Baccarat is a very popular card game in physical casinos, so it’s only natural that it has also been offered in online casinos. Since its creation, many variants have also appeared which more or less repeat the basic rules.
Here you will learn the rules of Baccarat, how a game is played and our best tips and strategies to optimize your chances of winning.
The history of the game Baccarat
The history of Baccarat dates back to the 19th century, when private gaming circles were established. When casinos were legalized in 1907, baccarat became one of the main attractions along with poker, roulette and blackjack. The game made its debut in Las Vegas casinos in 1950 and is now widely played in online casinos.
The origin of the game is still unclear as some suggest that baccarat emerged in the south of France around 1840. Indeed, at that time, people played “chemin de fer” which is an original version of the game of Baccarat. Others say that the game originated in Italy or in the Middle Ages. Today there are several variations of baccarat which differ in terms of side bets or payouts.
Baccarat has become one of the most popular casino table games thanks to the movies. With the James Bond films featuring the game in the movie Casino Royale.
The rules of the Baccarat game
The objective of Baccarat is to predict which hand between the player’s and the banker’s hand comes closest to the value 9. The game can be played with up to 8 players around a table and uses between 2 and 8 decks of 52 cards, a shoe and a carpet. The game is run by a dealer who draws the cards and deals the winnings.
Rules of the game
The rules of Baccarat are simple, you must get as close to the total of 9 as possible by adding the value of 2 or 3 cards that make up the hand. The player can bet on the banker’s hand, the player’s hand or a tie. The hand that comes closest to the value of 9 wins.
The cards have the following values:
- Aces: 1 point
- 2 to 9: The value of the cards themselves
- 10 to King: 0 points
The points are counted by adding up the values of the cards and summing up the values if the amount of the cards is in 2 digits. For example, with a 9 and 5 in your hand you would have 9+5=14 so 1+4=5. You would have a hand worth 5 in total.
If the player’s hand or the banker’s hand wins then the winnings are double the original bet. In the case of a tie, the bet is refunded, but if the bet is a tie, you will get 9x your original bet.
The course of the game
A game of Baccarat moves quickly, with the game going clockwise. The game starts with the players placing bets on either the bank, the player or a potential tie. The minimum and maximum bet amounts are set by the casino. The banker will then issue a bet and the players will have the choice of betting on the banker’s entire bet (banco) or betting on part of that bet.
Once all the players at the table have placed their bets, the dealer draws 2 cards for the player board and 2 cards for the banker board. When the draw is made, the number of points is calculated for each hand. The rest of the game will depend on the number of points per board, knowing that the player always plays first. If one of the hands equals the total of 9 then it is won, otherwise the hand closest to 9 wins.
If one of the hands totals between 0 and 4 points then a third card can be drawn to try and get as close to 9 as possible. Once the third card is drawn, the hands are compared and the highest wins the round. Then the payout occurs and a new round begins with different cards.
Our best baccarat games
Now that you know how to play baccarat, we have selected for you 3 baccarat games available at Casinozer in classic, live action or mini games casino.
Baccarat – Betsoft
Betsoft’s Baccarat has the basic rules of the game and is easy to play. This makes it ideal for beginners and still very popular with experienced players. At the start, the player must choose the size of his bet, the minimum amount is 1 euro up to 100 euros. To place the bet, you must choose from the 1, 5, 25 and 100 chips and then choose which table to bet on between the bank, the player or the tie.
When the bet is placed, click on the “deal” button and the cards are dealt face up. The values and the number of points are revealed for each board and the winnings are added directly to the player’s account. It is possible to re-bet the same amount for the next round by selecting the “repeat” button or start again with a new bet with the “clear” option. The game has a control panel that allows you to turn on and off the sound or effects. You can also speed up or slow down the distribution of cards and put the action on hold with the pause button.
The rules, especially those for the drawing of the third card, are recalled in the “Help” section.
Finally, the redistribution rate of the games is very interesting for the players. The RTP for the banker is 98.94%, the RTP for the player is 98.76% and the tie is 85.64%.
Live Baccarat – Evolution Gaming
If you want to play your games live at an online casino, then you’ll probably enjoy Live Baccarat from the renowned gaming provider Evolution Gaming casino. Here, the dealer is a real human who will come and animate the game throughout the game and the game follows the basic rules of baccarat.
This live version of Baccarat uses 8 packs of cards (decks) and the time to bet between rounds is 10 seconds. Therefore, this variant is very popular with players who want to play fast. In addition, it is still possible to bet on the classic Banker/Player/Tie, but the game offers side bets for even more winnings.
Players can set up their game by choosing the viewing angle (classic or 3D) and the quality and volume of the game board. It is also possible to reduce the size of the scoreboards for a better display and a better immersion in the game.
If you like live games, we recommend the excellent live game Dragon Tiger casino !
Mini Baccarat – Play N Go
The Mini Baccarat game from Play N Go slots takes the principle of baccarat and adapts it into mini-games. The game has an excellent RTP of 98.76% and is played with 6 packs of 52 cards instead of 8. The game board and the game play of the mini baccarat make it very easy to pick up and play. The three possible bets bank, player and tie are placed on the board and you can bet on all three at the same time.
Once you have placed your bet and decided on the bet, you simply press the “deal” button and the cards are dealt. The computer will then draw 2 cards for each hand (player or banker) and the value is shown with the number of points for each. Depending on the hands dealt, a third hand may be drawn. The winnings are paid out according to the classic rule and offer up to 8 times the starting stake if the “Tie” prediction is successful.
We advise you to test the games in a demo version to make sure you understand the rules correctly and to familiarise yourself with the game.
Our tips for winning at Baccarat
Baccarat is a casino game based on luck and chance, so the chances of winning are not guaranteed. However, it is possible to develop strategies and methods to maximize your winnings.
Make the right decisions
The objective of baccarat strategy is to know when to keep the two cards and when to draw a third. To do this, as in blackjack strategy, it is advisable to act in a certain way depending on the cards already drawn.
For example, here are some tips:
- Draw a card if the value of the starting hand is zero or 1,2,3,4.
- Draw a card if the value of the two cards is 6 or 7.
- If the player’s hand has a total value of 5 then it is not advisable to draw a card.
The Martingale Strategy
The Martingale strategy is known and often used as a casino roulette technique. This strategy consists of betting one unit on the first spin and increasing your bet by one unit on each losing spin. This way, if the player wins, he gets back the full amount bet.
The martingale is applicable to Baccarat with one caveat. This technique requires resources and good bankroll management and is not recommended for small balances and limit bets.
Betting on the odds
It is possible to optimize your chances of winning by betting according to the odds. In baccarat, it is advisable to find the different game patterns and bet according to them. The house edge is 1.06% for the bank, 1.24% for the player and 14.36% for the tie. Therefore, we recommend that you bet on the bank to maximise your chances of winning.
It is also advisable to know when to stop playing so as not to rack up too many losses and fall into gambling addiction.
