Baccarat | Getting Started

How To Play Baccarat Online

Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games. But it is not just an ordinary, boring game. It's full of intrigue and suspense. If playing Baccarat in person is fun, playing online is even more fun. It is easy to learn and has no extraordinary strategies that make the game difficult for beginners.

The name “Baccarat” comes from a French word that means “Zero.” In a game of Baccarat, all 10s, Jacks, Kings, and queens have a zero value. Additionally, when a hand totals zero, the same principle applies.

For example: after a draw, a hand shows 7 and 3. The addition makes it 10, and according to the rules, a hand of 10 is zero or “Baccarat.”

There are only three possible outcomes in a game of Baccarat:

• Player win
• Banker win
• A tie

Understanding the Game Elements

Before you play, it's good to know the elements of the game and what they're called.

There are typically seven to 14 seats for players, depending on the version of Baccarat and a dealer’s area. No matter how many players are seated, only two hands of cards are dealt: the Players and the Bankers. Players don’t get their own cards; each has his own betting area.

Points calculation in Baccarat is different from most games. For instance, a unique rule in Baccarat is that nine is the highest score, and the value of a hand can’t be higher than 9.

How Difficult Is Baccarat?

Baccarat is in no way a challenging game. In fact, it's one of the easiest betting games. Whether you are playing in a casino (offline) or online doesn't change the fact that it is an easy game. Playing online where there is little distraction from other players makes it easier.

The game is 100% luck and has nothing to do with your skills, level of expertise, or years of experience. You have to understand the rules and principles that guide the game, and you'll be good to go.

Why Is Baccarat So Popular?

Baccarat is popular because of its high odds or possibility of winning. In addition to this, Baccarat is easy to learn, simple to play, and very affordable, and players derive great pleasure from playing this game.

Baccarat is a card game based on set principles that are easy to learn and understand. The ease of the game also allows players the flexibility of schedule, as they can combine playing the game and other essential activities.

Bets are placed before the cards are distributed, and the goal of both banker and player is to reach a score of nine. The side that gets a score closer to nine wins the game, or it could be a tie bet. This makes the chances of winning high.

Another related factor is that the game has a very minimal house edge. When the bet is on the player, the minimal house edge is 1.24%. It's 1.06% when it's on the banker and 14.36% when it's the tie bet.

Baccarat is also popular because of its affordability. Many casinos allow players to wager on the game with a low contribution. The minimum stakes are standard, and some online Baccarat websites will let you play for free.

What is Considered a Winning Hand in Baccarat?

In the game of Baccarat, only two hands are dealt regardless of the number of players. One of these hands is the player's hand, while the other is the banker's. But the hand that eventually emerges as the winner is that with the number closer to 9.

The unit digit of the sum of the individual cards makes up the value of a hand; for example, a hand of 3 and 4 is 7 units. However,** a hand of 5 and 6 is 1 unit**, not 11.

A rule of thumb is that 10 must be deducted from any sum above 10—for instance, 5+6= 11.

11-10=1

The units in baccarat can only be from 0 to 9. Thus, 10 is deducted in such situations. Alternatively, when the sum is a 2-digit like 11, neglect the first digit, and state the second digit as the value of the hand, for example,1.

Here’s a little trick: Always place your bet with the banker to win the baccarat game consistently. The banker has a minimum house edge of 1.06%.

Also, most casinos charge a commission of 5% on the banker's bet, leaving you with a stake between 0.95 and 1. Some casinos might even charge less, increasing your odds of winning. Try as much as possible to avoid placing your bet on the tie bet.

What is considered a natural 9 in baccarat?

A natural is a good outcome or result; it could be one or more. It occurs mainly for players who can get the best outcome in the shortest possible time.

A natural can be 8 or 9, like when the sum of individual cards in both hands equals 8 or 9.

A natural 9 in baccarat occurs when the total unit digits of individual cards in both hands equal 9. This is the biggest winning chance a banker or player can ever have in the game.

How are Points Calculated in Baccarat?

Once you know how to calculate points or values for each card in baccarat, the game becomes easier for you, and you'll be able to make better predictions. It's part of understanding the principles of the game. Baccarat is a card game, and each game has a value of point attached to it, as you can see below:

Ace: 1 point

Cards 2 through 9: face value

King: 0 point

Queen: 0 point

Jack: 0 points.

For cards 2 through 9 with face value, it simply means the point of each card is as shown on it, e.g., card 2 has a value of 2, and card 7 has a value of 7. The only possible scores in baccarat are 0 through 9.

