Every casino site worth its salt offers online baccarat. It is, after all, one of the most iconic table games. Essentially, you are betting on one hand or the other to win – the “player’s” hand or the “banker’s” hand. If you bet on the right outcome, you double your chip stack. You can also bet on the tie. There are some variants of online baccarat, including:
- Punto banco
- “Chemmy”
- Baccarat banque
In this article we’ll cover online baccarat in depth!
- A Short History of Baccarat
- Your First Game
- Online Casinos Offering Baccarat in the US
- Free Online Baccarat
- Play Baccarat Online for Real Money
- A Final Word
A Short History of Baccarat
Baccarat was first played in France in the 19th and 20th century. The comparing hand mechanism – making Punto Banco baccarat a house-banked game – was a significant moment in the evolution of the game during the second half of the 20th century, notably in Havana.
Punto Banco is today the form of baccarat that is mostly played from Macau to Las Vegas and, famously, in James Bond movies. Online baccarat is no exception. We also have an amazing guide for Baccarat strategies!
Your First Game
The great advantage of baccarat is that the dealer does all the work. And in online baccarat, it’s even easier and many times faster. You just need to start your baccarat game by choosing “player” or “banker”, and you double your chip’s stack if the one who chose wins.
If you choose to bet your money on a “tie”, you are paid 8-to-1. Once you choose who to bet your money on, the baccarat dealer draws four cards, two for the player and two for the banker. The side whose hand’s value is closest to nine wins the hand:
- Cards 2 to 9 have their face value in points.
- Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings have zero point value.
- Aces have a one point value each.
- For any value exceeding 9, the first digit is removed from the value to determine the point value. For example, 10 is 0 point, 15 is 5 points.
A hand in online baccarat will unfold the same way as it does in a live casino. The value of the hand is the sum of the two cards for the player and for the banker:
- If the sum of the first two cards equals eight or nine in points, it is considered “natural” and the player or banker holding them stands.
- If it’s not the case, we check the player’s tableau, if his hand scores 0 to 5 points, a third card is drawn. If the sum equals 6 or 7, the player stands.
- Secondly, if the player stood pat, the banker draws a third card according to the same rules as the player’s ones.
- If the player drew a third card, the bank acts according to different rules. These rules change according to the banker’s total points and the player’s third card value.
Online Casinos Offering Baccarat in the US
Baccarat is available at all leading online casinos in the US, including:
- Bovada
- Ignition
- 5Dimes
- BetOnline Casino
- Intertops Casino
- 888 casino
Free Online Baccarat
Get familiar with the game and start playing baccarat for free. You have several options for this:
- Play baccarat on mobile: a lot of mobile apps out there offer free online gameplay.
- Play baccarat on social media: several free Facebook casino games are available, choose the one that fits your expectations best.
- Use a no-deposit bonus to play your first games of baccarat for free. A lot of online casinos are competing with offers, so use that to your advantage.
Play Baccarat Online for Real Money
When you start playing baccarat online, first choose if you want a live baccarat dealer or play with the online casino random number generator. A small part of the online casino offering is live which helps the game online feel more human.
Every online casino will offer a first deposit bonus to its new players, as a lot of them are out there competing. As you did for your no deposit offer, use this to your own advantage when you intend to play baccarat for real money. A 100% deposit bonus means your first deposit will double. Note however, that there might be wagering requirements to earn or clear the bonus for cashout.
It’s always important to refer to the terms and conditions page of the offer when choosing the best online casino bonuses. It is also very important to manage your bankroll and set a fixed budget to take the best out of your baccarat experience.
A rule of thumb in gambling as well as in financial asset risk management is that you should never put more than 5% of your playing bankroll at risk in one go. Even with that rule in mind, it is easy to play several baccarat games per day online, and as such it is equally important to keep track of your losses and try to keep your baccarat session short.
A Final Word
Baccarat is a simple, classy and laid-back casino game where your only action boils down to choosing the player, the banker’s side or a tie. Playing baccarat online can be as entertaining and relaxed as it is in a live casino thanks to the online baccarat live dealers out there, and you can also multiply the number of games you play online by choosing the programmatic option.
To enjoy your online gaming experience with real money, it is important to manage your playing bankroll wisely and apply the usual caution by gambling responsibly.
Several free baccarat options are available to get you acquainted with the online gameplay. Do not forget to list and research the best no deposit promotions and bonus offers out there, as this will allow you a smoother introduction to online baccarat and online casinos offerings overall.