How to Play Baccarat
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If you want to learn how to play Baccarat, you've come to the right place. This Baccarat guide covers everything you need to know about James Bond's favorite casino card game, from the rules and essential tips to the best new online casinos where you can play it. By the end, you should be able to develop the right strategy to force the banker's hand and draw a third card.
CONTENTS
- How to Play Baccarat
- Rules of Baccarat
- Baccarat Odds
- Best Baccarat Bets
- Types of Baccarat Games
- Baccarat Strategies
- Best Baccarat Online Casinos
- Is Online Baccarat Legal?
- Playing Baccarat Online Responsibly
- How to Play Baccarat FAQs
HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT
To win at Baccarat–more often than not–requires understanding the different betting systems, how banker hands work, and how to tie bets enter the mix. Regardless of the variants, the banker and the player bet to get a winning hand to get to nine or as close as possible.
Players can also bet on the banker, getting a winning hand, or winning bets can also apply to the tie bet where neither you nor the banker wins or has identical hands.
BACCARAT BASICS AND TIPS
All Baccarat games have a dealer who is considered the banker. Before the cards are dealt, the banker and the players place their bets. Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, real money online casinos usually offer flexibility on minimum bets because they usually have more variants.
Still, for those who prefer high stakes, Baccarat is ready for you to join the table, including the live dealer. The banker deals players two cards. Unlike blackjack, Baccarat doesn't have players go bust. Below, we list the face value of the cards:
- Cards two through nine are counted at face value.
- Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are counted as zero, hence the title "Baccarat."
- The Aces contribute one point to the betting hands.
As we mentioned, Baccarat doesn't have players go bust. A natural win is when a player hits nine with the first two cards dealt. But if a banker draws a third card, a player's third card, or the first two exceed nine, the last number in the overall value is counted.
For example, if your cards are 9 & 9 the overall total being 18, your Baccarat total would be 8.
If the player wins, they at least win more money if they place the minimum bet. However, if the banker's hand is a winner, it might not always result in even money payouts because each casino usually takes a percentage, otherwise known as a commission, on the winnings.
RULES OF BACCARAT
To learn to play Baccarat successfully, you must go beyond understanding the house edge or using the correct betting strategy. Instead, to play Baccarat online with long-term success, you must know more than the basic rules, like when to stand or when the player draws a third card.
BETTING AND DEALING
The banker is the dealer and the one who deals cards from the shoe. When all players bet at the Baccarat table, the banker passes each player the first two cards. The banker gets the cards last.
AUTOMATIC WINS
If the playing hand is a nine, it is a natural win. Also, if the banker has a nine, the banker's hand wins.
STANDING VS. DRAWING
If the first two cards are an eight or a nine, the fixed drawing rules don't allow for drawing a third card, so the player stands.
If the first two cards are below eight, the player can stand or elect to draw a third card. But, if the player's hand starts at five points or less, the third card rules kick in, and the player is dealt an additional card.
But if the player chooses to stand on values between five or less, the banker draws a third card if its first two cards are worth two points. If the player's third card brings their total to eight, the banker must draw a third card if the banker's hand is three points. But if the player's first hand is six or seven, they must stand. The six and seven-point rule also applies to the banker.
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OTHER SCENARIOS
At this stage, a winning Baccarat strategy takes into account more complex scenarios, such as if the player's third card is a zero and the banker's hand is four, the banker has to draw a third card. The banker or variants where players serve as the bank or the house, draws a third card unless the banker's hand is a seven, and the player has to stand.
No matter the scenario where the player or the banker draws a third, the one closest to nine wins after the third card is dealt.
BACCARAT ODDS
Baccarat, like other casino games, has various odds based on the different bets and the particular variant. Most online casinos maintain the house edge on the games, and Baccarat is no exception.
The player and banker bets offer even money odds at a 1:1 ratio. Simply put, a successful $20 bet rewards you with $40, which includes the ground bet and more complex wagers.
More sophisticated wagers like the tie bet or various side bets dramatically shift the house edge due to the lower odds. For example, most tie bets offer 8:1 to 9:1 payout ratios because the odds are not in favor of player bets
If you are interested in playing poker, become an expert with our poker cheat sheet.
HOUSE EDGE IN BACCARAT
The house edge is associated with all casino games. It gauges the advantage, or, if you want to look at it this way, the disadvantage a player has towards winning.
