If you want to learn how to play baccarat online, then you are on the right page. Here at VideoSlotsGames, we will help you understand the basics of this super entertaining casino game. We’ll do that by revealing how the game works, its rules, payouts, house edge, and much more. Once you learn all of that, you can use our list of top baccarat casinos to begin your gaming journey.
The Best Baccarat Casinos
Many online casinos are including baccarat in their offer, as this table game is super popular on the market. But, this makes it super hard for a player to find a good casino where they can enjoy this game.
To help you out with this task, we’ve decided to reveal the best baccarat casinos in the iGaming industry. Our team of experts from VideoSlotsGames have carefully selected each of them, after examining numerous online casinos. Without further ado, here are the top baccarat casinos that you should check out.
What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat is a card game that many players enjoy at casinos all around the world. After the appearance of online casinos, it quickly managed to find its way onto these revolutionizing gaming platforms.
Now, baccarat is a type of comparing card game played between two hands known as the “banker” and the “player”. Every baccarat round has three possible outcomes, which are the following:
- The banker wins
- The player wins
- A tie
However, you as a player, don’t necessarily depend on the player’s hand. In baccarat, you can choose to place a bet on either one of the three possible outcomes. Certain side bets are also in play in some variants of the game.
We should mention that baccarat is strictly a game of chance where strategies can do very little in your favour. You will notice that the gameplay is much faster than most table games.
Baccarat Rules
The rules of baccarat are very simple that you can easily learn in no time. This goes for both, experienced casino players as well as beginners. A game of baccarat uses 6 or 8 standard 52-card decks, depending on the game variant. All cards come from a dealing shoe, which is visible on the table for all players to see.
Between 7 and 14 players can sit on a baccarat table, once again depending on the version of the game. Yet, the number of players is irrelevant as only two hands are in play here.
All players place individual bets on the outcome of each round. So, they don’t get their own cards and they don’t play against each other. As we mentioned earlier, in a game of baccarat, you can bet on the banker, player, or a tie. But, you must decide on the type of bet before the round begins.
After the betting period ends, the dealer hands out two cards to the banker and two cards to the player. Here, we should mention that the cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value. Cards from 10 to K don’t have a value as they are worth 0. Lastly, we calculate the Ace as one.
Now, a winning hand in baccarat is the one that features the highest points. The biggest point value in this game is 9. To get to the hand value, you will need to add up the card values of each hand.
There is a very important rule that applies here. When adding up the points, you will only take the second digit of a double-digit number. For instance, if the sum of the two cards is 12, then the hand will feature only 2 points.
Additional Rules
If the player’s hand has a value of 5 or lower, then the dealer must hand out a third card. But, as the player’s hand gets a third card, the banker’s hand must follow some unique rules.
They concern the additional card the player’s hand gets and the total value of the banker’s hand. In the table below, we will reveal when the dealer gets a third card and when it stands at two cards.
| Banker’s Hand Value | Player’s 3rd Card | Decision |
| 9 | Any | Stand |
| 8 | Any | Stand |
| 7 | Any | Stand |
| 6 | 6, 7 | Draw Card |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, 7 | Draw Card |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Draw Card |
| 3 | Any Card Apart From 8 | Draw Card |
| 0, 1, 2 | Any Card | Draw Card |
In a game of baccarat, there is a term called “natural” win. This applies when either the banker or player gets a hand value of 8 or 9. When this happens, the round comes to an end and the winners collect their payouts. The game ends even if the player’s hand features a value below 5.
We must also mention that the banker bet usually comes with a 5% commission. This applies only if you wager on the banker bet and end up winning. However, at some online casinos, you can come across a baccarat variant that doesn’t feature any commission.
How to Play Baccarat?
Now that you know the basics of baccarat, it’s time to show you how to play this fun casino game. For this purpose, we’ve decided to provide a step-by-step guide, which is the easiest way for you to understand. Here’s how you can start playing baccarat at an online casino:
- Find an online casino that offers baccarat: We recommend you choose a casino from the ones listed on this page. All of them are safe and secure for online gaming and they feature at least one baccarat variant.
- Register and verify a casino account: Create an account at the online casino that you choose. You will also need to verify your account so you can withdraw any winnings you collect from playing baccarat.
- Deposit some funds: You will need to deposit some funds so you can play with real money. You can even apply for a welcome bonus and use the extra money to play baccarat.
- Access a baccarat game and choose a bet amount: Enter the casino’s game library and select a baccarat variant that you like. Then choose a stake that best suits your budget.
