Welcome to baccarat: one of the oldest card games to ever exist, but don’t take it at face value.
Although there isn’t a lot to baccarat, it remains a very action-packed game with enough simplicity to wow even the most casual of casino players.
WHERE DID BACCARAT GAME COME FROM?
Baccarat is said to have been created in the 15th century when a certain Felix Falguiere designed the game and called it “baccarat” (Italian for ‘zero’). He opted for this name since, in baccarat, face cards and tens are worth zero points.
One of the reasons baccarat still lives to this day is because it combines simplicity with entertainment, and you’ll see why in the next section.
TOP RULES OF BACCARAT FOR BEGINNERS
Baccarat is a very exciting game, but that doesn’t mean that it is a complicated one. Being such a slow-paced game, it is possible to learn the rules simply by seeing someone play baccarat. However, here’s a quick rundown of the general rules that you should keep in mind.
- The player bets on which side (the Player or the Banker) will obtain the higher point totals. Alternatively, the player can place a tie bet, which means that the two hands will end up with the same points.
- Two cards are dealt to both the Player and Banker side.
- Whichever side scores a total hand value of nine, or as close to that as possible, wins the round. If the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand are of equal value, the result is a tie.
WHAT STRATEGY TO CHOOSE FOR PLAYING BACCARAT ONLINE?
Once you’ve learned how to play baccarat, you’ll want to learn how to start winning bets with a certain level of frequency. However, there is no surefire way to place winning bets since baccarat is a game of pure luck.
Your best bet is to use strategies that aim to stretch your bankroll for as long as possible, thus, stretching your time playing.
There are several strategies that can be used when playing baccarat. Some popular ones include the Martingale system, the 1-3-2-6 system, and the Paroli system.
With that said, it is important to set a budget and stick to it, as well as to keep track of your winnings and losses. Ultimately, the best strategy is to choose the one that works best for you and to always play responsibly.
TYPES OF BACCARAT TABLES
Seeing as baccarat is an extremely simple game, most casinos offer variations of baccarat for players who want to enjoy a more diverse range of betting options.
MINI BACCARAT TABLE
Mini tables house a variation of the traditional game that is played on a smaller baccarat table and with slightly different rules. The table used for mini baccarat is typically about half the size of a standard baccarat table and can seat up to seven players.
The game is played with the same objective as traditional baccarat, which is to correctly predict which hand, the player’s or the banker’s, will have a higher score.
The minimum bet at such tables is usually lower than that of traditional tables. Furthermore, this game is usually faster-paced than traditional baccarat games, making it perfect for new players.
MEDIUM BACCARAT TABLE
A Medium Baccarat table is a standard size table used to play the casino game of Baccarat. The table typically seats between 8 and 14 players and is manned by a dealer. As standard as baccarat tables get, medium tables can seat between eight and 14 players.
FULL-SIZE BACCARAT TABLE
A Full-Size Baccarat table is a larger version of the standard Baccarat table, typically used in high-limit areas of casinos. The table is usually equipped with advanced features such as chip trays and card shoes.
The full-size table is usually only used in high-stakes games where players can place higher bets
ONLINE BACCARAT TABLE
An online baccarat table is a virtual version of the traditional table, only that it is accessible through online casinos.
Online tables also offer various variations of the game, such as Speed Baccarat, Live Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, and many more.
They also offer different types of betting limits, which can be adjusted to suit different budgets.
Additionally, online tables also offer bonuses and promotions, which can benefit players.
BACCARAT CARD VALUES
The card values in baccarat are different from other casino games. Aces count as one point, while tens and the rest of the picture cards count as zero.
The other cards are worth their face value. When combining the value of the cards dealt, the first digit is not considered, so the second digit is the final value.
For example, if a hand is dealt two sixes, making for a hand total of 12, the actual point total will just be two.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BACCARAT AND OTHER ONLINE CASINO CARD GAMES
If you would like to have a comparison between baccarat and other popular card games, you can find one below. We’ll take into account blackjack, poker and roulette and compare them to baccarat.
BACCARAT VS. BLACKJACK ONLINE
These are two very popular games that are both played against the dealer and not other players. In blackjack, players will also be dealt two cards, but other cards can be dealt if the player wants.
