Recently updated on March 25th, 2022 at 09:53 pm
How to Play & Free Baccarat Game To Practice on
Baccarat is an exciting card-comparing game portrayed as elegant and formal in movies, especially in James Bond films. The game is full of suspense and intrigue. What’s more? It’s easy to learn and play, making it suitable for new players. Playing this card game is simple as wagering on a coin toss. It is also one of the casino games with the lowest house edge and great odds.
In this article, we’ll take a close look at baccarat games rules, how to play the card game, and tips on playing this game on land-based, online casinos and live dealer casinos. You will also be able to practice free online baccarat at the end of this article.
Best Online Casinos to Play Real Money Baccarat:
Jackpot City
Lucky Nugget
Baccarat Game Rules
Dating back to the mid 19th century, Baccarat is a casino game that doesn’t require technical skills to play. To get the ball rolling with Baccarat, you only need to place your bets on either the three hands: the Banker, the Player, or a Tie. A Tie means you’ve wagered the outcome of the next coup between the Player and the Banker to be a stand-off. Essentially, the objective of this game is to wager on the hand you think will be equal to or close to 9.
See how an Online Casino Baccarat Table looks like:
Before the game starts, the croupier will shuffle 6 to 8 decks of playing cards and then burn 3-6 cards. The croupier will then deal two cards on the Banker and the Player’s hands. The dealer will slide a card out from the shoe and place it in the Player’s box, ensuring it’s facing up. They will then draw the next card and put it on the Banker’s box on the felt table.
The dealer will then draw the second Player card followed by another Banker card. The croupier’s first round of play consists of two cards for the Banker and the Player.
Rules for Standing or Drawing Cards
These rules can be broken as follows:
Situation 1: If the Player’s points range between 0 and 5, the Player will have to draw another card; however, if the points range from 6 to 7, the Player must stand.
Situation 2: If the Player draws a card, the Banker must either stand or draw according to the third card’s value. Keep in mind that the Banker must draw on totals of 0 to 2, except when the Player has a natural.
Situation 3: If the Player stands, the Banker’s hand will have to follow the same rules that apply to the Player: The Banker will draw on points that total 0 to 5 and stand on points that add up to 6 or 7.
What Is a Natural Win in Baccarat?
A natural win occurs when the total points of the first two cards the croupier deals on the Banker or the Player is 8 or 9. When this happens, the dealer won’t draw any additional cards.
If both the Banker and the Player have naturals, the hand with a higher ‘natural’ wins. For instance, a nine versus an eight. If both hands have naturals with equal points, then it’s a tie.
How to Wager on Baccarat
In the game, face cards and 10s are worth zero, while Ace is worth one. All the other cards — 2 through 9 — are worth the face value. Any hand with points higher than nine will result in the score being adjusted. That means ten points will be subtracted from the original total.
For instance, a hand of 8 and 6 is 14-10. Neither the player nor the dealer can decide if a third card will be drawn. Also, the dealer cannot draw more than three cards in any event.
If you bet on the Player or the Banker and your hand wins, you’ll get a payout of 1:1. Keep in mind that the house edge is 1.24% if you wager on the Player. The house edge for players who wager on the Banker is 1.06, including a 5% commission.
Players who bet on a Tie will receive a payout of either 8:1 or 9:1, depending on the casino. The house edge for players who bet on a Tie is 14.63%.
Tips for Playing Baccarat
When playing Baccarat, there are several things that you need to keep in mind. They include:
Avoid Wagering on the Tie Bet
With a house edge of 14.63%, the Tie bet is the worst option you can go for when playing Baccarat. If you make 200 bets on a Tie at $10 per bet, you’ll risk $2000. That means your expected loss on the 200 bets you made is $287.20 (14.36% X $2000).
The Banker Is the Best Bet To Make
Your probability of winning if you place your bet on the Banker is slightly over 50 percent. The RTP (Return to Player) of Banker bets is a whopping 98.94%. Therefore, this makes it the best bet in Baccarat. That’s why casinos charge a 5% commission on the Banker to reduce the advantages of this bet. If you make 200 bets at $10 per hand, your expected loss will be only $21.20.
Keep Wagering on the Banker Until It Loses
Betting with the Banker is the simplest and safest Baccarat strategy. If you’re on a winning streak, you can implement a progressive betting style but avoid being over-aggressive.
Don’t Bet on the Next Hand When the Banker Losses
When you are on a winning streak, and the Banker loses, avoid betting on the outcome of the next round of play. You can wait for the next baccarat coup and then continue wagering on the hand that won.
Discount Tie Bets
Ignore Tie bets and assume they never happened. When calculating your Banker/Player wins, remember that a Tie bet is just a drawn game that does not have a loser or a winner.
Manage Your Bankroll Wisely
Bankroll management is crucial when playing Baccarat. Control your expenditures by dividing your bankroll. Start by deciding on your bankroll amount to ensure that you can only play with money you can afford to lose.
Additionally, you should practice good stake management by monitoring your outlay. You can stake ten units for each bet with a 200-unit limit per gaming session. Then you can follow this by taking a complete break.
Set Your Winning Goal
Essentially, this will allow you to quit while you’re still ahead. Doing this will help you control your playing time, thereby decreasing your probability of losing money. But remember that the total amount you decide to set as your winning goal will determine the number of your winning sessions. For this reason, you might want to set 50% of your budget.
Do Not Chase Your Losses
When playing Baccarat, keep in mind that your goal is to have fun. As such, it is good to accept when you lose. Do not continue playing to win the money you have lost because the odds are not on your side. You cannot win all the sessions you play. Don’t get carried away when you lose and start chasing losses. If you are having a bad day, walk away and try another day.
Baccarat Etiquette
Now that you are ready to play this exciting card game, here are some principles you should expect from most Baccarat games.
- There are different types of Baccarat available. So you should know which game you are about to join and its relevant rules before you decide to play.
- Never touch your chips after placing your bet, as this could be considered an attempt to cheat.
- Do not join a Baccarat table when the game is going on. If the other players invite you to sit, don’t try to place your bet or engage with the dealer and other players until the round is over.
- If one of the players calls for Support or the entire table places their bets on the Player or the Banker, you might want to also wager on the same side. Not only is this considered good etiquette, but it also creates a great atmosphere around the table.
- Sometimes people not sitting at the table might ask you to place their chips on your section; this is known as back betting. If you are sitting at the table, you can place the bet on their behalf.
- When you finish playing, do not forget to cover the commission, as this can be so embarrassing.
- The dealer is there to help you. So if you are new to this card game and have questions that you would like to ask them, feel free to do so. You can ask about the game rules and how the points are calculated.
Final Thoughts on Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game that you can also play at online casinos, baccarat has three main betting options. However, some Baccarat games offer a side bet. If you are new to Baccarat, this article will help you in the decision-making process.
Remember that the best bet to make in Baccarat is the Banker, as it has the lowest house edge and an impressive RTP. Take your time with breaks when playing this table game. In turn, you will get more playing time and have a whale of a time.