The basic player bet has a house edge of approximately 1.24%. In contrast, for most variants, especially for punto banco, the banker bet has a low house edge of 1.06%. But when you factor in the casino's cut, the house edge dips slightly below 1%.
More sophisticated bets like the tie bet greatly swing the house edge to over 14%. Many lost bets come from side bets like the pair betting system, where the house holds strong up to 11%.
However, the high-risk reward egalite bet, where you bet on the point total of the tie wager, overwhelmingly gives the house up to a 30% advantage.
BEST BACCARAT BETS
As you can see, winning at Baccarat tables hinges on more than the banker's or the player's third card. Knowing how to play Baccarat online to win often involves mastering essentials like the tie bet or when to bet on the banker. Below, we list the most common Baccarat wagers so you can choose the one that best fits your ideal Baccarat strategy.
- Main bet: This is where players make banker bets or bets on the player to win before the cards are dealt. Both winning bets result in even money payouts. However, the banker bet is subject to casino fees. A successful tie bet leads to higher payouts, sometimes at a 9:1 ratio, depending on the variant.
- Side bet: Some variants support side bets like pair and the egalite bet, which involves the points on the tie bet. The pair side bet involves gambling on whether the first two cards are identical. Another popular side bet involves wagering on the first two cards as a natural winner. Side bets are complex and shouldn't be used if you're first learning how to play Baccarat.
- Player bet: Better known as the punto wager, and is where you bet on the player to win.
- Banker bet: The banker bet is another simple wager in which you bet on the banker's hand to win.
- Tie bet: This is when you gamble on both the banker hand and the player hand being the same.
If these terms sound foreign to you, you might need to brush up on your lingo. Check out our casino glossary to help you become fluent.
BEST BACCARAT ONLINE CASINOS
While virtual Baccarat selections aren't as abundant as other table games like poker, the marquee US iGaming sites have the ones that matter most, including live dealer play. The online casinos may even have great bonuses for new Baccarat players.
Discover where you can play Baccarat online for real money (or even for free in demo mode):
BETMGM CASINO
Like its sister Borgata, BetMGM gets all the glamor and prestige from its world-famous parent company, MGM Casino and Resorts. The glamor and sense of high society feel with Baccarat at BetMGM no doubt come from MGM's Hollywood Studio success. BetMGM has various options, including live dealer versions and titles from Evolution Gaming.
Install BetMGM's official app for your specific state directly from the website for Android and Apple, and match wits with a live dealer.
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WV-based users will get the following:
BORGATA CASINO
Borgata has various options for baccarat players, with many mimicking the titles at BetMGM. Users can seamlessly download the apps for iOS and Android phones and tablets.
Learn more about the Borgata Casino bonus code, which is VICOMBONUS and yields the welcome offer of Get up to a $1,000 Deposit Match + $20 in Bonus Credits! at signup.
DRAFTKINGS CASINO
DraftKings has one of the largest virtual Baccarat libraries in the United States, bar none. To sweeten the pot, one of the early pioneers in daily fantasy sports wagering has nine compelling options. Four of those options have progressive jackpots that are updated in real-time. Even live dealer selections like Classic and DraftKings Baccarat have over $1 million mega jackpots.
Besides the live options, you can play free games with Golden Wealth and High Limit Baccarat Squeeze. DraftKings' apps offer Baccarat selections to play anytime and anywhere. Refer a friend to play Baccarat and receive $150.
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FANATICS CASINO
Baccarat lovers can easily download the official Fanatics Casino app from Google Play and the Apple Store.
Or they can download the app directly from the main website using a QR code. Fanatics keeps Baccarat simple with the Classic variant available for live play. Fanatics members get cashback on their wagers.
Those in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania don't need a Fanatics Casino promo code to claim the sign-up bonus of
FANDUEL CASINO
Also a stalwart and pioneer for daily fantasy sports, FanDuel continues to hold its own as a mega iGaming force with several Baccarat games. FanDuel Casino considers its member's budgets and makes them highly affordable with wagers as small as twenty cents. FanDuel also has a live version of First Person Baccarat to give you an up-close look at your winning hands.
FanDuel frequently updates its Apple and Android apps to provide the latest cybersecurity measures and superior casino game software. Members can also tailor their FanDuel apps to meet their gaming preferences.
