Online baccarat is a chance game with easy rules and little skill required to have a good time. Baccarat gained popularity after being mentioned as James Bond's preferred table game in Ian Flemming's books, and it is now one of the most popular games at both traditional and online casinos. A baccarat table typically has 14 chairs, numbered one through 15, with seat number 13 being purposefully left off due to superstition.
The name of this thrilling game, which is typically played with six or eight decks of cards and is reportedly derived from the old Italian term "baccara," which means "zero," is claimed to refer to the zero card value that face cards and tens hold. If you’re looking to learn how to play online baccarat, you’ve come to the right place. Join us in exploring everything this game has to offer while discovering whether it’s the right game for you next time you hit your favourite online casino – let’s get right to it.
Online baccarat is a chance game with easy rules and little skill required to have a good time. Baccarat gained popularity after being mentioned as James Bond's preferred table game in Ian Flemming's books, and it is now one of the most popular games at both traditional and online casinos. A baccarat table typically has 14 chairs, numbered one through 15, with seat number 13 being purposefully left off due to superstition.
The name of this thrilling game, which is typically played with six or eight decks of cards and is reportedly derived from the old Italian term "baccara," which means "zero," is claimed to refer to the zero card value that face cards and tens hold. The most popular belief is that the word stems from the Italian word ‘baccara’ as mentioned earlier on in this online baccarat guide, however there is no clear proof of this either. Seeing that most references point to France, it might very well be that the game actually originated there, with game historian Thierry Depaulis claiming the name actually originates from an expression used in the Provence region, fa bacarrat, which translates to ‘go bankrupt’!
When it comes to playing online baccarat, there are a number of variations you’re able to play. In today’s online baccarat guide we’re about to highlight some of the most popular variants among casino players, which include:
Punto Banco
Baccarat Banque / Baccarat à Deux Tableaux
Chemin de Fer
This is most likely one of the most played variations right now, especially in Asian casinos where high rollers congregate. This online baccarat variant is mainly a game between the "player" and the "banker," despite the fact that numerous players have been known to wager on the result. The player's sole option is which team they'd like to wager on, and the game's result is entirely up to chance.
In this scenario, many 52-card decks are combined and each card rank is given a distinct numerical value for the game, as previously described, with number cards and Aces worth the same number of points and tens and face cards costing zero points. Two cards are dealt to both the player and the banker and the dealer will call out the score. Depending on the score, both sides are now able to stand or request a third card should the total be five points or less. Whenever the player stands the banker will follow suit, hitting whenever his/her hand is five or less in value and standing on anything over six.
According to our knowledge, this is the original variation of 19th-century baccarat, as it was mentioned in the early reports. In this instance, Baccarat Banque is played with three 52-card decks and resembles Chemin de Fer, which is covered in the part that follows in this online baccarat guide. But in this instance, the banker is free to keep playing while the player's position is fixed.
As the name would imply, there are two sides to the table in this scenario, with players assigned to the banker's left and right sides. In this case, one hand is assigned to the players on the right, another to the players on the left, and a third to the banker who sits in the middle. In this case, both sides of the table will play against the banker and not compete against each other.
The Chemin de Fer, another well-liked online baccarat variant, was first designed to include the dealer's option and have players alternate acting as the banker during gameplay. In contrast to the Punto Banco variant, neither the player nor the banker are always able to draw a third card in this variation, which was featured in one of the first James Bond movies, Casino Royale.
The primary distinction between this variation and Chemin de Fer is that Chemin de Fer typically calls for at least six players at the table, and the dealer in this variation is armed with a long wooden paddle that enables him or her to move the playing cards and casino chips to the opposite end of the table.
Once again, two hands are dealt; one to the player and the other to the banker, with the player to the right of the dealer able to be the first banker, after which this will rotate in a counter clockwise fashion around the online baccarat table.
The first thing you should remember if you want to learn how to play baccarat is what we have discussed above: face cards and tens are worth 0 points while the Ace through Nine will retain their numerical value.
The dealer will deal two cards to the banker and two cards to the player at the start of each gaming round. The objective of the game is to place a wager on the hand with the closest total value to nine points. The first number is eliminated whenever the card total is greater than this amount (7+7 = 14, for example), leaving you with a total hand value of 4, for example.
The aim of the game is to guess which hand will be closer to nine in value and placing your bet on it before the cards are dealt. There are also another couple of online baccarat tips you’re going to want to keep in mind before hitting the table. These include:
Whenever the banker or the player is dealt an eight or a nine, then both hands will stand.
Whenever the player’s hand is equal to five points or less, then s/he is able to stand or request a third card.
If the player chooses to stand, then the banker is required to hit on a total of five points or less.
As a general rule, banker and player hands pay 1:1, whereas if you were to choose to bet on the tie and win, then you can expect an 8:1 payout in return. There are also a number of online resources available to help you keep track of your gameplay.
We can help you hone your online baccarat strategy talents if you're looking to do so. The first thing you'll want to keep in mind is that since online baccarat is a game of chance, there aren't many other methods you can improve your odds of winning other the obvious ones, like avoiding the tie bet choice, which statistically is the least likely outcome.
Most would advise betting on the banker at all times while learning how to play online baccarat because it is a more lucrative betting alternative than betting on the player.
Because the nature of online baccarat is entirely random, standard casino betting systems such as the Martingale or the Fibonacci system do not always perform favourably, and are not always recommended when it comes to this sort of game.