Once the first two cards are dealt, the player can choose to add more cards in an effort to obtain a point value of 21, or as close to that as possible.
After that, the dealer plays. If the dealer’s hand total is closer to 21 than the player’s is, the dealer wins. There are specific rules when the dealer stands (doesn’t draw any more cards), but like in baccarat, the player doesn’t necessarily need to study them.
BACCARAT VS. POKER ONLINE
Unlike baccarat, poker is played against other players. In the traditional version of poker, Texas hold’em, the winning hand is decided by the strongest hand at the table.
This is determined by the poker hand rankings, which must be studied by the player to learn which hand wins and when.
Poker is much more complex than baccarat owing to its many different situations, play style and overall luck.
BACCARAT VS. ROULETTE ONLINE
Unlike all the games mentioned so far, roulette is not played against another entity, be it a player to the dealer.
In roulette, players guess which number the roulette ball will land on when spun on the wheel. If they are successful, they will be paid accordingly.
Roulette is similar to baccarat in that luck is the dominant factor of the game.
THE BEST BETS IN BACCARAT
When looking to place a bet in baccarat, players don’t have all too many options to choose from. The three standard options are to be on the Player, bet on the Banker and a tie bet. Here’s a brief rundown of what they are all about.
PLAYER BET
As the name suggests, the Player bet is placed when you think that the Player’s hand will have a higher total than the Banker’s. The probability of seeing a Player win stands at 44.6%.
THE PLAYER’S THIRD CARD RULE
A third card is drawn for the Player when the initial hand’s score is five or less. If the total is six or seven, the Player stands. When the Player has a natural (eight or nine), then neither side receives a third card.
PLAYER HAND HOUSE EDGE
Betting on the Player’s hand will feature a house edge of 1.24%.
BANKER BET
Banker bets hope that the outcome of the hand totals results in a Banker win. The probability that the Banker wins stands at 45.8%. Between the Player and Banker sides, the Banker has a higher probability of winning.
THE BANKER’S THIRD CARD RULE
The Banker’s hand follows the same rules if the Player doesn’t draw a third card, but the rules become more complex if a Player’s third card is in play.
In any case, this isn’t something that you should worry about since it’s the dealer who will be responsible for dealing further cards.
BANKER HAND HOUSE EDGE
Betting on the Banker’s hand has one of the lowest house edge values in casino games, that is, just 1.06%.
TIE BET
Tie bets are perhaps the least cost-efficient way to place a bet in baccarat owing to their poor probability of being winning bets.
Looking to predict a draw, a tie bet only has a 9.6% chance of winning, while its house edge stands at a staggering 14.36%.
PLAYING ONLINE: THE BEST BACCARAT CASINO GAMES
Instead of making your way to your nearest casino to put your chips on a felt table, you can play baccarat online at LV BET, where the best games in the market are just a click away.
These are some of the best baccarat games in our portfolio:
- First Person Lightning Baccarat
- No Commission Baccarat
- Baccarat Pro
- Mini Baccarat
- Baccarat Deluxe
CONCLUSION – DISCOVER THE ADVANTAGES OF PLAYING BACCARAT
Betting on a baccarat game won’t necessarily make you a winning player, but placing an even-money bet in baccarat is perhaps the most cost-efficient way of using your gaming bankroll.
With such a low house advantage, the odds are that baccarat is a much more bankroll-friendly game than whatever the next game in your pecking order might be. The game wouldn’t be played by James Bond if this were not the case!
FAQ
✅ Where can you play baccarat online?
You can play a game of baccarat at LV BET, one of the best online casinos in circulation right now.
✅ What is the probability of a banker winning in baccarat?
Betting on the Banker has a 45.8% chance of paying. In fact, it has a higher chance of winning out of the two hands.
✅ What are the names of other popular baccarat variants?
Chemin de fer and Punto Banco are two of the most popular baccarat variants out there.
✅ Are there bluffs in baccarat?
No. The player is at the mercy of each card drawn by the dealer, and, seeing as both the two cards of the Player and the Banker are dealt face up, there’s no bluffing possible.