How To Play Online Baccarat
Move over Blackjack – when it comes to classic card games, none hold a candle to Baccarat. This game of chance has long been associated with high society, as it has been played in Europe since the 15th century.
Baccarat maintains its glamorous reputation to the present day. Thanks to movies like the James Bond series, this card game has serious sex appeal.
Want to channel your inner 007 on the virtual felt? In this guide, we’ll teach you how to play online Baccarat at a Canadian live casino.
Getting Started: The Basics of Online Baccarat
In Baccarat, your goal is to bet on the winning player (the one who makes a hand as close as possible to nine points). Will the player win, or will the banco/banker prevail? Get it right, and you win!
Baccarat Terms
Before we jump into things like gameplay, let’s define some common baccarat terms:
| Term | What It Means |
| ?? Bankroll | Money set aside for gaming purposes. |
| ?? Baccarat | Refers to both the game of baccarat and the worst hand possible (0 – baccarat means zero in Italian.) |
| ?? Banco | Refers to the banker (which in turn refers to both the bet and the dealer.) This wager pays out at 1:1, but if you win, the house will take a 5% commission from your profits. |
| ?? Commission | The banco (or banker) has better win odds than the player. So to compensate for this, the house takes a 5% fee from banco bet profits. |
| ? Draw | Taking another card to improve a baccarat hand. |
| ?? Face Card | Refers to Jacks, Queens, or Kings. Can also refer to Tens, as they have the same value as previously mentioned cards (10). |
| ?? House Edge | The advantage a gaming site has over players. Assume the house edge is 2%. If you wager $1/hand over 100 rounds, the house will (on average) make a $2 profit over that span. However, due to short-term luck, players could turn a profit over the same period. |
| ?? Natural | A hand worth 8 or 9 points – the second-best and best hands in baccarat, respectively. If the player or the banco is dealt this hand, they win the round automatically. |
| ?? Player | Refers to the baccarat wager of the same name. You are betting on the player hand to win by making this wager. This bet pays out at 1:1 (with no commission.) |
| ?? ?? Punto Banco | A popular variant of baccarat created in Argentina in the 1950s. |
| ??? ?? Stand | Refusing additional cards per game rules. |
| ?? Tie | Betting that a hand of baccarat will end in a tie (e.g. both the player and the banco score 7 points. This wager pays out at 8:1. |
Card Values
You must understand card values to understand how the casino scores a hand of baccarat.
Here is what they are worth:
Ace: 1 point (more on this below)
2-9: Face value (example: 6= 6 points)
Ten, Jack, Queen, and King: 0 points
As mentioned above, the object of Baccarat is to achieve a score as close as possible to nine. Sounds straightforward, right? Well, not exactly.
Here’s the thing: it’s impossible to go bust in Baccarat. So when a score exceeds nine (i.e. there is a double-digit score), the first digit is ignored.
For example, if the player/banco has two 5s, they have zero points, NOT ten points. Now, that doesn’t mean they have to show down a zero-point hand – in the next section, we’ll explain when the player/banco can draw a third card.
How Does a Baccarat Round Work?
A round of Baccarat starts with you placing a bet. You have three choices – the Player, the Banco (or Banker) or Tie. By placing your wager, you’re guessing which outcome will occur (player win, banco win, or a tie).
Once all players place their bets, the dealer deals two cards to the Player and the Banco. The hands are then revealed – if neither party has a winning hand, an additional third card is dealt according to Baccarat’s rules.
They are as follows:
Player:
| Score | Action |
| 0-5 | Draw |
| 6-7 | Stand |
| 8-9 | Natural – Player wins automatically |
Banco/Banker:
| Score | Action |
| 0-2 | Draw |
| 3 | Draw versus Player 0-7, 9. Stand versus Player 8. |
| 4 | Draw versus Player 2-7. Stand versus Player 0-1, 8-9. |
| 5 | Draw versus Player 4-7. Stand versus Player 0-3, 8-9. |
| 6 | Draw versus Player 6-7. Stand versus Player 0-5, 8-9. |
| 7 | Stand |
| 8-9 | Natural – Banco/Banker wins automatically |
If the outcome you wagered on happens, you win! Player bets pay out at 1:1, Banco/Banker bets at 1:1 (minus a 5% commission), and Tie bets at 8:1.
Feel Like James Bond Without Leaving Your Home
It’s easy to see why Mr. Bond loved Baccarat. Not only is it glamorous, but the rules are straightforward and there is NO strategy to memorize. By playing this game, 007 could look distinguished while studying his adversaries across the table.
You might not be tasked with saving the world. But if you’re looking for an easy-to-understand table game to wager on, Baccarat could be for you. If you’re new to Baccarat, we have a dedicated pages on Baccarat Rules for Beginners, or if you are ready to dive in check out our list of the best online Live Baccarat sites.