In essence:
It’s generally preferred to bet on banker
Never bet on a tie unless you’re feeling particularly lucky
Look for games played with fewer decks
Make sure you’ve completely understood the rules
Since baccarat has been a popular game for people to enjoy for many years, the evolution into live online baccarat seemed only natural with the introduction of internet casinos. If you've never experienced live online baccarat, it's pretty much the closest thing you can get to visiting a real casino without leaving the comfort of your home.
In this situation, you can anticipate to visit a variety of virtual baccarat tables that are manned by actual dealers using actual decks of cards. You may take a virtual seat at the table and watch the action unfold in real time as it's being broadcast from a number of high-tech cameras thanks to the most recent high definition streaming technology and several high-tech cameras.
When playing live online baccarat, as opposed to the digital version, you will always be presented with real cards rather than virtual representations. You’ve also got the peace of mind in knowing that its impossible to rig this sort of game, since everything is happening while you watch. Having said so, reputable casinos are always licensed and regulated, which means that there are already third parties in place monitoring game transparency and fairness, but if you’ve ever had any doubts whatsoever with regards to online baccarat, live online baccarat is able to dispel these notions.
If you’re tempted to learn how to play online baccarat at a live casino table, then you’re going to want to have the basics covered. Mostly because live casino games include the additional element of a messaging function that allows players to communicate amongst each other as well as directly with the dealer. The game interface for this form of online baccarat includes a similar setting to the one found in the classic casino game, allowing players to place their wagers and purchase additional chips. One of the handiest online baccarat tips when it comes to live casino actually, is that some live casino tables allow players to observe the game rather than play straight away. This will allow you to get a better feel of what to expect before diving right into the game straight away.
If you’re looking to put your online baccarat strategy to work, here are some of our favourite casinos that offer this thrilling game. These include the following, in no particular order:
Videoslots Casino
Twin Casino
Riobet Casino
Spin Pug Casino
PlayOJO Casino
Positioning itself as the world’s largest online casino, Videoslots offers its players a selection of formidable games including the latest and greatest slots, video poker, roulette, blackjack, poker, jackpot games, scratch cards, bingo, and of course live and virtual online baccarat games. Sign up is free and simple and new players are treated to a 100% bonus up to €200 on their first deposit as part of their Welcome Bonus.
Offering over 2,000 casino games and customer support around the clock, Twin Casino is a massively established European casino that’s regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority.
It provides players with a vast selection of games that include casino slots, scratch cards, and classic table games such as roulette, blackjack, poker, and of course online baccarat, Twin Casino offers a two-tiered Welcome Bonus structure that includes a 100% bonus up to €200 on your first deposit as well as 200 free spins on Play’n GO’s epic Book of Dead slot. There’s also a chance to double up on your second deposit with an additional 100% bonus up to €200 along with another 200 free spins – just in case the first batch wasn’t enough.
Offering over 4,000 casino games to all its players, Cyprus based RioBet Casino is one of the fastest growing new online casinos to hit the scene and really leave its mark.
Offering a grand selection of games which includes craps, keno, scratch cards, bingo, casino slots, and table games such as poker, roulette and online baccarat, RioBet Casino keeps things nice and simple and allows new players to kick off their casino experience with 15 free spins after sign up with no deposit required, as well as a Welcome Bonus that includes a 100% bonus up to €1,000.
Marketing itself as the cutest casino around, SpinPug Casino is regulated by the gaming authorities in Curaçao and offers over 2,500 top quality casino games from some of the best software providers out there.
Offering a wide variety of games including slots, jackpot games, bingo, scratch cards, and of course table games such as roulette, blackjack, poker, and online baccarat, here’s an online casino that’s offering a generous 500% match bonus up to €100 as part of its Welcome Bonus.
There’s also a second deposit bonus up for grabs in this case offering a 300% bonus up to €60, along with a 200% bonus up to €40 on your third deposit and 100% bonus up to €25 on your fourth. SpinPug also offers a daily 20% cashback on all live casino losses if you’re up for trying a couple of rounds of live online baccarat while you’re around.
Licensed and regulated in Malta, Sweden, the UK, and Denmark, PlayOJO Casino is a reputable online casino that offers great promotions, daily tournaments and much more. In terms of game selection, we’re looking at slots, poker, live casino games, blackjack, online baccarat, craps, scratch cards and more.
With regards to bonuses and promotions, PlayOJO awards one free spin to all its new players for every €1 in their first deposit up to a max of 50 – and the most interesting part here is that they’re wager free – meaning that any potential wins you might hit during this time are credited directly into your account as real money. PlayOJO also makes use of its OJOplus program to reward each of its players by offering a guaranteed cash prize for every game played on the site – 0.6% back on every real money wager you place on the site, which could end up accumulating over time.
New UK players only. A minimum deposit: £10. Max bet is £5 with bonus funds. Live Casino play is excluded from the bonus. Skrill and Neteller deposits are excluded from offer. Bonus is subject to a 40x wagering requirement. Free spins have £100 max withdrawal.
New Players Only. 50 Free Spins Bonus No Deposit, No Deposit Required, Valid Debit Card Verification Required, £8 Max Win Per 10 Spins, Max Bonus Conversion £50, 65x Wagering Requirement,
New UK players only. 10 FS*3 over 3 days upon login. Must be claimed by 23:59 on day of grant; wins set at £3–£12 in bonus funds. Non-funded player balance capped at £100 exc. jp. wins. Welcome Offer: Min £10 deposit, get 100% Bonus (max £100) + 30 FS. Must be claimed within 7 days. Bonus wins capped at £400 exc. JP wins. General: FS valid on specific games & valid for 7 days once claimed. FS wins granted in bonus after all FS used. Bonus valid on specific games only. Wagering req. apply: 30x bonus funds (vary by game)