TYPES OF BACCARAT GAMES
Unlike the Baccarat table on the casino floor, online casinos offer more variants, including live dealer play. The online variants are also budget-friendly, so players can comfortably deposit funds to win in a classy fashion. Below are the most common Baccarat variants, with some offering free games.
BACCARAT BANQUE
Banque is one of the oldest variants born from French gambling parlors. In the Banque variant, there is no dedicated banker. Instead, one of the players is chosen to be the banker. The designated player deals from the shoe to the other players. The basic Baccarat rules still apply, as do the face-value cards.
However, some casinos might have slightly different rules when dealing the third card based on the player's hand or the banker's two-card point total. An excellent example of Banque in action is the Mission Impossible episode, Odds on Evil, where the climactic scene takes place with the Banque variant.
CHEMIN DE FER
In the Chemin de Fer, all the players rotate, serving as the bank and dealer. In this Baccarat variant, it's typical that the bank's cards are dealt face up. The basic game rules and wagers apply to the Chemin variant. Besides Dr. No, James Bond fans will recall the Chemin version in Thunderball.
EZ BACCARAT
If you're looking for the best way to learn how to play Baccarat, the EZ variant is designed specifically for beginners. Robin Powell is accepted as crafting this variant. With EZ Baccarat, winners of banker bets can forget about paying a commission because they are eliminated.
The EZ game also features exotic side bets like the Dragon 7 and Panda 8. Dragon 7 pays out on banker wagers with winning hands worth seven points. The Panda 8 shells out winnings for players who bet they have a winning hand worth eight points.
LIGHTNING BACCARAT
The Lightning variant is usually played with a live dealer. While players can make standard bets, including one for the tie, the Lightning variant introduces Lightning Cards that contain a specific value.
Before you're dealt the first two cards, a Lightning Card will have a winning multiplier up to eight eight-times to be added to whatever your winning bet turns out to be.
MINI BACCARAT
Mini Baccarat is another simple version of classic Baccarat that is highly suitable for understanding how to play Baccarat. Brick-and-mortar casinos have a smaller table to accommodate and play this variant because fewer players play at a time.
For the most part, conventional rules and standard bets apply to the mini variant.
PUNTO BANCO
Punto Banco is the standard version at retail casinos and most legal iGaming parlors. It's best to understand your strategy before the game starts because the Punto version doesn't allow for in-game changes.
Minus some slight exceptions, the Punto variant follows classic Baccarat rules and betting conventions. Players can gamble on the player's hand, the banker or for a tie. The films Golden Eye and On Her Majesty's Secret Service show Punto Banco in all its glory and elegance.
SUPER 6
Super 6 is also available for live dealer play at select virtual casinos. With Super 6, the game plays and follows conventional Baccarat, but players can make an exclusive Super 6 side bet where, in addition to betting on the banker, the banker wins with a winning hand of six points.
Due to the high risk of the Super 6 bet, if successful, players can walk away from the table with 12:1 to 15:1 payout ratios. But be prepared to deal with a house edge up to a frightening 29%, depending on the variant.
BACCARAT STRATEGIES
Like other games, succeeding with Baccarat often requires a battle-tested strategy. If you're familiar with Roulette, you can apply many of these same strategies, including the D'Alembert and the Martingale method with Baccarat.
To help you best master how to play Baccarat to win, please consider these tested strategies used by professionals.
MARTINGALE STRATEGY
Similar to Roulette, the Martingale strategy calls for players to increase losing wagers twofold. That way, not only can the winning wager recoup the loss, but you can rebuild your profit margin.
Should your wagers pan out, the Martingale strategy calls for returning to making the previous winning bet.
D'ALEMBERT STRATEGY
When your Baccarat bet pans out, the D'Alembert method calls for you to gradually increase the amount of the next bet. And should you lose, steadily decrease the next bet.
The method to the madness of the D'Alembert method is to minimize losses as much as possible by not blowing through your bankroll. If you're looking to play Baccarat for the first time, the D'Alembert method is a solid strategy.
PAROLI STRATEGY
If you come from a roulette background, you might already be familiar with the Paroli method, which is commonly called the Reverse Martingale method.
The Paroli method calls for you to increase winning wagers by two times, and for losses, go back to the previous winning bet amount.
