Baccarat is an extraordinary online casino game. The name baccarat is derived from the Italian, baccara from way back in the day. Baccarat is a casino card game similar to Chemin de Fer in which 3 hands are dealt, and baccarat players are allowed to bet on either hand, or both hands against the casino dealer. This gambling game requires at least 2 players who bet against the banker. The mystique around baccarat certainly adds to its allure.
How to Play Baccarat Like A Pro in 9 Minutes Flat!
The game's origins date back to the gambling dens of France and Italy. Over time, baccarat’s popularity increased sharply in Asia, before it dropped anchor in the United States. To give you an idea of the magnetic appeal of baccarat, consider that Macau’s 40 casinos generated 88% of their revenues from baccarat in 2017 – that's a whopping $29 billion. Figures have ebbed and flowed since then, but you get the picture.
The game's popularity has grown in recent years, highlighting its outsized importance to the casino industry. Las Vegas casinos and Atlantic City casinos realize just how essential baccarat is to players, and to casino coffers too. In today's tell-all baccarat strategy guide, we are going to pull back the curtains on this fabulous casino game.
In just 9 minutes, you’ll learn the most important baccarat winning tips. Granted, there is a lot to get through. Sit tight player, we’re going to take you on a crash course at 888 online casino. Baccarat offers some of the best odds in the house. The Banker hand carries a house edge of just 1.06%, and the Player hand has a house edge of just 1.24%, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
Table of Contents
• What's so appealing about baccarat?
• What are the rules of baccarat?
• How do you win games of baccarat?
• Is it easier to play baccarat online or in person?
• What are the most important baccarat winning tips?
• How does baccarat differ from blackjack?
• How to play baccarat on mobile?
• Can you play baccarat free online?
What's so appealing about Baccarat?
Take a moment to think about all the high-end brand names like Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Dior, Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana. What do they all have in common? Luxury. Style. Quality. Extravagance. Opulence. The list of superlatives goes on and on. And, so it is with baccarat. Baccarat aficionados are loyal devotees; they rarely switch allegiance, perhaps for high-stakes blackjack and craps, but little else.
Baccarat has origins in Italy as far back as the 1400s, ostensibly to a man named Felix Falguiere. The European roots of this casino card game add to its appeal. It seems incomprehensible that the name of the game is a direct derivation of the Italian word baccara meaning zero. Hundreds of years ago, this casino card game got its start among the aristocracy and nobility of Italy.
Therefore, by association alone, baccarat became the must-play casino game for society’s well healed. Think of it as an exclusive casino game that was kept under wraps for hundreds of years, played and enjoyed by the filthy rich in private casinos and posh clubs across Europe. The origins of baccarat are even more intricately detailed than this cursory reading provides. Interested to learn more?
Come a little closer… legend has it that this Italian card game was predicated on an Etruscan legend of a virgin lady who was tasked with throwing a 9-sided die. If she landed an 8 or a 9, she was given the honorable status of the priestess. A 6 or 7 allowed her to live, but with no access to religious rites and ceremonies. Any number less than 6 would banish the lady to sea – a cruel fate.
Back in the old days, baccarat was played with 4 croupiers. Players could serve as bankers, or bet against one another, as well as against the house. Nowadays, you can play baccarat online against the casino/dealer, and everything runs like clockwork. That this casino card game was exclusive to nobility, aristocracy, and royalty meant it was desirable to people everywhere. Little was known about baccarat outside of these protected enclaves. It's not a stretch of the imagination to say that this was the forbidden fruit of casino games for the masses.
Romanticism aside, baccarat is an incredibly appealing casino game for other reasons. For starters, you can win a ton of money playing baccarat. It's extremely easy to play baccarat since you don't even need to touch the cards, or compete against other players. You simply bet on one of three selections: The Player, The Banker, or a Tie. You’re well on your way to playing baccarat like a pro. We'll get to all of these bet selections in later sections of this baccarat strategy guide.
