Play Baccarat Online

A long-time casino mainstay, baccarat features some of the best odds in the house with simple rules to follow. A favorite especially of high-rollers, it’s a must-try for online gamblers. On this page, we’ll tell you a little about how to play baccarat online, where to play it, baccarat odds and strategy, and what makes this game so great. After you’ve finished reading, we know you’re going to be itching to find somewhere to play. We recommend you try the game out for yourself at one of our recommended casinos offering baccarat game online or on our free baccarat game at the bottom.

Sites to Play Baccarat

Why Play Baccarat

Many people play the game because they see it in movies and want to experience the glamour portrayed. After all, the fictional character and secret agent 007 aka James Bond considered baccarat his all-time favorite game. You may even envision men and women dressed to the 9s as they play baccarat at a glamorous casino in Monte-Carlo. Perhaps, for this reason, baccarat has earned the nickname, “The Gentleman’s Game”.

However, with online baccarat, you can wear whatever you want while playing behind the computer or using your mobile device. Still, online baccarat has some great perks as to why you should play. Gamblers love online baccarat because this game has simple rules and a very low house edge.

Best Odds in the House: All casino games have some type of house advantage — the casino wouldn’t offer the game if it couldn’t make it profitable. But while some games have terrible odds, baccarat actually offers the lowest edge in the casino, just a bit better than what you’ll find in blackjack or craps.

Simple to Play: Unlike blackjack or craps, baccarat rules are easy to learn and hard to screw up. Players have three simple betting options, and decision making is very easy.

How to Play Baccarat

Let’s take a look at how to play baccarat online. The first thing you should learn is that each player in baccarat aims to get a hand equal to or closest to 9. The cards 2 through 9 are valued according to their face value in points. That means 2 equals 2 points, 3 equals 3 points, and so on. The 10s, jacks, queens, and kinds do not have a point value so they are worth 0. Aces count as 1 point.

Unlike blackjack, you cannot go bust in this game. That means no hand value will ever exceed 9. Now, baccarat has special rules about determining the value for each hand. Hands are valued according to the rightmost digit of the sum of the cards. That means if you have a hand with 2 and 3, then the hand equals 5. However, if you have a hand of 6 and 7, it is worth 3. You get this value by adding 6+7 which equals 13. Then, the hand equals the rightmost digit, which in this case is a 3. You could also say that you get the value by dropping the 10 value. For example, if you have a hand of Q+7+8 that equals 15 then the actual hand is worth 5 points.

How to play baccarat in 3 easy steps:

1. Place your bet: Players have to decide if they want to bet with the players, the banker, or on a tie. A winning bet on the banker’s hand pays out even money minus 5% which goes to the house. A winning bet placed on the player results in an even payout with no percentage deducted.
2. The cards are dealt and valued: Two hands are dealt, one for the players and one for the banker, with each hand including two cards. If the player has a hand worth between 0-5, then the player draws a third card. If the player has a hand totaling 6 or 7, he stands. The banker follows the same rules if he has only two cards or stood pat. The goal is to get as close to 9 as possible.
3. Drawing a third card: In the event that the player draws a third card, the banker acts accordingly:

• If the player draws a 2 or 3, then the banker draws with 0–4 and stands with 5–7
• If the player draws a 4 or 5, then the banker draws with 0–5 and stands with 6–7
•  If the player draws a 6 or 7, then the banker draws with 0–6 and stands with 7
•  If the player draws an 8, then the banker draws with 0–2 and stands with 3–7.
• If the player draws an ace, 9, 10, or face-card, then the banker draws with 0–3 and stands with 4–7

Payouts in Baccarat

• Betting with the player will get even money.
• The banker will also get even money, minus a casino fee.
• A tie pays either 8-1 or 9-1, depending on house rules.

The house edge when betting on the banker is 1.06%, the safest bet in the casino.

Online Baccarat Strategy

Know the odds: Compared to other casino games, online baccarat has a relatively low house edge of 1.06% when betting on the banker. Most prefer to bet on the banker because of the lower house edge. However, keep in mind that the house takes a percentage of your bet when you bet on the banker. The house edge increases to 1.24% when you bet on the player. You can also bet on a tie which has a house edge of 14.36%. Knowing the odds and adjusting bets for those more likely to win helps to improve your online baccarat strategy.

Set betting limits: Online casinos have the option to set betting limits on your account. That means once you bet a certain amount within a given time period, the casino will cut you off. Deciding how much you want to bet before you begin playing ensures that you never bet more than you can afford. In this way, gambling remains rewarding and entertaining!

Practice play: Online casinos offer both free demo baccarat games and real money games. In this way, you can practice the different bets and get to know the rules before you risk any of your own money. When you feel more comfortable, you can bet and win real money games.

Baccarat bonuses: Canada gambling offer bonuses all of the time so you can place bets with casino credits without risking your own money. Our reviews highlight the latest casino bonuses that you can use toward baccarat casino games. We suggest taking advantage of these bonuses so you get more chances to win real money prizes risk free.

Playing Baccarat Online

Playing online is especially fun because players can play more hands more quickly. There is a lot of shuffling and other elements that can slow baccarat down in real life, but because of the instantaneous nature of online casinos, those restrictions are lifted.

Newcomers: If you are new to the game, or casino games in general, you can test out the game online. Almost every casino has a free flash baccarat offering. Most sites let you play for free to learn the rules and basics of the game. Taking advantage of this is beneficial for newcomers. See our list of free casino games.

Pro Players: If you’re a seasoned pro, playing online can have major benefits. For one, you can play more hands per hour, which means more money can be won. Second, you can save a little cash without having to tip waitresses, dealers, etc., while playing online, keeping a little extra scratch in your pocket.

How to Choose the Best Baccarat Casino

Gamblers in Canada looking to play baccarat casino games have come to the right place. We carefully review and selected our favourite baccarat casinos available in Canada. The table above includes our top picks. Among those sites, you might want to consider a few things before signing up:

– Does the casino accept your preferred method of payment for making deposits and withdrawing payouts?
– Which type of baccarat games do you want to play? (i.e. standard baccarat, live baccarat, VIP games, high roller games, mobile baccarat, etc.)
– What kind of bonuses does the casino offer for baccarat online?

If you know what you are looking for then keep those kinds of questions in mind when choosing a casino. Otherwise, you can always try out a new casino and see if you like it. In that way, you can decide for yourself which casino is right for you to play baccarat online.

Top 5 Tips for Online Baccarat

1. While the payoff for correctly betting on a tie is big, the odds are still not in your favor. Don’t waste your cash betting on a split decision.
2. The safest bet is always to bet on the banker.
3. Seek out casinos with smaller house edges. While the standard commission charged on banker bets is 5%, some houses do charge less.
4. Don’t get caught up chasing patterns in past outcomes. The odds are the same for every hand.
5. Don’t chase your losses. If you catch a bad run, step away and find something else to play for a while. It just may not be your day.

Conclusion

Baccarat is one of the oldest card games around. Gamblers love the thrill of playing this classic casino game with one of the lowest house edges. Online versions of the game offer the chance to enjoy all of the excitement while playing more hands than a brick-and-mortar casino can handle. The game also stands out as a favorite among gamblers who play on smartphones or tablets, as casino apps have also generated exciting baccarat games.
Now that you have your basics covered, be sure to check out the baccarat offerings at our recommended casinos table!