EDGE SORTING
Edge sorting, in many ways, can be considered a form of card counting in the sense that players strategize on what cards will be dealt.
Those who use edge sorting have become so polished by reading the patterns on the back of the card to know its value. Often times, they will use this as grounds for throwing out the card, or the entire deck.
IS ONLINE BACCARAT LEGAL?
Yes, online baccarat is legal in the following states. You can read more about their online gambling markets in the links below:
- WV online casinos
- Pennsylvania online casinos
- New Jersey online casinos
- Michigan online casinos
- Connecticut online casinos
- Rhode Island online casinos
- Delaware online casinos
For those based in a non-legal casino state, select sweepstakes casinos are now offering Baccarat to online players. These platforms and the similar social casinos tend to specialize in slots with the best odds, but can also provide a variety of table games. For instance, Hello Millions Casino, High 5 Casino and McLuck Casino all offer live Baccarat to play for free.
PLAYING BACCARAT ONLINE RESPONSIBLY
With so many daily and weekly bonuses and the thrill of getting a great hand or a natural player hand at any moment, despite best efforts, it's easy to slip into unhealthy gambling habits or full-blown gambling addiction when playing a casino game like Baccarat.
Fortunately, legal iGaming sites have a dedicated, responsible gaming section. There, members can set betting limits and other measures like loss limits and playing sessions. If you are on a roll, once you reach your limit, the game ends so you can protect your winnings and mental health.
But if you need professional help, please don't hesitate to reach out to these reputable and dedicated resources.
- National Council on Problem Gambling: Help is a call away at 1-800-GAMBLER
- Responsible Gambling Council
- Gamblers Anonymous
Besides these esteemed national organizations, states where online gambling is legal have their own state-run organizations to deal with problem gambling.
HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT FAQS
As you can see, there are many nuances that come up when learning a Baccarat game, including what banker hand wins, which variant is the easiest, and when to draw a third card. We'll now answer the most common FAQs about Baccarat below.
HOW DO YOU PLAY BACCARAT?
Baccarat is a simple card game that requires you to place a bet on the banker or player side (though other side bets are also available). The side that wins is the one who gets closest to nine without going over. The dealer will draw additional cards for the player or banker side based on a predetermined set of rules for that variant.
WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF BACCARAT?
In baccarat, your goal is to bet on the winning hand whether it's the player or banker. Their hand wins if their total is closest to nine (only looking at the second digit).
IS BACCARAT A HARD GAME TO LEARN?
No! Baccarat is a relatively easy game to learn once you understand the rules. It doesn't require any skill, though understanding the house edge of different bets can give you an advantage over the house. Beginners often play this game as it doesn't require any strategies or expertise.
WHAT IS THE BEST BET IN BACCARAT?
The best baccarat bet is the banker bet, which has a low house edge despite its 5% commission on wins.
WHAT IS THE THREE-CARD RULE IN BACCARAT?
Depending on the variant, if the player has a certain point total, usually between five and seven, they can draw a third card to strengthen their hand and reach nine. The banker must also follow certain rules to draw a third card to win.
IS ONLINE BACCARAT LEGAL?
Yes, but only in the states that support online gambling. These states are Rhode Island, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For the best and safest results, we strongly urge you to only deal with these legal states.
IS PLAYING BACCARAT ONLINE SAFE?
Most certainly. As a license condition, legal iGaming casinos must use and stay updated with the latest cybersecurity measures to combat devastating cyber threats. Members can expect multi-factor authentication and intense login verification measures. When creating accounts, be prepared for multi-factor verification measures, including photo identification, to verify your identity and that you are at least 21.
CAN I PLAY LIVE ONLINE BACCARAT?
Most legal virtual casinos support live play. First Person is a popular live feature. Evolution Gaming is the brainchild and the power behind live play.
WHERE CAN I FIND FREE BACCARAT GAMES ONLINE?
Some sites like DraftKings Casino offer demo play, but it depends on the specific site. However, live dealer play at real money casinos usually doesn't support practice play. Instead, try social and sweepstakes casinos for free Baccarat variants.
WHAT IS A "NATURAL WIN" IN BACCARAT?
A natural win is when your first two cards equal nine or eight. Nine-point totals automatically make you the winner without the need for a third card.