Baccarat is one of the most popular table games at live casinos. Online baccarat games come in a few variations but the most popular version is Punto Banco. Unlike other card games, Baccarat is not played against the dealer. Instead, a dealer is just present to deal cards and chat with players. If you ever wanted to learn how to play Baccarat online then read our guide below for rules and strategy.
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How to Play Baccarat Online
Your objective is to bet on either the “Player” or “Banker” winning the hand. There is also a third betting option, which is a “Tie”.
Bets are placed before cards are dealt. Each player and the banker are dealt two cards, face up. Point values for each hand are calculated so that the dealer knows whether to give you another card or not. To have a better understanding of how the game works, we’ll relate to the hand dealt, where the player is holding 10,3 and the banker has 3,8.
Calculating Points
Each card holds a certain points value. Baccarat games do not involve joker cards. These are the point values for each card:
- 10, J, Q, K = 0
- 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 = face value
- Ace = 1
Whenever your cards form a double-digit score, only the single-digit score is counted. So, if we look at our example above, then the player’s current score is 3 and the banker has 1.
- Player’s hand: 10 + 3 = 13 = 3 Points
- Banker’s hand: 3 + 8 = 1 Point
Nine, is the highest points total you can get. If you have a points total of eight or nine then you have a “Natural”.
Drawing Cards
Based on your points total from the first two cards, the dealer knows whether to give you another card:
- 0-5 Points – Player receives another card
- 6-7 Points – Player stands
- 8-9 Points – “Natural”
Banker’s hands follow slightly different rules to the Player’s hands. A Banker will only take another card in the following conditions:
- 1-2 Points – Always takes another card
- 3 Points – Takes another card on player’s 0-7 and 9
- 4 Points -Takes another card on player’s 2-7
- 5 Points -Takes another card on player’s 4-7
- 6 Points -Takes another card on player’s 6-7
- 7 Points -Banker always stands
- 8 or 9 Points (“Natural”) – Always stands
If we go back to our hand above then the player, showing a value of 3, will be dealt another card. The banker currently holds a value of 1. First, we deal a card to the Player, and then we deal to the Banker.
Baccarat Results
As soon as both hands have been dealt with, the final scores are added up. Whoever has the highest points total wins the hand. Once the winner is determined the bets are paid out according to the following odds:
- Tie – both hands are equal – 8:1 or 9:1
- Player wins = 1:1
- Banker wins = 19:20*
* Online casinos take a commission for placing “Banker” bets, therefore the payout is not even money.
If your bet wins then you get paid out and if your bet loses then you lose your bet and a new hand begins. So, Baccarat is a very simple game to play. You don’t need to remember all the calculations because, either the casino software or live human dealer will do it for you.
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Additional Baccarat Bets
Online Casinos offer a wide variety of betting options. Whether you’re playing random number generator games or with live dealers, you always have a few options to choose from. If you aren’t aware, then know that Baccarat is known as a rich gambler’s game. Therefore, casinos have added many betting options to the classic game.
You can bet on many outcomes:
- Will all your cards be red or black?
- Are yours or the banker’s cards suited?
- Will the final combined points total of player and banker be odd or even?
- Will the final combined points total be over or under 9.5?
As soon as there are more betting options involved, the game becomes way more interesting. Your classic bets on player or banker become just a formality. The big money lies with side bets. Some side bets payout at 100:1, whereas on the lower side they payout at 3:2.
If you love playing baccarat, then you’ll love some of the different versions of the game, because they come with some additional betting options. In fact, some bets can yield some great payouts.
Dragon Bonus
Dragon Bonus or Dragon Tiger/Panda is a regular baccarat game, popular in Macau, with bonus side bets. Players can bet on either the Dragon (Player) or the Tiger/Panda (Banker) like in the classic game. Additionally, players can bet on the winning margin of points. If the hand is won by 9 points then the payout is 30:1.
- A hand is won by a margin of 9 points – 30:1
- Banker wins with a 3-card 7 – 40:1
- The player wins with a 3-card 8 – 25:1
Pairs
Players can also make bets on getting a pair in their first two cards. If your two cards form a pair then the bet pays out at 5:1. If you receive two identical cards then you form a perfect pair. Perfect pairs have a payout of 25:1.
Baccarat Variations
As baccarat is such a popular game of course there are several versions of the game online.
Lightning Baccarat
Lightning Cards and Payout Multipliers
However, if you have three matching Lightning Cards and a winning hand, then all cards are multiplied by each other. So, potentially you can have a payout multiplied by as much as 8x8x8 for a max multiplier of 512x. If you have a winning bet on a Tie and 6 matching Lightning Cards, then the multiplier can jump up to 262,144x. So, winnings can keep on multiplying up to a max win cap of 5,00,00,000 Rs.
As you can see this version has the possibility for some huge wins.