For sums of cards above 9, the first digit is automatically canceled, and the second and the last digit becomes the value of the cards. For example:

9 + Ace (1 point) = 0

5 + 8 = 3

5 + 5 = 0

7 + 5 = 2

In summary, pictures and tens equal zero, while numerous cards equal face value.

What are the Rules to Play Baccarat Online?

Playing Baccarat online is a straightforward task if you follow the rules. First, you must set a betting budget to enjoy this game.

Make a deliberate decision on the amount of money you're willing to spend on this game afterward:

Research the available online Baccarat platforms

• Choose a game
• Choose your stakes
• Bet on the player, banker, or tie
• Understand the payouts
• Rebet, clear bets & Double bet

There are different betting platforms with various betting options. You want to do your research and find online websites that have the specifications you want. Once you do this and discover the website of choice, you can proceed to choose a game.

This is synonymous with researching the platform; you also want to go through the list of baccarat games on the website and decide which you would prefer.

Once you do this, you'll be able to see your betting areas on the free baccarat table and the minimum and maximum stakes. Choose the chip value of your choice, then drag and drop it on the section of the table you'll like to bet on.

The next step is to bet on the blanket, player, or tie, i.e., bet on the hand with a score closer to 9. The total of the constituent card in both hands will determine the score as well discussed earlier.

In situations where the player or banker scores 8 or 9, there's no need for a "stand” drawing extra cards. However, whenever the player scores less than 5, they get a "hit" third card. Also, if the banker has 2 or less, and the player has less than 8, the banker can also receive a hit.

You can decide to bet on either hand in this game. A winning player gets a payout of 1/1 while a winning Banker receives a payout of 19/, for example, 1/1 minus a 5% commission). If your bets on both hands end in a tie, you will earn 8/1.

Once this is done and the hand is over, your winnings will be paid immediately. You can also double your bet, repeat the previous bet, or clear your chips and start again.

What are the Rules for playing Baccarat in Person?

The rules of the game Baccarat are the same: online or offline. However, unlike playing online, where you can easily access the game from the comfort of your home, you have to be physically present to play in person.

You'll also most likely be surrounded by other betters whose presence, cheering, emotions, words, and so on can influence your betting decision.

What are the Advantages of Playing Baccarat Online?

There are many advantages to playing baccarat online, some it which include:

Playing baccarat online is very convenient

You can play from anywhere in the world, your home, office, while doing other tasks such as eating, cleaning, etc.

Playing baccarat online is a form of gambling that gives you a chance to win even when you're preoccupied with other things. You only need to place your bet on the player, banker, or tie.

Like other online gambling games, you only need a stable internet connection and a mobile device or computer to access the game online.

Varieties of options to choose from

If you were to play baccarat in person, you would have to select a physical casino to play from. You can either play the baccarat they have there or leave and transport yourself to another casino if you aren't satisfied. Playing online is just the opposite of this.

You are not restricted to one or few casinos due to distance. You have varieties of websites that play baccarat to choose from.

You can also decide to exit one for another if you're unsatisfied. Going to the casino in person won't allow you this freedom. You also have multiple baccarat tables to choose from.

Detailed instructions on how to play

You can play baccarat online even if you're a beginner. Online websites usually provide detailed step-by-step guides on how to play the game, and the instructions are generally comprehensive.

Hence, you can play without a physical coach or instructor, even if it's your first time. This would help place value on your bet and increase your chances of winning as an amateur.

Online game is affordable

Most websites or online casinos allow you to play the card game for free. You are not expected to make any payment towards gambling on some websites.

However, you must be careful as some websites are scams that will lure you into making payments to play or win. You have to do your due diligence by researching the websites before playing.

Online baccarat betting is your safest bet if you don't have a tremendous amount of money to invest. It is less expensive, and you can start playing with as little as a $20 or $25 investment.

You are also more likely to get special discounts for particular events on an online gambling site. New competitors are the potential to give mouth-watering offers to get more customers; you can as well key into this. Leverage the deals as soon as they are made available.

Excellent customer service

There is competition in the baccarat world like in other businesses. In the same vein, excellent customer service is a feature of almost all online casino leverage. This competition is your advantage as you get the best customer service from websites that know their competitors could snatch you with better customer service.

To crown it all, you would get more excellent customer service from new online baccarat websites or casinos. These new ones employ more people for tech support to gain ground in the market and are more likely to reply to you in time. They are not as crowded as older ones.

If you're even the type of person who doesn't like making mistakes in front of others, or you don’t like being considered an amateur, you can gain some online experience before playing in casinos.