Cool Fact: Asian players completely dominate baccarat gameplay. Their outsized influence on the game is so substantial that the rules in Las Vegas and Atlantic City actually changed to accommodate them. Casinos used to discard cards if errors were made, but Asians considered it extremely bad luck and would simply leave the tables. Now, casinos save the cards and deal dummy hands to compensate.
What are the rules of baccarat?
We've dedicated an entire post to baccarat, ‘How to Play Baccarat Like a Pro’ in our blog, but here’s a quick refresher of the rules. Firstly, it should be known that baccarat is an easy game to play. There are essentially 3 house edge percentages you need to know in the game of baccarat:
• The Player Hand 1.24%
• The Banker Hand 1.06%
• A Tie Hand 4.84% on 9:1 payouts & 14.36% on 8:1 payouts
Since the banker hand has the lowest house edge, the casino takes a 5% commission off winning banker hands. It's not a large amount by any stretch of the imagination, but it adds up over time. This is how the house maintains an edge over the player. Be advised that the banker hand wins 50% + of the time. Now, it's ill-advised to play the Tie Bet since this hand is less likely to win, despite its generous payouts. It is certainly preferable to place bets on the Banker hand first, or the Player hand.
The question then becomes: What are you supposed to do in baccarat?
The object of a baccarat is simple: pick a hand that you believe will win. The magic number in baccarat is 8 or 9. Card values from Ace to 9 assume their face value. 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings have a value of zero. It’s ironic that a game which was played by royalty, nobility and aristocracy designates a value of zero to the highest-value cards in the deck!
For interest’s sake, consider the following hand values in baccarat:
• Ace + 8 = 9
• 5 + King = 5
• 7 + 8 = 5
• 8 + 8 = 6
You can tell that any value over 9 simply has the tens digit removed. If you discount the values of 10-value cards to 0, it's really easy to count card totals in baccarat. As a player, you don't have to do anything other than place your bets on a specific selection. The dealer takes care of all the action. 2 cards are dealt to the Player hand and 2 cards are dealt to the Banker hand. The first card is dealt to the Player, then the Banker, then the Player, then the Banker.
The hand which is closest in value to 9 automatically wins. If the two hands are tied, then the Tie bet wins. Details of when third cards are drawn are summarized in the table below. Note the Banker’s Total and the Player’s Total. Where the values intersect determines whether the Player or Banker will Stand (S) or Draw (D).
How do you win games of baccarat?
You win when your hand selection (Player, Banker, or Tie) wins. Remember Banker hand wins are paid out at 95% of the payout total since 5% goes to the house. This is the commission a.k.a. the vigorish, or juice. Naturally, your best wins are recorded when the house reduces the commission on Banker hand wins to less than 5%. Online baccarat games like Zero Lounge Baccarat feature 0% commission. This will boost your win percentage to a 1.235% return. With just 1 deck of cards in a baccarat game, your return would be as high as 1.286%
Your winnings in baccarat also depend on the types of bets you place:
• Banker Hand – even money payouts
• Player Hand – even money
• Tie Hands – 9 to 1
• Banker Side Bets – 12 to 1
• Player Side Bets – 12 to 1
The winner of the baccarat hand is the one closest to, or equal to 9. If both hands are tied, then the tie bet wins. Baccarat rules are pretty straightforward. It’s easy to determine payouts, winners, and third card deals.
Cool Fact: Casinos operate a thin margin on baccarat. Yet, this doesn't stop them from accepting super-sized wagers on the game. In Las Vegas for example, casinos routinely accept bets of $150,000 per hand, while in Singapore casinos, bets are substantially higher at around SG$750,000 per hand.
Is it easier to play baccarat online or in person?
For a novice, it's certainly easier to play baccarat online. For starters, all the social anxiety you may feel as a new player at the table simply doesn't exist. You don't have to compete for space at a table with experienced baccarat players. These folks are often extremely particular about the nuances of baccarat. They don't like being bothered, and they certainly don't like anyone bringing bad luck to the table. When you play baccarat online, none of that matters. It’s simply your bet versus the computer RNG (random number generator).
