Baccarat is a mainstay in many land-based casinos, especially in Macao, so it’s no surprise the game has made its way to many Canadian online casinos. A low house edge and easy-to-learn rules make baccarat appealing to new players, but in turn, that leads to plenty of baccarat frequently asked questions as players seek to understand more.
This online baccarat FAQ is purpose-built for new players to the game, helping introduce the rules, odds, bet types, and other basic information. There’s no better way to get started with online baccarat in Canada than by getting common questions answered.
Baccarat at a Glance
Baccarat is believed to have originated in Italy and France in the 15th century before spreading to other regions. The game later became especially prominent in Macao, which became a major gambling destination after the handover from Portuguese administration in 1999. Macao operates as a Special Administrative Region of China and is the only place in China where casino gambling is legally permitted.
There are three baccarat rule sets, but almost all online baccarat uses the punto banco rules. The player and dealer are each dealt a hand of two face-up cards. Both player and dealer are forced to draw or stand depending on their hand total, with no choice in the matter, and therefore no element of strategy. Aces are valued at one, and face cards are valued at zero. Only the ones column of a hand total is considered, making nine the maximum hand value — for example, a total of 13 would be valued as three.
Players are allowed to bet on which hand will win: the player or the dealer. Alternatively, players can bet on a tie. Calling the two hands the “player’s” and “dealer’s” is just for convenience, as betting on either option is the same process for players.
Baccarat Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baccarat Luck Based?
Yes, even more so than other casino table games like blackjack, baccarat is luck-based. This is because the player controls nothing about the outcome of the game except what bets they place. Any worthwhile explanation of baccarat rules will stress this lack of strategic decision-making.
What Are the Baccarat Betting Options?
Players can make the following baccarat betting options during each round of play:
| Bet type | Payout odds |
| Banker/dealer bet | +100 minus a 5% commission |
| Player bet | +100 |
| Tie bet | +800 |
Online baccarat guides typically recommend sticking to dealer bets. The dealer bet carries the lowest house edge of the two main options, even accounting for the 5% commission on winning bets. Tie bets occur in around 9-10% of hands, so they are a much riskier bet.
What’s the House Edge in Baccarat?
With optimal play, baccarat offers one of the lowest house edges of any casino game in online casinos. Here’s the house edge for every baccarat bet:
| Bet type | House edge |
| Banker/dealer bet | 1.06% |
| Player bet | 1.24% |
| Tie bet | 14.4% |
All odds are calculated using an eight-deck shoe. Note that winning dealer bets have a 5% commission subtracted to account for the extremely low house edge.
Is It Better To Bet on the Banker or Player in Baccarat?
When first learning how to play online baccarat, a common first piece of advice is to always bet on the banker or dealer hand. This baccarat strategy takes advantage of the lower house edge on dealer bets, even considering that winning bets come with a 5% commission. Both hands in punto banco baccarat have their decisions forced, but the dealer hand has a more complex series of rules that more commonly lead to winning hands.
Do Betting Systems Work in Baccarat?
Betting systems are designed to help average out wins and losses over a play session. The Paroli system involves doubling a wager after a win, while the Martingale system involves doubling after a loss. These systems can be applied to baccarat, though the outcome of each hand remains independent of previous results.
What’s the Difference Between Live Dealer and Online Baccarat?
In live dealer baccarat, a real person sits in front of a camera and deals out cards, livestreamed to a player’s desktop or mobile device. Other live players also sit in on the same game and can chat with one another.
Compared to online baccarat that uses a Random Number Generator (RNG), some players prefer seeing the physical cards, believing it leaves less room for cheating. Players also enjoy the social element of live games. On the other hand, RNG baccarat goes at the player’s pace, while live dealer games can be slower.
What Are Some Baccarat Tips for Beginners?
New players should focus on learning the rules of baccarat and understanding what makes it different from other online casino table games. First and foremost among these differences is the fact that in punto banco baccarat, a player has no influence over how the cards are dealt.
From there, beginners should study the different bet types in baccarat and review their payout odds and house edge. With a firm grip of the rules, players might like to explore baccarat rules variants that introduce new gameplay, such as side bets.
