Online Baccarat Rules
This game is ideal for those who don’t like to play games with a thousand rules to remember as there are no complicated side bets and different hand values to memorize, so players of all levels will feel comfortable and able to kick back and enjoy themselves as the rules are fairly simple. As a matter of fact, there is a very limited amount of decision-making at all as what happens during the game is already pre-determined! You just have to have basic numeracy skills and be able to count to nine and know the three bets you can make and you’re set for hours of enjoyment.
Facts about Online Baccarat:
- Baccarat has simple rules and involves very limited decision-making;
- The aim of the game is to get as close as possible to nine;
- Bettors can choose to bet on the player or on the banker to win whilst playing the famous casino game;
- Online baccarat is a game which is frequented by high rollers.
The Baccarat Table
There are numbers outlined around the edge of the table, indicating the number of players. A regular Baccarat table will have 14 numbers marked 1-15, skipping the unlucky number 13. Above the player number, you will see three boxes marked on the table. The first box closest to the player number is the player bet box, then the banker bet box, then the tie bet box furthest away from you. You choose one of the three boxes to place your betting chips.
Baccarat Gameplay
Baccarat games have three possible outcomes; the player can win, the banker can win, or there can be a tie between both. As such, when you are devising your strategy, players can bet on any of these three outcomes – including the one where you lose and the banker wins. As with most online casino games, baccarat is a game that relies heavily on chance, but having a strategy does help.
The game generally starts with the dealer giving out a pair of face-up cards for each player and for the banker himself. The values on the cards are tallied, with numbered cards costing their values and 10s and face cards costing zero points. The Ace is the lowest scoring card at a single point and the maximum is 9 points, so any total value above that needs to be subtracted by 10. Taking an example which you can easily notice when you practice this game if your cards are 5 and 7, which have a sum of 12, this needs to be subtracted by 10 and this gives a final outcome of 2.
This is the point where your baccarat strategy comes into play, as you would need to decide your next step. As per the above example, players that have an outcome that is less than 5 should generally keep on drawing cards until they get a number that is closer to 9. Players that end up with a 6 or 7 will have to stand, leaving the side with the highest number as the winner. You can also be lucky when you play online baccarat and have an initial hand that adds up to 8 or 9, as these are considered to be natural wins which lead to a straight-up win.
Baccarat Card Values
The cards are worth their face value except for aces, which are worth one and picture cards, which are worth zero. When you count the value of the cards you have been given, only single digits are possible; after nine comes zero, one, two, etc. In other words, if a player has two and is dealt a 9, his total would be one. If he had six and was dealt an 8, the total would be 4. The easiest way to look at it is that you simply remove the tens place from any two-digit number, so 18=8, 17=7, etc. If you are confused just remember the following:
- Aces will always count as 1.
- Numerical cards 2-9 will always equal their face value.
- Suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) are irrelevant when counting card values.
- All face cards (queen, king, joker) and tens count as 0.
How to Win in Online Baccarat
If the player is dealt an 8 or a 9, he has a natural and wins automatically unless the dealer also has an 8 or 9. If he has any other point total, the dealer may or may not give him a third card depending on the total. There are particular rules for the player and dealer to draw the third card. A player will receive a third card if the total of the 2 first cards is less than or equal to five. This is not the player's decision, it is determined automatically according to the rules of the game. Similarly, the banker's decision to draw himself a third card is pre-determined by a set of rules, which are outlined in detail on the Baccarat Rules page. Whoever has the higher point total wins the hand.
Baccarat Betting
Online baccarat is a game where bettors have the option of betting on the player or the banker to win. Bettors can also bet that the player and banker will tie, but this bet offers very poor odds and should be avoided. You place your bets in the relevant betting box on the table before the croupier deals the cards to the players, so you need to make a decision before actually knowing your cards. All in all there are only three bets to make in the game, with no option of adding more bets. The payouts for these three bets are as follows:
- Player bets are paid 1-1.
- Banker bets are paid 1-1, but with a 5% commission to the house.
- Ties are paid at 8-1 in most casinos, sometimes (but rarely) 9-1.
Online Baccarat Variations – Mini Baccarat
Depending on which online casino you play at, you may notice a Baccarat variation called Mini Baccarat in both live and online casinos. This game has lower minimum bets than regular Baccarat but with the same house edges, making it a popular choice for those with smaller bankrolls. Mini Baccarat follows the same rules as its upscale parent game, with some slight differences:
- There is only one croupier instead of three in a live casino.
