Live Baccarat Online Sites for 2024
Baccarat online is loved by players across the US because of its simplicity. Players need only make wagers, and watch the game play out on their screen. All of the other activities are handled by the banker. The best online casinos offer multiple variations of this exciting game. Despite its easiness, there is still a lot to learn about this table game before you can call yourself a pro. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about online baccarat.
Where to Play Online Baccarat Games
The Objective of Online Casino Baccarat
In order to win this game, players must hold 2 or 3 cards that total 9 (or as close to 9 as possible). A two-card combo totaling 9 is a “Natural”, and is unbeatable in the game. A total of 8 is the second-highest hand in online baccarat, and it’s also known as a natural. When playing online, the term “Tie” means neither the player nor the house wins.
In this game, cards have various values.
- Face cards and tens have zero value.
- Aces have a value of 1.
- All other cards are worth their traditional numerical value.
Note that total values over 10 are disregarded. This means that if you have an 8 or 9, the total value of the cards is 5, not 15. Scores always range from 0 to 9, and there is no bust when playing baccarat online. No need to worry if these rules seem confusing. Each casino you play at will have a rule table or guide that you can refer to during your game.
Variants of Baccarat in Casinos
Online casino baccarat wears many faces. There are a number of popular baccarat variations, and knowing which one you’re playing is important. This section breaks down the most well-known and enjoyed variants you’ll find at online casinos in the US.
Punto Banco
It’s rare to find a top-tier online casino that doesn’t offer this variation of baccarat. In this version, card hands are dealt to both the banker and the player. This game is played with 4, 6, or 8 complete decks. To begin a round, the player and banker will be given two cards with their faces up. If either side has an 8 or 9, they win.
The player and banker bets are transferred to the next round if there’s a tie. This sounds pretty straightforward. Regardless, we’ve detailed the rules you need to keep in mind when playing this baccarat game:
Rules after the Initial Two-card Hand
- The player doesn’t receive a third card if their hand totals 6 or 7
- Players receive a third card if their hand totals 0 to 5
Rules after the Third Card
- Banker stands if their hand totals 7
- Banker draws another card on a total of 2 or less
- Banker receives a third card if their hand totals 3
- Banker gets a third card on a total of 4 (only if the player’s third card is between 2 and 7)
- Banker receives a third card on a total of 5 (only if the player’s third card is between 4 and 7)
- Banker receives a third card on a total of 6 (only if the player’s third card is a 6 or 7).
Mini Casino Baccarat
Mini-baccarat is perfect if you’re looking to play with a smaller bankroll. Its rules are similar to those of Punto Banco, although the game is played on a smaller table and managed by a single banker.
Baccarat Chemin de Fer
This version of online baccarat is played with 6 decks of cards. It happens to be James Bond’s favorite casino game! In this variant, players and the banker play each round with a two-card combo face down.
The banker begins by making their wager. Each player will be given a chance to match the banker’s entire wager, an action known as ‘going bank’. Every player on the table can make smaller bets if no one matches the banker’s stake.
When the combined wagers made by players surpass the banker’s initial wager, the banker has the option of matching the new combined player bet. Otherwise, the excess bet amount will be ignored.
Players also win and lose as a group in this variant. Finally, when either the banker or player has an 8 or 9, the hand is over, and the winning bets are distributed. With each round, a new player assumes the role of the banker.
Super 6 or Punto 2000
In this interestingly-named variant, money is paid based on the winning banker bets (instead of the 95% in conventional casino baccarat). However, the payout is 50% if the banker wins with a 6. On a banker bet, the house edge is also increased from 1.058% to 1.46%.
EZ Baccarat
In EZ baccarat, a winning banker bet always pays money until a three-card combo totaling 7 emerges. When this occurs, it is considered a ‘push’, which lowers the house edge from 1.058% to 1.018%. There are also two side bets in EZ baccarat that you can play at a casino site, namely the Dragon 7 and Panda 8.
Dragon 7 has a payout of 40 to 1, and a house edge of 7.61%. Panda 8 has a payout of 25 to 1, and a house edge of 10.18%.
Online Baccarat Rules
Here we dive deeper into the general rules of this thrilling game we have not yet mentioned. The conventional game is played with 6 or 8 decks of cards. These cards are shuffled by the banker and placed in a box called the ‘shoe’. Every player gets their turn to handle the shoe. The shoe holder is expected to make a wager. A player may decline the shoe if they so desire. Besides this norm, other rigid rules govern the actual card play in online casino baccarat.
Naturally, when playing online baccarat, the casino operator performs all the duties that a normal croupier would do. Players need only focus on their cards.
The Banker’s Rules
The banker’s rules vary from the standard rules addressed earlier.
- Whenever the banker’s first two cards total 7 or more, the banker stands.
- If the banker’s initial hand total is 0, 1, or 2, the banker must draw one card.
- For hands totaling 3, 4, 5, or 6, the banker’s action depends on whether or not the player drew another card. Also, the value of the player’s draw is taken into consideration.
Tips for Playing Baccarat Online
Don’t Try to Spot Patterns
In land-based casinos, players often try to predict the outcome by memorizing the previous results. However, this is detrimental to a player’s success, since the outcome of a round of baccarat is entirely random. The result remains random no matter if the game uses 6 or 8 complete decks of cards.
The real kicker is that when you play online baccarat, your chances of spotting patterns worsen.This is because all reputable casino sites use a random number generator to ensure that cards are dealt haphazardly.
Avoid Tie Bets
The tie bet is not advised due to its shady payout of 8 to 1 or 9 to 1.It provides the highest house edge, so only the bankers truly benefit from tie bets.
Bet on the Banker
The house edge is lowest when betting on the banker.So, it’s the safest option to go for when you play online baccarat.
Conclusion
Virtual baccarat is a simple yet exhilarating game, in which all actions are governed by strict rules. All you need to do is get as close as possible to a 9, and you will have won the round. Now that you know more about online casino baccarat, you’re one step closer to becoming a pro.
