nevada were Baccarat games, which means gaining knowledge and understanding of the game could be beneficial for your next Vegas trip and a fun and exciting way to play a challenging online Baccarat game.

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The Best Baccarat Games to play

Baccarat was made popular among French nobility during Napolean, but anyone and everyone can play Baccarat online and live for free. There are multiple variations of the game of Baccarat and, when playing online, the odds of winning are often better than other casino-style card games.

Live dealer baccarat

Never miss a chance to play Live Dealer Baccarat online free in Canada. Only here you can interact with a real-life dealer at a real table. Players can make bets through integrated interfaces, and a chat option is usually available for players and the dealer to communicate as if they were playing in person. Additionally, just as with a live game at an online baccarat casino, if you’ve made real bets, you’re going to make real money.

Punto Banco Baccarat

In most Western countries, including Canada, the USA, the UK, and Australia, the Baccarat played in casinos is Punto Banco and is known as “Baccarat.” Punto Banco Baccarat is a simplified version of the traditional online baccarat game, which makes it so much more popular and easier to play.

Punto Banco allows players to choose whether to bid against or with the dealer as having the highest score – or to bet as a tie. So, if you’re playing free Baccarat online, believing the dealer will have a higher score, you can bet against yourself. This choice isn’t available with Traditional Baccarat – you’re forced to bet against the dealer and only win when your score is higher.

Baccarat Chemin de Fleur

Translated to “railway” in French, the train being the fastest mode of transportation in the 19th century when this game became popular, Chemin de fleur is a fast-played version of Baccarat. Nowadays it’s mainly played in Latin America and France. In this version, up to 12 players play at a kidney-like table. Unlike with Punto Banco Baccarat, players have the option to bet against each other instead of only working with the Banker. Players take turns being the banker and making the wager in this version of Baccarat.

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How To Play Baccarat

As Punto Banco Baccarat, known to us as “Baccarat,” is the most played version of Baccarat in Canada, the gameplay of this Baccarat version is outlined below.

  1. Depending on the style of Baccarat played, 14 people can play as Puntos in a game of Baccarat. Each is given an area of the table to lay their bets. Only two hands are dealt in each round, the Player and the Banker.
  2. When a Punto bets on the Banker, the dealer receives a 5% commission labelled and recorded next to each Punto or next to Dealer.
  3. The Dealer then deals 2 each to the Player and the Banker.
  4. Whichever hand is higher (closer to a score of 9), that hand wins.
  5. If you had made a bet on the winning hand, then you win.

Baccarat Betting in details

When you place your bet on the table, you have the choice to bet on:

baccarat betting

  • the Player’s hand,
  • the Banker’s hand,
  • a tie.

The tie is usually a higher winning because of its lower probability. Being the only Punto in the round, you are essentially choosing to bid against or with your hand. If you don’t bet on a tie and there is one, you will get your bet back, and the round will start again.

Baccarat Card Values explained

Nine is the highest score in Baccarat; zero is the lowest. How much a card is worth in online Baccarat is different from other casino card games.

  • All face cards and tens are worth zero.
  • Cards between 2 and 9 are worth their face value.
  • Aces are worth one point.

Once the cards are dealt and add up to over 10 (more cards may need to be added to get to this point), the second digit is the card’s worth. This is why a ten-card (10) is worth zero. If a hand is dealt a nine and a 5 (adding up to 14), the hand is worth 4. The hand that is closest to 9 wins.

Are more than two cards dealt?

If the first two cards are dealt, and one or both hands add up to a natural 8 or 9, then the higher hand wins. In other cases, a third card will be dealt. This is the most confusing part of the online baccarat game; however, you don’t have to memorize it. It is Dealer’s task.

  • If the Player’s points on the first two cards add up to less than 5, another card is dealt.
  • If the Banker’s hand adds up to less than 2, another card is usually dealt.
  • If the Banker has a value of 3, they are dealt another card unless the Player is dealt an 8.
  • If the Banker has a value of 7, they always stand.
  • If the banker has a value of 6, they are dealt another card if the Player was dealt a 6 or 7. Otherwise, they stand.
  • If the Banker has a value of 5, they are dealt another card if the Player received a 4 – 7. Otherwise, they stand.
  • If the Banker has a value of 4, they stand if the Player received a 0, 1, 8, or 9. Otherwise, they are dealt another card.

Online Baccarat Odds and Payouts

casino payouts

Baccarat is known as one of the best casino card games due to its higher odds of winning than other games.

