Consistently enjoyed by high-rollers from all over the world, baccarat is a fast-paced table game in which all strategic decisions are made at the beginning of the game. Baccarat is a card game where there is no need to worry about subtle rules and elaborate strategies. It is a game in which sheer luck rules predominantly. Let’s get acquainted with the game of online baccarat! READ MORE
What is online baccarat?
Baccarat is an extremely simple game to master. And although most online players don’t play it spontaneously out of intimidation, its popularity is constantly growing. It is a perfect game for players unwilling to spend infinite time learning countless rules and strategies. In baccarat, once the bets are placed, the die is cast (so to speak). Baccarat follows predetermined rules and puts emphasis on total randomness. During baccarat coups (rounds of play), the house edge is particularly low, especially when playing in online casinos: it enables you to extend your gaming sessions with a serious chance of winning!
What to know about online baccarat?
- Baccarat is a very popular game among high-rollers;
- The rules of baccarat are very easy to learn once you become familiar with the game’s terminology;
- In baccarat, you play against the casino and not against other players.
Where to play online baccarat?
Although baccarat is one of the most popular casino games, it is not always easy to find a player-friendly version. Indeed, choosing the right online casino and the right baccarat version allows you to significantly increase your chances of winning. Always try to fall back on a baccarat version that doesn’t have more than six decks of cards in the shoe and whose commission (deducted from a winning banker bet) is 4% instead of 5%!
In addition to increasing your winning probability, these factors enable you to lower the house edge. New players must be aware of these crucial details before opening an account at any online casino. We are well aware that it is not always easy to get direct access to this information. As such, please be aware that we have halved your work by noting down this information in our casino reviews.
What are the baccarat rules?
You’ve experienced it in many James Bond films as well as in most glamorous casinos around the world. You’ve long watched elegant players laying entire truckloads of chips on table sections. Now, you also want to get into it and discover everything about this aristocratic game? First of all, it is important to know that baccarat is a thrilling game that flaunts a low house edge. By playing it properly, it is possible to gain significant profits from it. Whatever your reasons for wanting to learn the rules of baccarat, you’ve come to the right address. Keep reading this page carefully to learn how to play baccarat like a pro!
At first glance, baccarat can seem both complicated and intimidating. Still, take our word for it: it is an extremely simple game to understand. You will soon see that the rules of baccarat (and especially online baccarat) are childishly simple. First of all, be aware that a round of baccarat follows preset rules that can’t be affected at all. By the way, it is even possible to play baccarat without actually knowing the rules. However, you must concede that it would be a pity not to comprehend why you won or lost.
Best Indian casinos with baccarat online
How to play baccarat?
On the face of it, you might think that baccarat demands a large number of players and follows a slew of rules, each more cryptic than the last. Think again! Baccarat is a competition between only two people: the player and the banker. In brick-and-mortar casinos, baccarat tables can accommodate up to 14 people who can place their bets on the player, banker or tie. Unlike blackjack (where the player competes against the dealer), a baccarat player has the option to bet on his own hand or the banker’s. The goal of baccarat is to hold a 9-point hand (or as close to it as possible). The cards of each hand are added up to ascertain the hand’s power. It can never exceed nine points. If it does, the tens digit is subtracted from the total.
Card values in baccarat
As noted earlier, baccarat follows a well-defined set of rules. Each of the banker’s and player’s actions is determined by guidelines containing all the moves to be done by each person. In summary, the only thing you need to do is place a bet on a table section (player, banker or tie) before the start of the coup and cross your fingers. At the beginning of the game, both the player and the banker receive two cards. If either side holds a hand worth 8 or 9 points, the coup is over. It is the person holding the hand closest to 9 points who wins the game. If there is a tie, the bet is returned to the player (unless he made a bet on the tie, in which case he pockets a nice payout). If neither side holds an 8 or 9-point hand, it depends on the total of the hands whether or not the coup is continued.
Baccarat drawing rules / Third card rule
If the total value of the player’s hand is 6, 7, 8 or 9 points, he has to stand. He doesn’t need to draw a third card. But if the player holds a hand worth between 0 and 5 points, he gets an additional card he has to add to his two initial cards. After that, it’s up to the banker to act. The banker’s move entirely depends on the power of his hand and the player’s third card.