Dragon Tiger
Deriving from the popular Asian version of Baccarat, Dragon Tiger replaces the regular Player/Banker roles. In this game 2 cards are drawn, one for Tiger and one for Dragon. Whoever has the highest card is the winner.
Additionally, many side bet options are added to create more entertainment at the live tables. Side bet options include Black/Red, Big/Small, and Suit. Moreover, you can place bets separately for both Tiger and Dragon. If a 7 is drawn, then all corresponding side bets are deemed as a loss.
Andar Bahar
Many online casino games originated in India. One such game is Andar Bahar. Although it’s not really a Baccarat game variation, there are similarities. A dealer deals a card to the centre of the table and then starts drawing cards, one at a time, to Andar and Bahar. Players need to bet on who will be the first to be dealt a card with an identical value to the card in the centre.
Moreover, Andar Bahar features several side bet options: Suits and Big/Small bets for the middle card, and the number of cards dealt in the game round betting options.
Golden Wealth Baccarat
An exciting live baccarat game featuring win multipliers that can boost your winnings. In Golden Wealth Baccarat, 5 random golden cards are selected out of a deck of cards. Each golden card features a win multiplier between 2x- 8x. If you bet on a winning hand that features one or more golden cards then your win is multiplied accordingly. A maximum win multiplier of 512x is obtainable if your winning hand features three golden cards, each with an x8 multiplier.
Fortune 6 Baccarat
One of the many brand-new side bets available in this game is referred to as Fortune 6 so the name comes from there. In this version, it is of course possible to play the primary game main game same as standard baccarat with the typical payouts and third card regulations Banker 0.95:1, Player 1:1 and Tie 8:1.
So let’s focus on the fresh new feature in this title the side bets. The 5 new side bets in Fortune 6 Baccarat are as follows, Fortune 6, Player 6, Banker 6, Player Fortune Pair and Banker Fortune Pair.
Fortune 6 bet is all about how many 6 cards will be dealt to either the banker or the player, payout goes like this if 6 is the first card 3:1, the first 2 cards 30:1 and 3 cards 120:1.
Player 6 bet is where you bet on a player winning with a total value of 6, payout 14:1. If the banker beats with a Natural, 8 or 9, it’s a push and you get the bet back.
Banker 6 bet is for the banker winning with a total of 6, payout 16:1. Here it’s a push as well if the banker loses to a Natural, and you get the bet back.
Player and Banker Fortune Pair side bet is for betting on the first 2 cards that get dealt to either banker or player to be a pair. Payout is 1:1 for the same suit, 5:1 for the same value and Suited pair 9:1.
The Fortune 6 side bet gets disabled after 30 rounds of the same shoe. And all side bets get disabled after 40 rounds. So once you are in the second half of the shoe the game reverts back to standard baccarat. All side bets are enabled again once there is a fresh shoe.
RTP of this particular version’s main game is for Banker 98.94%, Player 98.76% and Tie 85.65%. The side bet RTP is Fortune 6 at 96.26%, Player 6 at 95.62%, Banker 6 at 93.36% and finally the Banker/Player Pair side bet at 97.83%
Knockout Baccarat
Knockout Baccarat Live is developed by Ezugi, so if you already are a fan of Ezugi Baccarat before, this is for you. The game resembles live Baccarat in essence, but it has a twist. It has 7 side bets that provide various fresh winning opportunities. The additional betting possibilities are simple to understand and really increase the thrill of a live casino game that is already quite engaging. And for seasoned Baccarat players who are tired of simply having the conventional betting possibilities, these extra side bets make for a good Baccarat title. The game is multiseat so just grab a seat and start playing, no need to wait for one to open up.
All of the typical betting possibilities are available in knockout baccarat. Players can wager on either the Player or the Banker, according to this. The chances for backing the Player are 1:1, while the odds for backing the Banker are 0.95:1. The Tie option is always there for players who want to take a risk. They have excellent odds of 8:1 if the game is tied.
Side bets come with various odds and are oriented around the winning total of each hand. The 1, 2, 3, or 4 side bet, which has odds of 7:1, has the greatest payout of these side bets.
However, winning totals of 5 or 6 have reduced odds of 3:1. The odds are somewhat greater and are set at 4:1 if a person wagers on a winning total of 7. The most likely result is to back a winning total of 8 or 9, thus those odds are lower. For winning totals of 8 and 9, the odds are 3:1 and 2:1, respectively.
Baccarat Playing Tips
Now that we’ve learned the basics of playing online baccarat, it’s time to give it a try. Before you start playing with real money here are some tips:
- Above, you can find a list of all our top casino sites. So, pick a casino and go play their free baccarat games.
- You should always bet on the banker because a lot of side bets are related to the banker’s cards. Therefore, make your bets work together to multiply your winnings.
- Do not play with bonuses because you risk having your winnings confiscated by the casino.
As always play responsibly and within your limits.
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