A Comprehensive Guide to Baccarat Online
Among the plenty of casino games, Baccarat is one of our favorite. Why, you ask? Because of its simplicity! The game is so simple that someone who never played it ever in their life can play and win!
However, it doesn’t mean one should do it. This is why we’ve created this guide on Baccarat casino online. Although you don’t need this kind of knowledge to play Baccarat online or offline, you should have it for transparency purposes. Throughout, we’re going to cover all the things you need to know about the game, the payouts, the strategies, and tips from our experts. Let’s go.
Best Casinos to Play Baccarat for Real Money
Before you delve yourself into the simple yet complicated world of Baccarat US online, we think you’d want to have some Baccarat casinos in hand. The ones you see on this list are the result of hours of research from our experts. Enjoy.
Ohio, United States
Connecticut, United States 
Michigan, United States 
New Jersey, United States 
Pennsylvania, United States 
West Virginia, United States 
Goal of Baccarat
If you’re familiar with Blackjack, you know that the goal of the game is to reach 21 without going over it. For Baccarat, a somewhat similar rule is followed. You can go up to 9. But you don’t lose immediately if you do go over. The game goes on by deducing the necessary number from your hand and the game goes on.
The ultimate goal in the game is to have the highest hand. You’re not playing against the casino or the other players in this case. You’re playing against yourself. How well you can judge is going to determine the outcome of the hand ultimately.
If you get a 9, that’s a natural hand and you win automatically. Interestingly, 8 is also called a “natural”, giving you a little more odds of winning. We’re going to go into the details of hand values and the flow of the game in an upcoming section. So, stay tuned.
Another interesting aspect of the game is its name. “Baccarat” is an Italian term that means zero in English. This is because all the high-value cards that we generally want are all valued at zero in this game.
Types of Online Baccarat
When it comes to Baccarat US online, there are 2 main types. In fact, it’s true for all of the table games we can play in the iGaming industry. The RNG type and the live dealer type.
RNG Baccarat Online
If you’ve read our previous guides, you may already know that RNG stands for Random Number Generator. It’s an algorithm that keeps the game going by generating random strings of numbers. For Baccarat, the numbers are then translated into hand values with the cards.
In RNG Baccarat US online, there are no human dealers. Also, there are no other players with you. You get to play this one-on-one, anytime you like. The payouts are identical to both land-based and live dealer ones so you’re not leaving anything on the table.
Live Dealer Baccarat
A live dealer game is where you get a human croupier to conduct the game. In recent times, the live dealer games have made quite a buzz thanks to their seamless performance across all devices. For the Baccarat lovers out there, developers have created lots of live dealer titles as well.
In a live Baccarat game, you’ll see a dealer on your screen. You get to place your bet on the “console”, which is basically the set of buttons on your screen. There are only 3 in this case. The Player, the Banker, and the Tie. According to your input, the dealer will draw the cards.
Then, whatever the outcome of the game is, you’re going to see it on your screen in real-time, all thanks to OCR. OCR is the Optical Character Recognition technology that translates real-life movements into game data. This has been quintessential to the success of the live dealer industry.
Other games like live roulette, live blackjack, live craps, and live poker also uses the same technology. We don’t see this paradigm changing for Baccarat online free or paid anytime soon. Unless, of course, there’s a new and better technology.
Demo Game
The best way to understand a game is to play it. So, here’s a demo version of Baccarat US online for you. When you play, a lot of questions will pop into your mind regarding what’s happening and why are they happening. And it’s our job to answer your questions.
Baccarat Basic Rules
All of the table games in online or offline Baccarat casinos follow a set of rules. Whether you know about them or not, they’re always there. Baccarat online free or paid is one of those games where you can get away without knowing the rules.
However, we don’t condone it in any way. Not knowing the rules means you’re exposing yourself to the risk of fraudulent game outcomes. Although it’s not an issue as long as you stick to our recommended list of casinos, you never know when the knowledge may come in handy.
Order of Play
The order or the flow of any table game is going to make the biggest difference. When you can and cannot place bets is an important distinction if you don’t want to be made fun of in a live dealer lobby.
So, there are 3 sections on the table where you can place your chips (both virtual and real ones). The “Player”, the “Banker”, and “Tie”. We know what you’re thinking. And you’re thinking wrong. “You” are not the player and the “dealer” is not the Banker. Rather, these are just 2 outcomes of the game that you can bet on.