- The banker stands if his hand is greater than or equal to 7;
- If the banker has a 6-point hand, he can draw a new card if the player’s third card is a 6 or a 7;
- If the banker has a 5-point hand, he can draw a new card if the player’s third card is between 4 and 7 points;
- If the banker has a 4-point hand, he can draw a new card if the player’s third card is between 2 and 7 points;
- If the banker has a 3-point hand, he can draw a new card in all cases, unless the player’s third card is worth 8 points;
- If the banker has a hand between 0 and 2 points, he must draw a third card in all cases.
As soon as the player and the banker are done with the third card rule, the hands are compared. Whoever’s hand is closest to 9 points wins the coup!
How to place bets in baccarat?
Baccarat is one of the casino games with a particularly low house edge. It is the banker bet that has the lowest house edge: 1.06% (which is very low compared to other casino games). Next is the player bet with a house edge of 1.24%. Before the start of the game, players have the option of placing their bets on the player, the banker or tie (when the value of the player’s hand is the same as the banker’s). However, it is better to avoid tie bets … Winning bets on the player have a 1 to 1 payout. Winning bets on the banker have a 0.95 to 1 payout as they are associated with a commission of 5% for the casino. Tie bets have an 8 to 1 payout (9 to 1 in some casinos). While this ratio may seem enticing, tie bets push the house edge to 14.44%! See our baccarat strategies page for more information on this.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 0.95 to 1 | 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8 or 9 to 1 | 14.44% |
What are the baccarat variants?
There are three main versions of baccarat:
- Punto Banco (this is the most common version in American, British and Asian casinos).
- Chemin de Fer.
- Baccarat Banque.
Among the main differences between those variants, we can note that the player’s and banker’s actions are conditional upon preset guidelines in Punto Banco. Everything is predetermined! In Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque, the player and banker can make decisions that could alter the course of the game. In most baccarat games, 6 to 8 decks are used. The game is played on a table that can accommodate between 12 and 18 players at the same time (14 players being the norm).
How to play Chemin de Fer?
Chemin de Fer represents the original French version of the game. It is still as popular in France as it was decades ago. Chemin de Fer uses 6 decks and is played on an oval-shaped table. One of the players takes the role of banker. The others are called ‘punters’. The role of banker passes from one player to another counter-clockwise. In each coup, the banker places a bet on the table and players decide whether to follow it or not. If a player decides to follow the bet, no other player can place a bet. If no one follows the banker’s bet, players get the opportunity to bet whatever they want. If the total bets placed are less than the banker’s bet, spectators can also place bets to make up the difference. If the total number of bets committed is greater than the banker’s bet, the banker can increase the size of his bet to make up the difference. Otherwise, the excess bets are returned to the players.
How to play Baccarat Banque?
In Chemin de Fer, the role of the banker is filled by the same person for as long as he keeps winning the game. As soon as he loses, the role is filled by another player. In Baccarat Banque, the role of the banker is assigned permanently to a player. At the beginning of the game, the role of the banker is auctioned and delegated to the player who places the highest bet.
How to play Mini-baccarat, Midi Baccarat and EZ Baccarat?
Mini-baccarat – Baccarat usually implies very high stakes. In general, the minimum bet is fairly high (₹2,000, sometimes). This is the reason why it is so popular among high-rollers all over the world. However, this doesn’t mean that baccarat is only accessible to wealthy players. To this end, casinos have been working on introducing Mini-baccarat, a baccarat variant with more affordable stakes. The minimum bet amount of the Mini-baccarat is much lower (only a few rupees), as are the number of players allowed around the table. Mini-baccarat involves at least two protagonists (a player and a banker) and also allows three types of bets (player, banker and tie).
Midi Baccarat – Midi Baccarat differs slightly from the above variants in the sense that the table is limited to 9 players. Behind them are back bettors. They communicate their bets to the seated players so that they can place them on the appropriate table sections. This form of gambling is popular in most Far Eastern brick-and-mortar casinos.
