Online Baccarat
Baccarat until modern times was a mysterious card game that was played in its own exclusive area of the casino hidden from prying eyes behind lush velvet curtains. Only those with power, influence, glamour, or wealth would get to experience the thrills of the game.
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Online casinos have pulled back the curtains and revealed that it is one of the easiest casino games to learn and additionally has a low house edge compared to many others. Playing online you don’t have to put on your tuxedo and black tie to enjoy the fun and you don’t need to play for high-stakes if you haven’t got a huge bankroll.
With big stars like Michael Jordan and Kung Fu actor Jackie Chan admitting that they are big fans of baccarat we are sure that they enjoy a game or two online when they are relaxing between scenes on location.
If you want to discover more about online baccarat you can read all about it here, as well as learn how to play this awesome game.
Play at The Best Baccarat Online Casinos
If you are looking to find the best online casinos and experience some amazing baccarat then you have come to the right place. We have been busy searching the web for the best sites available and have a constantly updated list of the top casinos to play baccarat at below.
All the casino sites we recommend are regulated, licensed, safe, and secure, with a wide variety of games, awesome welcome bonuses, and top-notch service.
About Online Baccarat
While the brick and mortar casinos continue to treat baccarat as an exclusive game for the high-rollers the internet opens the door to all comers and anyone can play at an online casino.
As far as rules and how to play the game, there is little difference online or offline. When you play at an online casino it will just be you playing a computer-generated game while at a real casino other people would be playing alongside you.
Playing online gives you the benefit of playing at any time and where you feel comfortable, if you enjoy playing baccarat tucked up in bed at midnight in your pajamas, it’s totally fine!
You’d never get the chance to experience baccarat for free at a real casino but online this is an option at all the best casinos. If you are new to the game and want to get a good understanding of how the cards are played then play the free games for a while. Playing real money baccarat is where the game gets really lively though with the chance of walking away with a nice sum of cash!
RNG [Random Number Generators] Baccarat Games
Online casinos use what is known as a random number generator to provide fair play when you use their games. When you play any computer-generated virtual game it will use an RNG to produce a totally random outcome every time you are dealt your cards. This is the same for free baccarat games and real money games.
How to play Baccarat Online
Baccarat is a very simple game to understand and you can be playing in a few minutes once you know the rules. Have a few practice rounds on a free baccarat game at an online casino first. By the time you have played a few rounds for free, you will be ready to progress to real money baccarat.
Baccarat is a game of chance so all you need to do is place your bet and hope that fate is on your site.
In the lobby of the online casino find the baccarat game you wish to play. There should be at least one version available to try. Acquaint yourself with the table layout, once you have read this how-to section it will make more sense.
The goal of baccarat is to get a card hand that is as close to 9 as possible. The values of the cards are as follows; 10’s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings have zero value, Aces are worth 1 and the other cards 2 to 9 are equal to their face value.
Unlike card games like blackjack, you can’t go bust by going over 9 in baccarat. If your hand value is two-digits then only the second-digit counts. For instance, if you were dealt a 9 and a 4 you would add the total up and use the second digit 9+4=13 so your total would be 3. This is why the face cards have zero value if you were dealt a King and 7 as the King is worth 0 your total would be 7.
You have a choice of three bets you can place;
Player Bet – The player bet payout is 1:1 which is an evens bet so for every $1 you bet you would receive the same back in winnings. If the game is being played with six decks of cards the house edge will be 1.24%. If you play this wager the outcome you require is to get as close to 9 as possible and beat the banker.
Banker Bet – There is a 5% commission levied on the banker bet so the payout works out at 19:20 when it is taken into account. The reason why is that the house edge is lowered to 1.06% if played with six decks when playing the banker bet making it a more favorable wager. Playing the banker bet the goal is to beat the player and get as near to a score of 9 as possible.