If you place your money on “Player” and it has the higher hand, you win. If not, you lose. The same theory goes for the Banker bet.
The game starts with players placing their bets. The dealer will call off all bets once everyone is done. In an RNG title, there are no other players so it’s a pretty quick process. It can take a few minutes in the live dealer game.
Once all bets are called off, the dealer starts drawing cards. 1 for the Player bet and 1 for the Banker bet. The same process is repeated again. The 2 initial cards determine the initial card value.
From there one, it’ll depend on what combination of cards has been dealt for both hands to determine whether a 3rd card is necessary or not. If either of the hands gets an 8 or a 9, the 3rd card is not drawn.
Card Values
This is a very crucial part of understanding the hand values so pay close attention.
You already know that the high-value cards we know of are all considered 0 in this game. So, that would be 10, Jacks, Queens, and Kings. The Ace, on the other hand, is valued at 1. The remaining cards, as in cards from 2 to 9 are valued at their face value.
You also know that the goal is to reach an 8 or a 9. But what if your hand gets an 8 and a 5? That’s a 13, right? Well, not in Baccarat. Any hand value that goes over 9 will get 10 deducted from it. Or, the first number removed. So, when you get 13, you essentially get a 3. And that’s why drawing the 3rd card is often necessary.
Baccarat 3rd Card Rule
The 3rd card rule is where things get complicated with online Baccarat. Thankfully, you don’t need to do the calculations yourself. The dealers are very efficient at what they do and they know exactly when to draw the 3rd card and for what hand. And for RNG titles, it’s a computer-generated process so the calculations are instantaneous.
Let’s look at when the 3rd card is drawn anyways.
| Banker’s Hand | Player’s Third Card Rule | Additional Rules for Player | Additional Rules for Banker |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Player hand must draw a 3rd card if the Banker hand is 0. | If the initial 2 cards are between 0 and 5, a 3rd card is drawn. | If the player hand draws 2 or 3 as the 3rd card, the Banker draws too. |
| 1 | Player hand must draw a 3rd card if the Banker hand is 1. | If the initial 2 cards are between 8 and 9, no 3rd card is drawn. | If the player hand draws 2 or 3 as the 3rd card, the Banker draws too. |
| 2 | Player hand must draw a 3rd card if the Banker hand is 2. | If the player hand draws 2 or 3 as the 3rd card, the Banker draws too. | |
| 3 | Player hand must draw a 3rd card if the Banker hand is 3. Only when player hand is 8, no 3rd card is drawn. | If the player hand draws 2 or 3 as the 3rd card, the Banker draws too. | |
| 4 | If Player hand is 1, 2, 8, or 9, no 3rd card is drawn. For all other hand values, the card is drawn. | If the player hand draws 2 or 3 as the 3rd card, the Banker draws too. | |
| 5 | If Player hand is 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, or 9, no 3rd card is drawn. For all other hand values, the card is drawn. | If the player draws a 4 or 5 as the 3rd card and the Banker hand is between 0 and 5, it draws. | |
| 6 | The 3rd card is drawn only when the Player hand is 6 or 7. | Dealer stands on 6 and 7. | |
| 7 | No 3rd card is drawn regardless of the Player hand. | Dealer stands on 6 and 7. |
Baccarat Odds and Payouts
Now that you know when the 3rd card is drawn, we know you’re feeling a little intimidated. Then again, as long as you’re playing at a reputed online Baccarat casino from our recommended list in the US, you can rest assured that the dealer will fairly distribute the winnings.
However, we haven’t covered the odds and payouts in the game just yet. There are only 3 outcomes in the game. So, it’s not very hard to keep in mind.
| Hand | Odds of Winning | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Player | 45.8% | 0.95 to 1 |
| Banker | 44.6% | 1 to 1 |
| Tie | 9.6% | 8 to 1 |
An important thing to note here is that if you place your money on the Banker hand, you’ll have to pay 5% in commission. Hence, the payout is 0.95 to 1. It also has a higher probability of winning thanks to the house edge. For the Player hand, there is no commission so you get to keep the whole amount.
For the tie, the payout is the highest. But as you can see, it has the lowest probability of winning. We always recommend our readers to not place money on the tie bet because you’re more likely to lose than win.
One of the main reasons for the popularity of Baccarat game might be the simplicity but that’s not all. It also has one of the lowest house edges of all casino games. 1.06% to be precise. So, you get a whopping 98.04% RTP.
