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For a long time, Baccarat was considered the game of the nobleman, but today, anyone can play it, thanks to the many online casinos offering variations of this excellent game.
And if you don’t know how to play it, consider today your lucky day. Anyone can learn how to play baccarat – especially if they stay tuned for this upcoming guide.
We’re going to be taking things back to basics for the beginners out there by looking at the baccarat rules and then moving into more advanced strategy tips for players with experience.
Sounds good? Let’s begin.
New to baccarat? We’ve got you covered. Let’s dive right in and find out how to play the game in just a few simple steps.
At most online casinos, baccarat players will be able to choose between live and non-live baccarat, so that’s the first decision you’ll need to make. Would you prefer the social element of playing with a real-life dealer, or would you rather play at your own pace in non-live form?
Once you’ve decided that, it’s time to find an individual baccarat game. We’ll talk a little more about the different types of baccarat games and how to find the best ones in the next section of this article.
Players will need to choose to bet on either the player’s side or the banker’s side. This is a bet on whether you win or the banker wins.
Betting on the banker’s hand is the safer bet for reasons we’ll explain shortly. It’s more likely to win, but it pays out the least.
It’s also possible to place a tie bet. As you might have guessed, this is a bet that the player’s hand and the banker’s hand are going to have the same value. Both the banker and player having the same value have much lower odds and will, therefore, pay out better if it does happen.
You’ll also need to choose your stake at this point. For most games, there are controls to do this at the bottom of the game window. We recommend starting with a small stake while you’re still getting used to the game, as winning bets might not be so frequent at this point.
You’ll be presented with a hand of two cards when the cards are dealt. The basic goal of baccarat is to have a hand that’s as close to the value of 9 as possible with the cards dealt, based on the cards being valued as follows…
And, of course, as you would expect, all of the numbered cards (e.g. 9 of diamonds, 4 of clubs) are worth the number on the card, regardless of their house.
Note that the Royal cards are much lower in value than blackjack! This is one of the key distinctions between the two games.
Another is that if your hand adds up to a total of over 9, you’ll just drop the first card value instead of going ‘bust’ and automatically losing the hand, as happens in blackjack.
You’ll also not be able to ‘hit’ or ‘stay’ like is possible in blackjack. It’s not possible to add a third card to your hand if you think you’re too far off with what you’re dealt from your first two.
However, we will see a player’s third card if the total value of the hand adds up to five or less.
Furthermore, the banker can draw a third card in more situations. And this is where baccarat can get a little complicated.
Here are the circumstances whereby the banker draws a third card:
This is the main reason why betting on the banker’s hand is the safer bet.
There are a few different types of baccarat variations out there. It’s worth taking the time to learn about them so that you can work out which one is going to be best suited to your preferences.
Let’s take a look at a few examples below.
You’ll find this version of baccarat played through a standard deck like regular baccarat, except here, the best hand you can get is three face cards instead of a 9. Other than that, the rules are basically the same.
This version of the game is very popular in East Asia, but you can still find online versions of it from time to time.
This traditional version of baccarat is still highly popular in Europe (particularly in France, as the name suggests). It allows you to actually act as the banker or player, so you can take advantage of winning banker bets more easily.
In mini baccarat, the rules are pretty much the same as regular baccarat, except if you play it in a land-based casino, it’s going to be on a smaller table.
Online, the term ‘mini baccarat’ has been used to describe lightweight versions of the game with more minimal graphics that are more compatible with smaller devices (e.g., smartphones) or older, less powerful devices.
Mini baccarat can also refer to games with lower betting limits, which could be a good idea for beginners or those who don’t want to break the bank.
This version of baccarat is a little like Chemin de Fer in that you can play as the player and banker, except it’s a little more complicated as it uses three decks. It’s quite rare to find this game, but there there still are many new online casinos that offer it.
The rules for this version of baccarat are quite a bit different from the regular game. Here, higher payouts are made for winning banker bets, but the banker’s hand only pays out half the amount if it wins with six points.
Super 6 is a particularly popular variation of baccarat in the online domain. You’ll likely find live Super 6 baccarat games at many online casino sites.
You’ll find loads of awesome baccarat table options online. And some are better than others, of course. So let’s consider how to find the best ones.
Other than the actual type of baccarat game, make sure to consider the following factors when you’re searching for a title to play online.
Baccarat has been around for around 600 years, so there’s been plenty of time for players to develop a few strategies for playing it. Perhaps you might benefit from using one of the following techniques in your game.
We’re not saying that these tips are instantly going to make you a baccarat pro, but having a system to stick to can at least help you stay in control while playing.
This betting system is all about managing the amount of money you spend while still giving yourself a good amount of cash.
The numbers refer to the multiple of your bet. If you start with a $1 bet and win, you’ll go up to a $3 bet next time. If you win again, you go to $2 and then onto $6.
If you lose any of your bets, you’ll simply start back at the one again.
The golden ratio can indeed be applied to the game of baccarat, too. In a similar way to the 1-3-2-6 method, you’ll multiply your bet by an exponential amount depending on your wins.
This one is less about risk management and more to do with getting as much out of your bet as possible. You could either turn a large profit or lose a small amount.
Perhaps the most popular system for baccarat playing is the Martingale. Here, you’ll simply double your bet each time you lose so that you can potentially cover your losses with just one win. This one is risky, though!
As well as all these systems, we have a few pieces of advice for general gameplay that might help you to get ahead and make some wins.
Okay, so this one isn’t actually a technique for ‘winning’ baccarat as such, but it is still an essential thing to employ while you’re playing it.
Many online casinos will offer responsible gambling tools such as time check-ins, deposit limits, and even self-exclusion periods for when you need to take a break. We strongly recommend that you make use of these.
Most online casinos offer baccarat, so look for the sites that offer the best choice of games and bonus offers.
Yes! As long as you play baccarat at a licensed and encrypted online casino with good user reviews, then you’ll be safe.
The highest baccarat payouts are typically 12-1. These can be found in the side bets for Super 6. You could win a lot of cash with a high stake here!
It might not be the most popular, but we have no doubt that baccarat is one of the most exciting game options online or in land-based casinos.
And now, you know everything you need to know about how to play it!
We’ve looked at how to play the game and gone further by finding out how we can actually win. So now, you should be able to play a great game of baccarat. Just make sure you gamble responsibly and have fun.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Gambling comes with its fair share of risks, and it’s important to recognize that when using online gambling sites.
All gambling sites on this page are 21+ only. Check your local laws to ensure that online gambling is legal in your jurisdiction.
If you have a gambling addiction problem or anyone you know does, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. In addition, the following free gambling addiction resources can be of help:
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