Play Baccarat at online casinos
The table game Baccarat is a popular card game. In the past, you had to go to a real casino to play. Today you can play Baccarat in the comfort of your own home in one of the online casinos. Or you can just play it wherever you want to. Thanks to the mobile casinos of the providers, you can also access the game selection with your smartphone in the mobile browser at any time. Each platform has different variants of Baccarat. So it should be no problem for you to find your favourite.
Online casinos with a live casino selection are a very special experience. You play with real croupiers and the game is streamed in real time. The true casino feeling is even better than at a slot machine. The professional dealers and the first-class quality of the high-resolution stream are definitely convincing. If you are a friend of Baccarat, then you should definitely try it out.
If you don’t have any experience with the card game, don’t worry. Baccarat is very easy to learn, apart from the side bets. That’s certainly one reason why it’s so popular. You learn the rules very quickly and can start your game without having to prepare it for a long time. You don’t have to study complicated strategies to have fun with Baccarat. Just rely on your luck and instinct.
Origin of Baccarat
When it comes to the invention of the game, there is still confusion as to where exactly it originated. There are claims that the game originated in Naples in the 16th century. In this case, the name is also derived from the Italian dialect. Other research, however, assumes a much later development. According to this, the card game has only existed since the 19th century.
Many card games and popular casino games have a centuries-old tradition and have changed over time. Researchers can therefore rarely determine the true origin. However, since the game has been present in casinos, it can be played in two variants. First, there is Chemin de fer, which also became known as Chemmy. Incidentally, this is James Bond’s favourite game. On the other hand, there is Punto Banco. The latter variant is the most widespread and you will usually find it in online casinos.
How to play online Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the easiest games to play in the casino. That is why it is so popular. All you have to do is make a few decisions and have a little luck. You can start playing immediately if you know the basic rules.
In each game round, there is a “player” and a “banker” who play against each other. We will concentrate on Punto Banco, because here one player always plays against the bank. In the classic Chemin de fer, the players play against each other. You have to choose a bet, which we will come back to in detail. You place your bet. Both players then receive two cards. The cards are revealed directly, as it is only a game between the two parties. The respective cards should come as close as possible to the sum of nine.
There are the simple rules:
- Player (Punto)
If the value is up to five, you have to take another card. You can decide for yourself whether you want to hold. If you draw a third card, the value decides whether the banker also takes a card. - Croupier (Banco)
The banker must pick up a card when three points are scored or a nine is dealt, or when five points are scored and a four is dealt.
Since the rules are so simple, you don’t have to decide much yourself and the croupier can simply run the game. You simply place your bet before the cards are dealt. You have three different betting options in Baccarat.
- Bet on the player to win (Punto) – payout ratio: 0.95:1
- Bet on the bank to win (Banco) – payout ratio: 1:1
- If you bet on a draw (Égalité or Tie) – Payout odds: 8:1
You must choose one of the bets. Since you can also bet against yourself, Baccarat is very exciting and can be played strategically in the end. The house edge is also very low and lies between 1.18% – 1.36% depending on the variant and bet. This does not mean that you automatically have to win. The payout ratios and the house advantage are merely the average values that occur over a long period of time.
Value of playing cards in Baccarat
It is important in Baccarat that you know the value of the cards and how to count them. In a round, there are different numbers of packs of cards in play, and it is a classic poker deck. Unlike other card games, counting is different in Baccarat:
- The number cards from 2 – 9 correspond to their actual value.
- The 10 and the face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have the value 0 and are not added.
- In the caslculation the ace has the value of 1.
There is another special feature when calculating the value of the cards. If the first two cards exceed the value of 10, only the last digit counts. For example, if you get an 8 and a 9, the value is 17. In Baccarat it would only result in a value of 7. This only applies to the first two cards, not the third.
Side bets in Baccarat
When you start to play, you should orientate yourself on the upper main bets. A draw is more risky, so a Punto or Banco will give you the best chance of winning. There are also a variety of side bets. Only when you have really mastered the game, should you think about them and try it.
- Progressive side bet
These are special side bets with a progressive jackpot. The minimum and maximum stake is predefined. You can bet on a specific hand to win the jackpot. - Pairs
Here you bet that either the player or the banker will get a certain pair of cards. You win if the player actually gets the pair as a hand, for example two 8s. - Small
This side bet is about the number of cards dealt in the game round. If you bet on Small, you win if only a total of 4 cards are played. In other words, none of the participants draws a third card. The odds are 1.5:1. - Big
The counter bet to Small in this case is Big. If you bet on this, you assume that the game will be played with 5 or 6 cards. That is, one or both of you take a third card in your hand. The odds are 2:1. - Dragon bonus
Here you bet on the higher hand at the end of the game round. The difference between the two hands determines your payout. - Sum bonus
This bet is on the sum of all cards in the game, i.e. the total sum of the player’s cards and the banker’s cards. There are different options you can bet on. You can either bet on a total of less than 5 or on a total of more than 14, whereby 18 is a special case.
If the value is below 5, your profit is 2:1.
If the sum is over 14, then 1:1 is paid out.
With the value of 18, you win 6:1 of your stake.
If the value is 18 and there is an 8 in the game, you even get paid 12:1.
An 18 with two or more 8s pays 50 times your bet. - Tie Bonus
This is an extensive bet. On the one hand, you bet on a draw. You can also bet on the different number of cards that come into play and are used to form the hands. There is a maximum payout of 50 times your stake. - Egalité Bonus
Again, you bet on a draw, but you have to choose the exact number of cards. If you predict the right draw, a profit of 220:1 awaits you.
Tips for beginners in online Baccarat
If you’ve never played Baccarat before, you’ll quickly see that it’s easy to learn. But as with any game of chance, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first attempts can especially be difficult, but with our tips you can start safely and experience Baccarat.
- Always play in a reputable online casino. This applies to every type of gambling. The best thing to do is to look for a provider on our site and register there. All casinos listed with us offer you fair conditions. This means you can concentrate fully on your game and don’t have to worry about security.
- Always play responsibly and keep your gaming behaviour under control. If you want to learn more about self-control, you can check out our special guide on the subject.
- If you want to play Baccarat for the first time, you should check if there is a free version available. Especially at the Baccarat machines there are often demo versions. There you can start your first attempts and only then switch to real money mode.
- Always pay attention to the minimum bet. You should start with small stakes, which you can then increase once you have got a feel for the game. You don’t have to be a high roller in the game after a short time.
- Mistakes can happen when you play. Think of it more as a learning process.
- Concentrate on the main bets of the game in the beginning. Test the side bets only when you have mastered the game. You can try out the individual side bets one after the other with small stakes.
- If you already have some experience, you should try Baccarat in the Live Casino. You will see that a whole new experience awaits you here.