- The game takes place on a table half the size of the regular Baccarat table. It is semi-circular and has spaces for only 7 players instead of 14.
- The croupier deals all cards face up.
Baccarat Online Betting Strategies
Using the proper Baccarat strategy is a good way to enjoy this game to the fullest. Knowing what the odds are, what the house edge is on various bets, in addition to knowing various insider tips can help you play the game in order to maximise your final winnings. You can make your betting decisions easier by using the baccarat card counting systems.
Online Baccarat Money Management
Learn how best to minimize losses and finish the game with more money in your pocket than you started with. There are also different gambling betting strategies which can be applied to Baccarat, depending on how you prefer to play. Betting strategies are a useful way to manage how you place your bets, but read up on each one first to find out which betting strategy suits your needs and playings style best.
Online Baccarat Money Management Tips
Keep Your Bankroll Separate
You first and foremost need to keep your baccarat bankroll separate from the money you need to spend on survival basics such as rent, food, water, electricity, clothes, etc. Set aside some money every month which you dedicate solely for playing.
Use a Baccarat Card Counting Method
In baccarat, the best way to count cards is by starting at a table with a fresh shoe of 6 to 8 decks. You can essentially reduce the house edge and maximize your winnings.
Paroli Betting System
Paroli is a progressive betting system in which you double your ante when you win a bet, and when you lose a bet you return to your initial bet amount and start again.
1-3-2-6 Betting System for Baccarat
This strategy works by betting one unit on your first hand, 3 units on your second hand, then 2 units on the third hand, and 6 units on your fourth hand. The purpose of this strategy is to gain money from shorter winning streaks instead of running after losses.
Parlay Betting Strategy
The Parlay betting strategy is very easy and comparable to the Parloli strategy - aiming to increase your bets as you go along. The aim of this system is that when you have one a bet, you add the winnings to the amount of your initial bet for the second hand, and if you win the second hand you place the same amount of money of your initial bet plus winnings.
Free Baccarat
Players that want to try out a free online version of baccarat have three different variants of the game to choose from. These include the North American or Punto Banco version, the Chemmy or baccarat Chemin de Fer variant, and finally the a deux tableaux or baccarat banque version. The great news is that you can now test any of these free baccarat game online versions from any HTML5 enabled platform and from any device! Keep on reading below to find out how and where you can now play baccarat for free online.
Playing Online Baccarat on Your PC and Mobile Devices
The great news is that now you can find Mobile Casino apps for both Android and Apple devices, and even play baccarat no download games on the best internet browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera. This is because the newest online versions of this game make use of HTML5 software that reduces any compatibility issues across different devices, desktop computers, and operating software versions.
As such, players can now play this game from virtually anywhere, and still have the same seamless and unique gaming experience each time. So sit back and enjoy your favourite version of baccarat from the comfort of your living room, office, or anywhere you like!
Baccarat History
The game of Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games still played today. It is an elegant game believed to have been introduced in France as early as the late 15th century. The original game was called Chemin de Fer, and it was a popular game amongst the French nobility due to the very high cost of printing the cards in the very early days of the printing press. It popularized in the 1900s when, during the reign of King Louis Phillip, playing card games for money was made illegal in 1837, shifting the game underground. This move combined with the increase of printing possibilities spread the game throughout all social classes. Despite this fact, Baccarat has been able to retain its aura of royalty to this day.
The game was then taken to the Americas through European immigration, and another variation developed called Punto Banco, famous in the casinos in Mar Del Plata in Argentina which can also still be played today in many casinos. From here, it was taken to the casinos of Las Vegas in the 1950s where it was introduced alongside the more popular games of online blackjack and Craps and became a casino game staple.
Finally, in the 1980s, casinos introduced mini-baccarat. The creation of mini-baccarat was designed to make the game more accessible to the masses. Regular baccarat pits usually have much higher limits than most other casino table games. These roped off areas are typically reserved for high-roller types. If you try to enter a high-stakes baccarat pit in a tank-top and flip-flops, you'll likely be asked to leave and come back dressed in more appropriate attire. This is not the case in mini-baccarat.
Today, online casinos have made baccarat even more accessible, and players can play this game online at leading casinos. Furthermore, online baccarat games are becoming even more accessible by the use of HTML5 software that allows players to play no download games from any desktop or mobile device.