EZ Baccarat = EZ Baccarat is another variation of the classic baccarat, especially popular in Macau casinos. Also called ‘Dragon 7 Baccarat’, this version enables players to place two supplementary bets. In addition, EZ Baccarat doesn’t levy any form of commission on a banker’s victory. The extra bets are as follows:
- The ‘Dragon 7‘ is paid 40 to 1 if the banker wins the coup with a 3-card hand that is worth 7 points;
- The ‘Panda 8‘ is paid 25 to 1 if the player wins the coup with a 3-card hand that is worth 8 points.
Which strategy to adopt in online baccarat?
The whole strategy of baccarat is based on the amount you intend to bet and the type of bet you intend to place (even before the cards are dealt). Should the bet be placed on the player or the banker? Is it wise to bet on a tie? Thanks to our comprehensive article on baccarat strategy, novice players can have all the fun of discovering the best strategic ploys to maximize their winnings and decrease the house edge. We cover many topics: betting systems, budget management, card counting technique …
How to manage your budget in baccarat?
Managing your budget in baccarat is not easy, especially as a beginner player. This is partly due to the fact that the different betting systems (especially relevant in roulette) don’t work very well on this specific game. Therefore, novice players should play cautiously during the initiation stage and experiment with various management strategies to find the best one. To manage your money optimally, it is important to be in control of the game. First of all, you need to set up a game budget: a sum of money to spend in the baccarat game and which you can afford to lose (in case things go wrong). It is also important that you establish a game plan. How many coups of baccarat do you intend to participate in? What budget do you want to assign for each of them?
What is the history of baccarat?
It appears that ‘baccarat‘ comes from the Italian for ‘nothing‘ or ‘nil‘. Some historians claim that the game of baccarat was invented by a professional player of Italian origin named Felix Falguiere (or Falguierein) during the 15th century. He used tarot cards to conceptualize the game. It would have been based on an old Etruscan legend involving nine gods and a blonde virgin casting a nine-sided die. The die was rolled to determine her fate. If she rolled an 8 or a 9, she became a priestess. If she rolled a 6 or a 7, she was forbidden to carry out any religious rites. If she rolled a number less than 6, she was thrown into the sea!
Regardless of the authenticity of this story, it is ascertained that the game of baccarat was introduced in France at the beginning of the 16th century. At that time, only the aristocratic nobility played it intensively. Without a doubt, it is safe to say that it is a very old game. After its travels through countries and continents, it is evident that this game would break down into several versions. Nowadays, baccarat is played all over the world. The French version of baccarat (called ‘Chemin de Fer’) also made its way to England where the players decided to change the rules. From there, the game was exported to distant countries, including India. Towards the end of the 1950s, a hybrid version of European baccarat and Chemin de Fer was introduced in Dunes, the famous casino of Las Vegas.
What are the benefits of online baccarat?
Online baccarat has countless benefits for players. Firstly, the online casinos that offer baccarat provide very generous promotional bonuses and loyalty programs for their best contributors. Secondly, online baccarat sites offer tutorials to help you understand the rules of baccarat and place your bets wisely. Thirdly, all online casinos allow you to play baccarat for free in order to give you the chance to discover this timeless game without risking a single rupee.
Frequently Asked Question About Baccarat
In online casinos, Indian players can play normal Baccarat, Multi-Camera Baccarat, Live Baccarat Squeeze, Live Baccarat Control Squeeze, Speed Baccarat, Lightning Baccarat, No Commission Baccarat, Dual Play Baccarat, Baccarat Multiplay, Peek Baccarat, Golden Wealth Baccarat, Red Envelope, Mini Baccarat, and Mini Baccarat Squeeze.
The Bead Road and the Big Road display the results of each game round. The Big Eye Road, Small Road, and Cockroach Road display betting patterns that are created from the Big Road. You can use these game statistics to base your next bets on.
Online Baccarat has many different side bets and each game has different rules and side bets you can place. Some of the most common online Baccarat side bets are Player Bonus, Banker Bonus, Either Pair, and Perfect Pair.
Lightning Baccarat from Evolution Gaming is a special game of Baccarat where multipliers are introduced in the game. Every hand between 2 and 5 cards are randomly chosen from the deck of cards and these will have random multiplier payouts of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, and 8x.
In most cases, online Baccarat is exactly the same. However, because with online Baccarat players can’t pass the shoe and deal themselves, Baccarat versions like Baccarat Chemin de Fer cannot be played in online casinos as it can be played in some land-based casinos.
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