Baccarat Game Variations
Pretty much all the table games have got multiple variants after they became available online. It’s an initiative by both the software providers and the casino platforms to stand out from the competition. Even a simple game of Baccarat got many variants too! Here are the most popular ones you can find in the US.
Punto Banco
Originated in Italy, Punto Banco is very similar to classic Baccarat. The only exception is that the players play against the dealer. The goal is to get a hand that goes close to 9 without going over and it must be higher than the Banker’s hand.
In this context, you can think of the Banker hand as the dealer/casino. Then again, you can place your money on Banker hand too. The rest of the rules are the same as the classic Baccarat. You get the same payouts and must pay the same commission for the Banker hand.
Chemin De Fer
This is supposedly the oldest format of Baccarat game recorded by historians. Especially during the French Napoleonic era, Chemin de Fer was played widely all over the country. It also happens to be one of the most famous versions of the game in our time.
In this version too, you can either bet on the Player or the Banker hand. However, you can’t stick to one for bets after bets. Rather, all participating players rotate being the Banker clockwise, starting from the player right of the dealer.
Before each hand, the dealer places a bet on the table and players may call “Banco” to go against the Banker. If no players call it and the original Player bet is not equal to the Banker’s bet, the Banker must increase or decrease it to match the player’s bet.
It might sound like a lot but just like the remaining versions of the game, the dealer will do the calculations for you.
European Baccarat
European Baccarat is basically the Baccarat game we’ve discussed in our guide. It has all the rules we’ve covered. It allows both 8 and 9 to be winners automatically. It’s something some of the other variants don’t permit.
Mini Baccarat
Well, Mini Baccarat game is also a popular variant of the game, usually played with 6 to 8 decks. In this case, the dealer always handles the cards. Well, technically, all online Baccarat games are Mini Baccarat as the players don’t get the chance to touch the cards anyways.
Baccarat Strategies
The idea behind any kind of strategy is to get the odds in your favour. Although there is not much you can do in this context, there are certain elements that you can manipulate in your favour.
| Strategy | What is Means | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Trend Switch Combat | If you haven’t heard of this one yet, it’s because you need to know the trends in Baccarat first. The ZigZag Zone and the Streaky Bankers & players to be precise. If you lose in one trend more than twice, you switch to the other one. | You can profit from both trends if you manage to jump from one to the other at the right time. You also get to maintain your bankroll as you see fit | You must know about the ZigZag Zone and the Streaky Bankers & Players trends beforehand. So, it’s not really suitable for new Baccarat US online players. |
| Breaking the Doubles | In most cases, Baccarat card shoes are dominated by B/P zigzagged and PP BB double outcomes. So, when you bet with the B P B P B P B P pattern, you can rack up quite the winnings. The key is to reset the trigger when it’s time. | You can switch the shoe if you’re seeing profits halfway through. If you do, stick to the pattern. If not, you’re free to change your strategy | This is a very advanced strategy as well. You need a lot of previous knowledge of how the basic strategies work. |
| One Sided Baccarat Strategy | This is the simplest one yet. You just pick one side in the game and stick to it. The idea is that one hand cannot win every single shoe. At the same time, it cannot lose every single shoe. So, if you “Stand Your Ground”, you’re eventually going to win. | Players of all skill levels can utilize this strategy. You don’t need to go into the complex math of how this strategy works. | At the end of the day, there’s no guarantee that you’ll come out with a profit. It’ll depend on how long you play and how many times you win. |
Tips on How to Win at Baccarat Game
We believe we’ve established a connection through this Baccarat online US guide. Don’t you think? So, before we part ways, our experts have decided to share a few tips with you.
- Bet with the Banker: Although you have to pay a 5% commission every time you win, the experts suggest betting on the Banker hand. Considering the probability of all the outcomes in the game, Banker has the highest likelihood of winning.
- Never Tie: As we said earlier, don’t bet on the tie. You might be thinking about the higher payout. But think of the frequency first.
- Bankroll Management: It’s always ideal to manage your bankroll with a progressive system. Negative or positive, choose one that works best for you.
FAQ
Baccarat Glossary
- Banco: It simply refers to the bank or the Banker
- Dealer: The person who handles the cards
- Face Cards: Jacks, Queens, and Kings from the deck
- La Grande: The best hand in Baccarat (9)
- Pass: Not drawing a 3rd card
- Punto: The Player
- Tie: When both Banker and Player have same hand value
0 Players reviews