Even though Poker is on its rise to fame up until some years ago Baccarat was considered the king of casino games.
It was the game the original James Bond movies featured and so many gamblers used to love.
It was online gambling that brought it back to the surface.
The majority of online casinos offer the most popular variation Punto Banco and this is the one we are going to talk about today.
Apart from explaining how to play Baccarat online we will also take a look at the main differences from the real-life baccarat experience and provide you with some betting tips.
How To Play Baccarat Online
Just as previously mentioned the variation we are going to dedicate this article on will be Punto Banco.
The rules of it are fairly simple.
First of all, you have the table setup.
The game is played with 4, 6, or 8 decks and is usually played with 2-14 players.
However, a person can play alone with the dealer.
Betting Stage
Each player has to bet before the two cards can be dealt with him.
He can either bet on himself, on the banker, or on a tie.
The first one means that he bets on him winning, the second on the dealer winning, and the third for the result of his cards and the dealer’s to be of the same value thus it is a tie.
Hand Valuation
Each card has a different value.
Cards from 2 to 9 have their face value in points.
10 through K have zero value thus count as zero points and last you have the A which has a value of 1 so it counts as one point.
The total value of your hand is the sum of the value of the two cards consisting it.
For example, if you had an A and a 3 then the total hand value would be 1+3=4.
If that value is equal or more than ten then your hand’s value is the rightmost digit.
For example, if you had a 6 and a 7 then your hand value would be 6+7=13 but only the last digit counts so it would be 13-10=3.
The strongest and highest hand value is 9.
Rules of the Game
So what are the rules that determine who wins, the banker or the winner, or whether it is a tie?
If the hand value is 8 or 9 then it is called a “natural” and the person with the highest hand value wins.
If both player and dealer have 8 or 9 then it is a tie.
However, when the result is different from that other rules apply.
They are a bit complex but the player doesn’t need to know them when learning how to play Baccarat online as the dealer is the one who deals the cards and therefore knows what to do in each case.
So if neither the player nor the banker has a hand value of 8 or 9 these rules apply.
If the player’s hand value is 0-5 then he will be dealt another third card. If after that the value is 6 or 7 then he must stand.
If the player stands then the exact same rules apply to the banker’s hand.
If the player didn’t stand, however, and draw a third card here is what will happen.
If the player was dealt a 2 or a 3 then if the banker has a value of 0-4 he must draw and if he has 5-7 then he must stand.
If the player was dealt a 4 or a 5 then if the banker has a value of 0-5 he must draw and if he has 6-7 he stands.
If the player was dealt a 6 or a 7 then the banker must draw if he has 0-6 or stands if he has 7.
In the case the player is dealt an 8 then the banker draws if he has 0-2 and stands if he has 3-7.
Last case. If the player is dealt an A, 9, 10, or any other face card then the banker must draw a card if his hand’s value is 0-3 and stand if it is 4-7.
Even though the players don’t have to remember these rules by heart there are some methods you could use to able to recall them more easily.
Payouts
Regarding the amount of money your bet can win, things are pretty simple.
Although you have to remember that even though these are the general rules you will most likely have to follow, each casino may apply different ones on their Baccarat tables.
This applies both to physical and online casinos.
In case you make a bet on yourself, the player, the payout is 1-1 so you win double the amount you bet.
If you placed your bet on the banker then you will get 95% of the win or a 19 to 20.
For example, say you bet 20$ on the banker and you win.
Then you will get the 20$ you originally bet and another 19$.
The remaining 5% is returned to the casino as a house win commission.
The most money can be won if you bet on a tie and win.
Then you will be payout 8 to 1 and the tie bets will be cleared out.
However, any bets placed on the player or banker will remain and apply on the next round.
This is how it will usually go unless the casino allows players to retract those bets after the round they were first bet upon.
Why Is It Better To Play Baccarat Online?
Well, there are many reasons but the biggest one must be the minimum betting amount.
If you visit a casino in Las Vegas or anywhere else in American or the world in general, chances are that the minimum bets will be at about 100$ or so and go as high as 500$.
It is no wonder that the income of most casinos originates 95% from their baccarat tables.
When playing online though, you don’t have to spend a fortune just to play one round.
Bets are small and can go as low as one dollar.
Max bets, however, don’t change a lot but you can be sure that they can go even higher than those offered at physical casinos.
Then you have the number of variations.
Rarely will you find a Baccarat game other than Punto Banco in a real-life casino but when playing in an online one this can change. Many variations are offered.
Some of them are Mini Punto, Chemin De Fer, and Baccarat Banque.
Even though the two last ones are most widely played in real physical casinos, Mini Punto is the one you will most likely encounter when playing on an online one.
In Mini Punto, the same rules as regular Punto Banco apply but the table, player number, and the minimum, as well as the maximum bets, are way smaller.
New players are advised to stick to that variation before getting accustomed to the game and are ready to move on to the bigger tables with higher bet limits.
Betting Tips
Learning the rules isn’t the only thing you have to do when picking up how to play baccarat online. In fact, this is the easy part.
The hard part, however, is learning how to use statistics and tactics in order to maximize your chances of winning and thus your earnings.
1. Don’t Bet On Ties
The first thing you must always do is not to bet on the tie.
We know this may sound a bit irrational if you are just getting started in the world of online Baccarat gambling but listen to us.
It isn’t a coincidence that the tie offers an 8-1 payout. The casinos have done that so that you get tempted and want to bet on it.
Reality is that a tie isn’t only very rare to get as a result but the house edge is close to 15%, a 14.44% to be exact.
Don’t waste your money on this betting option.
Go for the other ones instead.
2. Look For A Good Payout Percentage
Each casino features a unique payout percentage on their Baccarat games.
Rarely will you find one smaller than 95% but to be sure and have the best chances of winning, even more, money try going with at least a 98% one. This statistic is very easy to check when playing in online casinos.
Finding out in physical ones may be a bit more difficult, if not completely impossible to begin with.
Remember the banker 5% commission we previously mentioned?
This is a part of the payout percentage system.
Here are a few of the casinos with the highest RTP>>
If this isn’t displayed or provided ask what the commission of the banker is and then subtract it from 100.
The result is the payout percentage of the Baccarat table you are playing in.
Conclusion
This has been our guide on how to play Baccarat online.
We hope that you found it both informative and useful and may it prove to be even profitable for you.
Every site and game variation mentioned in this article are all great options and are guaranteed to give you a good gambling experience.
Check out some of the top online casinos here>>
Good luck with your future online Baccarat gambling adventures!
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