- Choose a bet type: Decide whether to bet on the banker, the player, or a tie. Remember to make a decision before the betting period ends.
- Check the result: If your bet is on the hand with a bigger value, then you will win the round. The winning hand is the one closest to 9.
The House Edge in Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the best casino games when it comes to the house edge percentage. This makes it a super attractive game, which is why many online casinos make sure to include it in their offer. In case you don’t know, the house edge indicates the advantage a casino has in the game.
You should know that the house edge on baccarat goes between 1.06% and 1.24%. Now, this range of percentage depends on the type of bet you use in the game. Here are the house edge percentages for all main bets in baccarat:
- Banker Bet: 1.06% house edge
- Player Bet: 1.24% house edge
- Tie Bet: 14.36% house edge
As you can read from above, the banker bet comes with a very low house edge. That is the main reason why many casinos attach a 5% commission on this type of wager.
The tie bet, on the other hand, comes with a very high house edge. Because of that, many players decide to avoid it altogether. However, further down in our VideoSlotsGames guide, you will read how rewarding this bet can be.
The Payouts That You Can Collect in Baccarat
While you enjoy a game of baccarat, you can end up making a solid profit, if luck is on your side. However, the amount you win comes as a result of the bet types you use and the amount you wager. It goes without saying that the bigger the stake, the bigger your potential win.
Now, each bet type offers a different payout and odds for winning. In the table below, we will reveal this information, as they are very important to know.
| Type of Bet | Payout | Odds for Winning |
| Banker Bet | 0.95:1 | 45.86% |
| Player Bet | 1:1 | 44.62% |
| Tie Bet | 8:1 | 9.52% |
The data shows that the banker’s bet has the highest percentage of winning. This is another reason why casinos include a 5% commission on this type of wager. If we take the tie bet out of the equation, the banker hand will win 51% of the time.
We must note that the baccarat variant that doesn’t charge a commission has a different payout on the banker bet. In these games, the banker bet pays 1:1, the same as the player bet.
Side Bets in Baccarat
Apart from the main three types of bets, in some baccarat variants, you can place money on several side bets. Each of them lets you wager on different things apart from the outcome of the game. Here are the most common side bets that you may use in a baccarat game:
- Banker Pair Side Bet: wagering that the first two cards in the banker’s hand are a pair
- Player Pair Side Bet: betting on the player’s hand to feature a pair as its first two cards
- Small Side Bet: a bet that lets you wager on the total number of dealt cards being 4
- Big Side Bet: betting that the total number of cards in a game of baccarat is 5 or 6
- Either Pair Side Bet: a type of bet that pays when either the banker or the player’s hand gets a pair as their first two cards
- Perfect Pair Side Bet: wagering that two identical cards (suit and value) appear as the first cards in the banker or player’s hand
In the table below, you will find the payouts, odds, and house edges of all side bets that we mentioned.
| Side Bet | Payout | Odds of Winning | House Edge |
| Banker Pair | 11:1 | 7.47% | 10.36% |
| Player Pair | 11:1 | 7.47% | 10.36% |
| Small | 3:2 | 37.80% | 5.27% |
| Big | 2:1 | 31.80% | 4.35% |
| Either Pair | 5:1 | 14.20% | 13.71% |
| Perfect Pair | 25:1 | 3.34% | 13.03% |
Baccarat Variants
At the online casinos, you will come across several versions of baccarat. All of them follow the same basic playing rules, but they do feature certain differences. We will cover all popular baccarat variants so you know what each of them offers. Here’s what you need to know.
Punto Banco
We start off with the most popular baccarat variant, which is Punto Banco. You can find this type of game at the biggest land-based casinos in the USA, Macau, Canada, etc. Many casinos will even label their baccarat tables as Punto Banco.
Most baccarat games are actually Punto Banco versions unless specified otherwise. In this variant, the casino is responsible for playing out the cards according to a fixed dealing table. It uses 6 or 8 decks of cards for the round, where the dealer burns the first card before dealing the 4 main cards.
Players get to choose to bet on Punto (Player), Banco (Banker), or a tie. There is a 5% commission if you place a bet on the banker and end up winning.
If the banker or player’s hand gets a total value of 8 or 9, then the round comes to an end. On the other hand, if neither hand features such values, then the drawing rules come into play.
They will determine whether the player should get a third card. Then, according to the card and the banker’s hand value, the banker may also receive an additional card.
Chemin de fer
Next, we have Chemin de fer, a baccarat variant that originates from France. It dates back to the 19th century when casino gambling started getting more and more popular.
