This guide contains all you need to know about baccarat, also known as Punto Banco. It’s the most played card game in Asia, and it’s spreading around the world like wildfire thanks to online casinos.
You’ll learn how to play baccarat, the rules of the game, some tips and tricks to win more often, and some baccarat strategies. When you’ve read this page from start to finish, you’ll be fully equipped to play baccarat online.
How to Play Baccarat For Beginners
Baccarat is as simple as any other card game you could play. In fact, you don’t really play baccarat per se. Instead, you bet on the outcome, and the dealer does all the work. Let us explain.
You’ll bet on either the player or the banker. Your job is to predict who will win. You can also bet on a tie, but it’s not advisable. We’ll get into that later.
The dealer will then deal the cards face up. The player will get two cards, and so will the banker. Whichever hand is closest to nine wins.
If you bet on the player, you’ll double up if you win. If you bet on the banker, the house takes a 5% commission, so you’ll win 95% of what you staked. If you bet on a tie and win, it pays 8-1.
If you have a hand worth greater than nine, the first digit is dropped to get the value. For example, if your hand is worth 12, you drop the first digit (one), meaning your hand is worth two.
That’s it. Baccarat is simple and fast-paced. Bets are settled instantly, and a new round of betting begins right away.
Baccarat Rules
Certain scenarios can happen in baccarat which require a set of rules to guide players. Memorize the following baccarat rules before you play. You don’t have to, but it will help you understand what’s going on at all times.
- If either party is dealt a total of eight or nine, both stand. No further cards will be dealt.
- If the player’s total hand value is worth less than five, he will receive another card. Otherwise, the player will always stand.
- If the player stands and the banker’s hand value is worth five or less, the banker hits. This means he gets another card.
That’s not too many rules to remember, right? These rules are all carried out by the dealer, so you don’t technically have to know them. However, it may be confusing if either the player or the banker receives a third card in some scenarios and not others. These rules will help you figure out why.
Key Concepts of Casino Baccarat
As well as the baccarat rules above, it will be helpful if you understand the following baccarat concepts.
Hand Values: Number cards (two to nine) all have their numerical face value. 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings have a value of zero. Aces are always worth one. Memorize these values ASAP.
Hit: This is a term which means either the player or banker receives another card. When this happens depends on the baccarat rules. It’s automatically executed by the dealer.
Stand: This is the opposite of hit. Depending on the player or banker’s hand values, they will not receive any other cards.
Baccarat: Yes, it’s the name of the game, but it’s also the worst hand you can get. Baccarat means zero, and a hand can be worth zero. For example, two 10s or a 10 and a King would be worth zero.
Commission: When you bet on the banker, the house takes a 5% commission when you win. For example, if you win $10, you’ll pay a $0.50 tribute to the house.
If you understand these concepts as well as the rules of baccarat and order of gameplay mentioned in the sections above, then you fully understand the game. Of course, nothing will teach you quite like learning by doing. Why not play baccarat now?
Baccarat Variants
There are a few different variants of baccarat. The rules and payouts are the same, but they have some differences.
Mini-Baccarat
In a real-world casino, mini-baccarat involves fewer players and only one dealer/croupier. Online, it’s characterized by the fact that you can bet pennies. You could call this penny baccarat, and it would be accurate.
Punto Banco
This is the most common version of baccarat. You’ll find it in most American and European casinos as well as online. Up to 14 players can bet at once. Players are called Punto, and the banker is called Banco. Everything is done automatically by the dealer. All you have to do is place your bets and wait for the outcome.
Chemin de Fer
This is a rare variant of baccarat which is not found online. Players are much more actively involved. You get a chance to be the dealer, can actively help to draw cards, and more. It’s the original French baccarat game and is found in some French casinos today.
Live Dealer Baccarat
This baccarat game is played with a real dealer through a video link. The dealers are based in real casinos and game studios. You can play with them from the comfort of home. Typically, the minimum stakes are higher. Lots of players prefer to play with live dealers over a digital baccarat game.
Baccarat Tips, Tricks, and Strategies
As one of the simplest games in the casino, and largely being out of your control, there aren’t lots of complex baccarat strategies and charts. Instead, these baccarat tips are down to knowledge of the game and different betting strategies.
(1) Understand Baccarat Odds – Understanding the chances of the different baccarat outcomes is a great start. The banker will win 54.4% of the time. The player will win 44.6% of the time. This is why the casino takes a commission on the banker bet. As for ties, they will occur 9.53% of the time. When they do occur, they will pay 8-1.
(2) Play Low Stakes Baccarat First – Before you start betting high stakes, it’s worth playing some penny baccarat first. If you read the guide above, you’ll know this means mini-baccarat. These games sometimes accept bets as small as $0.01. Once you’re familiar with the rules and how the game is played, you can move on to high stakes baccarat.
(3) Don’t Look for Baccarat Patterns – Lots of players obsessively keep track of previous baccarat results to figure out what’s going to happen next. We’re not going to say there’s nothing to this, because lots of people believe there is. However, you can’t ultimately beat the odds. Winning baccarat involves getting lucky and managing your bankroll effectively.
(4) Claim Baccarat Welcome Bonus Offers – We’ve reviewed several baccarat casinos which offer welcome bonuses. Some of these don’t require a deposit. Take as many of these as you can get your hands on. They are the only legit way to play real money baccarat for free.
(5) Get Into House Money ASAP – Some players believe that you should never bet more than 1% of your bankroll on one bet. That’s wise, but the game odds will beat you eventually. Others believe that you should bet your entire bankroll on one “player” bet, double up, and immediately withdraw your own money. Let’s say you bet $100 and win; you’ll then have $200, and should withdraw your original $100. Now you’re playing with house money and effectively can’t lose. We won’t say we agree with this baccarat strategy, but it’s certainly worth trying from time to time.
Now you know all of the important things about casino baccarat, why not play for real money? Check out one of our baccarat casinos now.
