Baccarat, as it’s known today, is a card game that’s been enjoyed by gamblers for decades. It’s similar to blackjack in that it’s easy to pick up and play while still offering a thrilling experience, and with some time and effort, you can learn a few strategies to increase your chances of winning. It’s also one of the most popular online casino games.
Read on to learn how to play baccarat online and to find some baccarat tips to help you reduce the house edge.
The Rules of Baccarat
The overall goal of baccarat is simple. Regardless of how many people are actually betting on the outcome of the game, there are only two hands: the “player” and the “banker.” In order to win, you must choose which one will be the highest value hand and place a bet on that hand. If you guess correctly, you are paid out 1:1. However, the highest value hand that can be achieved in baccarat is 9. This is where baccarat’s unique hand-scoring system comes in.
How Hand Value is Decided in Baccarat
In baccarat, the player and banker both get two cards. The king, queen, jack, and 10 are all worth 0, the ace is worth 1 point, and 2 to 9 are all worth their face value. You combine the two cards together to get a total value for your hand. But if your hand reaches a double-digit value, you must drop the first digit to get the “true value” of your hand.
Here are a few examples of how this works:
| Cards in Hand | Total Hand Value | True Hand Value |
| Ace and 9 | 10 | 0 |
| 1 and 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 7 and 8 | 15 | 5 |
| 3 and 4 | 7 | 7 |
| 5 and 6 | 11 | 1 |
As you can see from the examples above, any hand worth 10 or more drops the first digit to give you its actual value. Any hand worth less than 10 retains its original value.
Additional Bets in Baccarat
While the two main bets in baccarat are the player or banker, there are other wagers. The most notable of these is the tie. If the player and banker’s hands are equal in value and you bet on a tie, you get a payout of 8:1. There are other side bets that you can try your luck on, depending on which version of baccarat you’re playing. A few of these side bets include:
- Player Pair: The player has a pair of cards. This pays out 11:1.
- Banker Pair: The banker has a pair of cards. This pays out 11:1.
- Dragon Bonus: Your winning wager has a lead of 4 or more points or is a natural 8 or 9. The payout is 30:1.
Third Card Rules
The player and banker can be given a third card under specific conditions.
The player will receive a third card if the total value of their hand is between 0 and 5, except when the banker has a natural 8 or 9.
The banker will receive a third card if the total value of their hand is between 0 and 5 if the player has a six or higher.
However, if the player has received a third card, things get a bit more complicated for the banker, depending on the value of their hand. Here’s how the true value of their hand affects whether they get a third card or not:
- 0–2: The banker will receive a third card except when the player has a natural 8 or 9.
- 3: The banker will receive a third card, except if the player received an 8.
- 4: The banker will receive a third card if the player received a third card between 2 and 7.
- 5: The banker will receive a third card if the player received a third card between 4 and 7.
- 6: The banker will receive a third card if the player received a third card worth 6 or 7.
- 7: The banker stands if the banker’s hand has a value of 7.
What is the House Edge in Baccarat?
Another important thing to note about baccarat is its very low house edge. When you bet on the banker’s hand, the house edge can be as low as 1.01%, but in some versions of baccarat, this wager comes with a commission. This means that the house gets a small percentage of your winnings (typically 5%) should you win when betting on the banker. When you bet on the player’s hand, the house edge sits at a slightly higher 1.24%, but even though your chances of winning are slightly less, there’s no commission on this wager.
Baccarat Gameplay Tips and Strategies
Before you decide to place your first bet, it’s important to be properly prepared. Here are some easy and advanced tips and strategies that you can use to increase your chances of winning.
Avoid the Tie Bet
The tie bet has the largest house edge at 14.36%, which is why you should avoid it as a rule of thumb.
Be Wary of Betting Strategies
If you’re interested in playing with a baccarat betting strategy, it’s important to keep in mind that betting strategies are sound in theory but don’t often work in practice. This is because most betting strategies require you to make increasingly large bets to make up for loss streaks, and few players have large enough bankrolls to stick to these betting strategies for more than a few losses.
Pick Baccarat Games Which Use the Fewest Decks
Generally speaking, the more decks used in any card game, the greater the house edge. This is why you should try to play a version of offline or online baccarat that uses fewer decks to ensure you have the lowest house edge possible.
Bet on the Banker
The lower house edge on the banker means that it’s a better idea to place every bet on the banker, especially if you’re planning to play baccarat over a long period of time. This is because the 0.23% increased chance of winning that the banker offers over the player outweighs the money you’ll pay for the commission fees in the long run. But remember, even in the long run, the house edge is still 1.01% for the banker, which means luck will need to be on your side if you plan to win more than you lose.
Set a Win Limit and Loss Limit
This isn’t a baccarat-specific strategy, but one that any gambler who plays pure games of luck should follow, and that’s knowing that you should quit while you’re ahead or when you’re behind.
When luck is on their side, too many players end up getting caught up in the excitement of the game and losing all their profits when their luck starts to change. But if you play smart and set a win limit, when luck does smile upon you, you’ll be able to walk away with your winnings.
On the other hand, too many players chase their losses and end up spending their entire bankroll (and sometimes more) when they’re having a bad run of luck. Always set a limit on how much you’re okay to lose so that you don’t end up spending more than you’re happy with.
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