  • The player and banker bets pay even money. The tie bet pays at 8 to 1 or 9 to 1.
  • The banker bet has a house edge of 1.06% with a 5% commission.
  • The player bet has a house edge of 1.24%.
  • The tie bet has an average house edge of 14.36%.

You must pay out the commission on your Banker bets before you can receive your share of the payout.

Best Online Baccarat Strategies

There are very few working strategies for winning Baccarat. Mainly, it is luck on whether you bet on the Player or the Banker and how much you bet/wager. However, there are some strategies that seasoned players do swear by.

  1. The best bet to make in the game of Baccarat is with the Banker. The house edge with this bet is the lowest at 1.06%. So, even though you will need to payout the Dealer a 5% commission on each winning hand, your odds of winning are higher.
  2. Don’t bet on a tie unless you are feeling fortunate – or you want to lose your money. The house edge of a tie bet is 14.36%.
  3. The most effective strategy to follow in Bacarrat is not to follow any. Don’t buy any books or pay your money on promises to win. Save it for the game and enjoy playing!

Baccarat Tips To Increase Your Odds of Winning

There are very few working strategies for winning Baccarat. Mainly, it is luck on whether you bet on the Player or the Banker and how much you bet/wager.

There are a few tips when it comes to playing Bacarrat, either online or in-person. Make sure you’re enjoying the game and having fun because the odds are not in your favour to win big. You may end up winning some money while on a hot run or in one particular hand. In these cases, you will have to choose to stay in and keep playing with the likelihood of losing more or leaving when you’re hot.

  • Set a budget in advance so you don’t lose more than you planned on losing.
  • Set a win limit, too – so you know when to walk away.

Baccarat Terminology

To succeed in a Baccarat game, do consider learning some essential Baccarat terms in advance.

  • “Baccarat”: If you’re dealt a “baccarat” in the game, this means you have a score of zero, the lowest possible.
  • Banco: Meaning “bank,” in some online baccarat games, the banker will be referred to as the Banco.
  • Coup: A round of Baccarat comprising of the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand.
  • La Grande: The best hand available in Baccarat, totalling a natural 9 points. In French, this is translated to “The Big One.”
  • La Petite: Meaning “The Little One,” this hand in Bacarrat totals a natural 8 points.
  • Natural: When the cards you’ve been dealt in Baccarat total either 8 or 9, this is known as a “natural.”
  • Player: One of three bets available in Baccarat. You can bet on the Player’s hand, the Banker’s hand, or a tie. Those playing Baccarat are not known as “players.”
  • Punto: Those playing the game of Baccarat.
  • Shoe: An automatic card dealing machine that holds multiple decks of cards and removes the chance of errors during dealing. Online free Baccarat will include the Shoe as part of the virtual table where you will see the cards being dealt from.
  • Tie: One of three bets available. If you bet on a tie, you will be paid either 8:1 or 9:1, as this probability is less likely.

FAQ

Is Baccarat difficult to play?

Although it may seem like a challenging game because it is often played in private rooms by the "high rollers" of a casino, it's a straightforward game to play. It also requires minimal strategy or skill.

Who wins in Baccarat?

The Punto can either bet on the Player. The Banker, or a Tie. When the cards are dealt, if the hand you bet on has the higher value (or tied), you win that round.

What is the house edge of the Player, the Banker, and a Tie?

The player and banker bets pay even money. The tie bet pays at 8 to 1 or 9 to 1. The banker bet has a house edge of 1.06% with a 5% commission. The player bet has a house edge of 1.24%. The tie bet has an average house edge of 14.36%.

How do I get paid out in online baccarat casinos?

Depending on the online casino's payout rules, the payout works just like any other casino game. Once you leave the table and pay the Dealer's commission, your winnings should show up in your online casino account.

How much should I bet on a Baccarat hand?

It's essentially up to you. Once you know the stakes of the game, such as $1000, for example, you can choose to bet 2% of that stake, so $20 per hand. Such betting will ensure you stay in the game for multiple rounds. Usually, seasoned players can do the math to figure out their odds, chances of remaining through a percentage of rounds, etc. You can choose to play as little or as high as you like.

Are Baccarat hands random?

Yes, there is no way to decipher what the hands will be in Baccarat. It is all random and based on luck.

Can I play Baccarat online for free in Canada?

Yes. Almost all online casinos legal for play in Canada have Baccarat. You can usually choose to play with the computer dealer or a live dealer at a real table.

Should I play online Baccarat?

Playing Baccarat online with smaller stakes can help you become more comfortable with the game to feel more rested if and when you play in person. You can also choose to become more comfortable in a computerized game before entering a live baccarat game.