Tie Bet – This bet is best avoided and you are best to stick with either of the two wagers above that have the lower house edge. To win this bet the outcome both banker and player would need to have cards of the same amount. While you might be seduced by the nice payout at 8:1 you also have to realize that the house edge at 14.44% makes this a wager that you’ll want to pass on.
So now we understand the bets you can place, ignoring the tie bet you can decide to wager on the player or the banker bet. You will then place how many chips you want to stake to the bet you have chosen. You then click or tap on the deal button.
Both player and banker will be dealt with two cards if one of them gets an 8 or 9 this is ‘a natural’ and that bet wins the round. Depending on the two cards dealt a third card may come into play.
The third card rules are fairly comprehensive and don’t need to be understood to play the game as this is done automatically.
There are some additional side bets you can play if you want to add a little bit more risk and excitement to your game. You will likely see the ‘Perfect Pair’ side bet which has a nice payout of 25:1 but a dreadful house edge. To win the first two cards dealt to either banker or player must consist of a pair. There are also other pair bets you can place such as banker pair, player pair, and either pair.
Online Baccarat Options
Baccarat has a number of variations available online and you can choose from computer-generated virtual versions or live dealer games.
Punto Banco
This is the most common option available at the land-based casinos in the USA and Canada as well as the baccarat option you will find the most available at online casinos and follows the standard rules.
Chemin de Fer
This is a popular version of baccarat that is played in European casinos and is available online as well. This variation is famous for being the casino game that James Bond plays in the first of the 007 novels casino Royale. The online game is similar to Punto Banco with a few different rules.
Live Dealer Baccarat
Live dealer casino games are becoming extremely popular and baccarat is no exception. Rather than playing a virtual game of baccarat, this is live-action. The baccarat game will be broadcast in HD and in real-time from a studio that closely resembles and sometimes is a land-based casino. The game will be presented by a professional and knowledgeable dealer and will use a standard baccarat table, card shoe, and a real card deck. Many baccarat enthusiasts prefer this more interactive style and find appeal in seeing real cards being dealt rather than by an RNG. If you are feeling sociable you can chat with other players in the game and to the dealer via the chatbox. The chat option is particularly useful for baccarat newbies who might have questions about the game. Some of the live dealer games allow you to zoom in for close-ups of the cards and view the events from different angles.
Mobile Baccarat Online Casinos
Most people use mobile devices to browse, shop, and perform all sorts of other activities on the internet and it’s part of our daily lives. Accessing online casinos via mobile is no different; the sites are perfectly optimized for you to enjoy baccarat or any other of your favorite games. If you have an iPhone, iPad, smartphone, or tablet then all the best online casinos will support these devices.
Mini Baccarat
This variant is played with the standard rules but the betting limits are much lower and it is played with six decks of cards rather than eight. It is played at land-based casinos and online.
Speed Baccarat
Baccarat is a relatively fast game with a round of punto banco taking on average 48 seconds or 125 rounds per hour. For the speed kings out there we have this variation with each round lasting just 27 seconds. Betting options are still the same but this baccarat game is sped up by dealing the cards face up rather than face down saving time in having to turn them over.
Progressive Baccarat
If you are looking for some extra excitement this baccarat game is played with the standard rules but has an additional side bet that you can place in the form of a progressive jackpot. When the jackpot is won all the players at the table who wagered on the side bet get a share of the prize.
Online Baccarat Tips and Tricks
Baccarat is a complete game of chance so if you come away a winner will depend on how lucky you are on the day and the bets you place.
Don’t play the tie bet – we spoke about this bet earlier you will rarely see the outcome of the deal ending in a tie so you’ll be wasting your bankroll on this bet. With a 14.44% house edge, you’ll have to get very lucky to win the tie bet!
Play the banker bet – Even taking account of the 5% commission you have to pay to the casino the wager with the lowest house edge is the banker making your chances of winning more probable.
Bankroll management – Play with your head not your heart and don’t chase the losses. Having a system in place to manage your money is essential. For the conservative player, we would suggest betting 1-2% of your bankroll per round so if you had $100 to wager then a maximum of $2 per round.