Chemin de fer uses 6 standard decks of cards where players enjoy the game on a round or oval table. The game begins with the first player, who acts as both, the banker and the dealer. This player also sets the initial betting amount for the round.
When the round comes to an end, the other players go in a counterclockwise order. They need to announce whether they want to “go bank” and play against the banker.
After a player “goes bank” a places a stake, the other players are also free to add more wagers. This is in place as long as they don’t exceed the banker’s initial bet.
Then, the banker deals two cards to himself and two to the player’s side. If one of the hands features a value of 8 or 9, then a comparison occurs that will determine the winner. But, if that’s not the case, then the player and the banker can choose to accept or deny a third card.
When the dealing stops, the banker and the player reveal their cards and the one with the highest value wins. As new rounds begin, the banker can make a decision to withdraw and allow another player to act as the banker.
Baccarat Banque
Another well-known baccarat variant is the Baccarat Banque. In this type of game, the players are betting against the banker instead of each other. Here, different players may take the banker role, just like in the previous version that we mentioned.
However, the casino is the one that always has a stake in this variant. This means that the players don’t take any additional risk while playing as the banker.
The player who acts as the banker is the one who makes the largest wagers in the game. A game of Baccarat Banque uses 3 standard decks of cards. The player and the banker receive two cards each, as usual. However, in Deux Tableaux, three hands are in play, two players and one banker,
Players will receive an additional card if their hand value is below 4. Because this game features an additional hand, the players cannot bet on a tie. Instead, they can wager on the banker’s hand or both players’ hands.
The payouts in the Baccarat Banque are the same as the standard Baccarat game. A player’s hand pays 1:1 while the banker pays 0.95:1, with a 5% house edge.
Macao
Macao is yet another version of baccarat that you can find at land-based or online casinos. This variant is very similar to Punto Banco, differentiating only in a few details.
Here, all players are playing against the banker. The main objective is to get a hand value as close as possible to 9 in just 2 or 3 cards. But, the players can only wager on the player’s hand to win the round. So, the banker’s hand is out of the equation when choosing a bet.
In Macao, the players can go bust and end the game if their hand value exceeds 9. This is another crucial difference from the main rules. In other variants, you get to use the second digit on a double digit number, as your hand value.
At the casinos, a game of Macao uses 2 standard decks of cards. The players will take turns acting as the banker, determined in a clockwise order around the table.
Here, a natural 9 win will get you a payout of 3:2 while a natural 8 win pays 2:1. As for the other types of wins, they pay out 1:1.
Tips for Playing Baccarat
If you are new to baccarat, then you may struggle in the beginning. So, as a way to help you master the game much quicker, we’ve decided to give you a few useful tips. Here’s what we think you should know about playing baccarat:
- Practice in demo mode: before you begin wagering with real money, we advise you to try out a demo version of baccarat. This allows you to see how the game really works without spending any of your own money.
- Set a budget and stick to it: make sure to set a limit on how much money you are willing to spend. You should do this before each gaming session on Baccarat. Also, make sure to stick to the limit as you might end up losing a lot of money.
- Don’t rush: baccarat features very fast gameplay that can make you play multiple rounds in under a minute. This can easily result in addiction and money loss if you’re not careful.
- Don’t bet on streaks: baccarat is a game of pure chance and betting on streaks or even past hands doesn’t seem logical. Such plays won’t give you an advantage as the cards don’t know what occurred previously.
- Find a baccarat version without a commission: there are plenty of baccarat variants at online casinos, so why should you stick to the one charging a 5% commission? Explore which versions of baccarat don’t come with any commission and begin your gaming journey.
- Avoid the tie bet: this type of bet comes with the best payout out of the 3 main bets. However, it also features the worst winning odds. It means that this outcome doesn’t occur very often.
- Bet on the banker: the banker bet has the biggest odds of winning, so placing wagers on this option seems reasonable. Just, make sure that the baccarat variant doesn’t charge a 5% commission on this type of bet.
- Claim a casino bonus: applying for a casino bonus will get you additional funds, which you can then use on baccarat. Just make sure that the offer is very rewarding and that it doesn’t come with harsh wagering requirements.
How We Select the Best Baccarat Casinos
Before we list the best baccarat casinos here at VideoSlotsGames, we make sure to examine countless gaming websites. We follow the same strict procedure while reviewing every online casino. That way we can see which operators are up to our high standards and which sites we must exclude.
To help you understand our work and its importance, we’ve decided to reveal how we select the best baccarat casinos. Here are the steps we take when evaluating and listing the gaming platforms on this page.