Now, it should be known that bricks and mortar baccarat games are incredibly exciting. There is nothing to compare to the high roller appeal of an in-person experience. When you play baccarat in Atlantic City, or even Las Vegas, you really get to experience the ritz and glitz of this high roller casino game. Gone are the days of tuxedos and evening gowns with baccarat, but casual/formal attire is certainly appreciated in the high roller and the VIP casino rooms. It's like poetry in motion with the players and dealers, and what a feeling it is to win in baccarat!
What are the most important baccarat winning tips?
This detailed baccarat strategy guide contains everything you need to know about playing baccarat like a pro. To speed up the learning curve (and your winning potential), you may wish to implement the following baccarat tips:
• The Banker hand has a house edge of 1.06%
• The Player hand has a house edge of 1.24%
• Tie Bets have a house edge of up to 14.36%
• Claim your baccarat bonus to boost your bankroll
• Aim high but not too high – 8 or 9 is what you want
• Winning Banker bets have 5% commission removed
• Set a baccarat bankroll and stick to it – it’s your lifeline
• Play free baccarat at 888 online casino before you play for real
• Don’t worry about baccarat rules – the casino takes care of everything
These baccarat tips will help you to play baccarat like a pro. We’ve intentionally made them easy to help you hit the ground running. Follow the advice in this blackjack strategy guide and supplement it with other material from the 888 online casino blog.
How does baccarat differ from blackjack?
Baccarat vs blackjack is literally like comparing apples and oranges. For one thing, you can never go bust in baccarat. The desired hand total is 8 or 9 – considered naturals. However, if you exceed the total on your chosen bet selection, you don't automatically lose. Any hand total – player or banker – with a value of 9+ simply has the tens digit removed. Put differently, simply subtract 10 from the hand total. So, if the player hand is Queen + 9, you don't have 19, you've got the perfect baccarat hand.
If you play blackjack online, or at a land-based casino, it's a totally different ballgame. For one thing, any hand total that exceeds 21 automatically busts & loses. It doesn't matter how low the dealer’s hand total is – you will lose. But that's not the only way that the baccarat vs blackjack paradigm can be identified. You cannot bet as the dealer in blackjack, but you can bet on the dealer hand in baccarat. Therein lies another clarification – you as the player in baccarat can bet on the banker hand, the player hand, or a tie hand as you please. None of the hands actually belong to players or dealers.
Then of course, there are RTPs (return to player percentages), house edges, and all sorts of statistical differences between the games. In a strange twist of fate, the casino game with the most strategy doesn't necessarily offer the best odds to players. Baccarat is known to be incredibly generous to players on a roll. The game doesn't rely on strategy like blackjack does; it relies solely on how lucky a player is. Of course, there are certain bets you can make in baccarat that have a much higher probability of winning than others. They are banker hand, player hand, and tie bets.
Baccarat vs blackjack have notable differences in terms of game resources. In blackjack, you use blackjack odds calculators, blackjack strategy charts, and perfect blackjack strategy. In baccarat, all you need is this baccarat playing strategy guide!
How to play baccarat on mobile?
Here at 888 online casino, you are free to download and install the mobile casino app for android smartphones and tablets, or iOS devices. We have equipped our casino for iOS or android devices. Simply navigate to the casino URL from your handheld device and you'll be able to download and install the Android or iOS app. This power-packed mobile application allows you to pick your favorite baccarat games to play on the go, anywhere in New Jersey. Simply register an account, load up your games, and practice for free, or play for real. It's your call!
Can you play baccarat free online?
We thought you'd never ask! Absolutely – you can play baccarat free games online to your heart’s content. Fortunately, it's not really a game that you require a lot of practice in. You simply need to understand the structure of the game, what hands to bet on, and what payouts to expect. Once you've got your bankroll management system down, you can confidently start placing real money bets on baccarat games. Free baccarat is available to registered players (21+) on PC, Mac, and mobile, anywhere in New Jersey.