Check the Licensing and Security Details
We begin by finding out if the online casino has a valid gaming license. If it doesn’t, then we avoid the operator altogether, as that can potentially be a scam site. At the licensed casinos, we also check who regulates their work. If it’s a top jurisdiction such as the UKGC, then we give it some extra points.
After that, we make sure to analyze the security features of the gaming platform. Here, we tend to look for casinos that utilize the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology.
Find Out if the Casino Features Baccarat Games
Next, we access the casino’s game library and look for the baccarat games. If the gaming website lacks these titles, then we immediately leave the site. The casinos that we’re looking for must feature at least one baccarat game. The more variants it offers the better.
We also check if top software providers create and distribute the featured baccarat games. Casinos that offer live baccarat games will receive extra points, as they are very popular at the moment.
Examine the Casino Bonuses and Promotions
The next step in our examination process is examining the list of available casino bonuses. Here, we hope to find a big variety of promos that target all types of players. Online casinos must feature a welcome bonus, which is the most important offer at any gaming platform.
We make sure to examine the terms and conditions of every available bonus offer. Most importantly, we check if baccarat is among the eligible games and whether there are tough wagering requirements.
Explore the Available Payment Methods
Our team of experts then enters the Cashier section to examine the available payment methods. We expect to find a large list of options, which consists of credit/debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards, and bank transfers. If the operator accepts cryptocurrencies, then we will reward them with some extra points.
While we’re there, we also check the minimum and maximum limits on both, the deposits and withdrawals. Also, the operator must conduct fast transactions, especially when it comes to cashing out. If the casino charges additional fees, then it will receive less points.
Evaluate the Customer Support Team
Last but not least, we check if the casino’s customer support is up to the standards. First of all, the customer support team must be available 24/7 for its players. Secondly, it must consist of highly knowledgeable and professional individuals.
No one likes to wait a long time for a response. So, the faster the agent sorts out the players’ issues the better for the casino and its customers. Also, players should be able to contact customer support through live chat, email, and phone.
Final Thoughts
Baccarat is a super entertaining card game that you can find at almost any land-based and online casino. The fast and exciting gameplay as well as its simple rules will make you enjoy the game right from the beginning. Just make sure to learn the basics of the game before you start playing.
Also, make sure to check all the different variants of baccarat to find your favourite. Remember that some of them come with a 5% commission, so try to find one that doesn’t feature this detail.
As a fast-paced game, it’s crucial to gamble responsibly on any baccarat version out there. Limit your money exposure and the time you spend playing this casino game.
FAQ
What is the house edge in Baccarat?
The house edge in Baccarat depends on the type of bet you use in the game. Wagering on the banker’s hand comes with a house edge of 1.06%. Betting on the player’s hand has a house edge of 1.24%. Lastly, the house edge on the tie bet goes up to 14.36%. It’s also worth mentioning that the side bets have a different house edge.
Where should I play baccarat?
You should play baccarat only at licensed online casinos. These gaming platforms are the safest on the market as a regulator is overlooking their day-to-day activities. They also utilize the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology, which encrypts all your sensitive details.
Can I play baccarat for free?
Yes, you can play baccarat for free. You can do that only on the demo versions of Baccarat. To find such a version, you must first locate an online casino that offers baccarat games for free. Or, you can find which software provider develops such games and access the demo version from their official website.
What are the odds of winning on baccarat?
The odds of winning on baccarat depend on the type of bet you choose in the game. If you place a bet on the banker, then you will get 45.86% winning odds. Wagering on the player’s hand comes with 44.62% odds for winning. The tie bet features the lowest odds of them all as the percentage is set at 9.52%.
What is a commission in a game of baccarat?
The commission is a type of charge that you can only find on certain baccarat variants. It applies only to the banker’s bet and it requires 5% of your winnings. But, you must only pay this if you bet on the banker and end up winning the wager. It is worth noting that there are variants that don’t charge any commission.
Are there any side bets in baccarat?
Some baccarat variants do come with certain side bets that you can use before the start of each round. Among the most popular side bets are small, big, banker pair, player pair, perfect pair, and either pair.
What is the objective of baccarat?
The main objective in baccarat is to guess the outcome of each round you play. You can place bets on the banker to win, a player to win, or a tie. The winning hand is the one that features a bigger value than the other. In baccarat, the biggest hand value is 9, also known as a natural win.
You must be at least 18 years of age to gamble in the United Kingdom. If you feel that gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you know then we encourage you to visit begambleaware.org for help and advice.
