Baccarat – (A Game Worth Playing)

Whether you're a baccarat beginner trying to understand the basics or an experienced master of the game trying to test out your latest strategy

How to play baccarat. Baccarat, also known as Punto Banco, is a casino game played between 12 to 14 players on the dice table with three casino dealers.The rules of baccarat game are strict. Online baccarat doesn't have an actual deck to shuffle. It simulates the shuffling of the deck using a software program called a Random Number Generator (RNG). How to Play Baccarat The rules of baccarat are simple. Choose the hand that you believe will reach 9 points or closer using the cards dealt. However, if you fully understand the rules, the odds and the probabilities of how the game will unfold, then you can improve your chances. Don’t Be Scared by Baccarat. There is a lot of mystique surrounding Baccarat but the first thing to make sure of is that you are not scared of the game. The online baccarat rules and the live-based baccarat rules are a bit different, and you need to read about them carefully. You can count the points through the face cards that you receive, like A (Ace) means you have 1 point, and J (Jack), Q (Queen), K (King) mean you have 0 points. Use a Good Casino Website to Play Baccarat. Our baccarat guide covers all three variants of baccarat: Tbaccarat chemin de fer, baccarat banque, and punto banco. Learn how to play, read the history files and more. More information: baccart.

We invite you to play for fun on my baccarat trainer before risking real money in a casino or on your mobile. This is one of our proudest games where at the Wizard of Odds. We strived to make it as realistic as possible.

Here are some of the features we hope you enjoy:

• With the menu bar at the top, the player can choose to play mini baccarat style where all the cards are dealt quickly by the dealer or 'big table' style where the player turns over the cards one at a time. There is also a hybrid where the player only turns over any third cards to be dealt himself. To turn over a card, just click 'deal'.
• View a realistic history board. Have you ever wondered what all those red and blue circles and lines mean on a baccarat scoreboard? We did too before creating this game. Whether you care about the Bead Plate, Big Road, Small Road, Big Eye Boy, or the Cockroach Pig, our scoreboard has it all. For a written explanation of how each work, please see my page on Baccarat Score Boards.
• View out statistics board for a summary of the last shoe. Here you'll find the percentage of Banker, Player, and Tie bets. You'll also get something no casino will give you, the house edge of the same three bets based on the exact composition of the remaining cards. Sometimes the player will have the edge late in the shoe. Finally, for you card counters out there, we make it easy by showing you how many of each rank are left in the shoe.

Your bankroll is generously started with $10,000. The minimum bet is only $5 and the sky is the limit in terms of a maximum.

We challenge you to get your bankroll to the point where you're betting $25,000 chips. Are you up for it!

We feel our game plays almost like the real thing. However, here you won't have to suffer second-hand smoke or players pounding the table yelling 'monkey!'

Maybe it is better than playing for real money -- decide for yourself.

With the introductions out of the way, the only thing left to do is….get down to business play.

Here at the Wizard of Odds we don't believe in luck so we wish your results to fall on the right side of the bell curve.

Acknowledgments

• JB, our brilliant programmer, for the code behind the game.
• Tic Tabs, for providing the playing card images.
• The Venetian, for their patience in explaining how the scoreboards work.

Online Baccarat Bonuses

A lot of sites tend to overlook baccarat bonuses, but we know there is a strong and dedicated following that love the game, and we set out to form the following table for the best baccarat bonuses. This table is sorted using the bonus amount, wagering requirement, and quality of casino, among other factors.

You can play baccarat at most of the online casinos in America, so let us help you find the best in the market! Online baccarat is one of the most popular casino table games among players. Youcan play it in a variety of ways but the types of bet stay the same.

Baccarat is really a good game for the small stakes player because

1. It has a low house edge
2. It's very simple to play

We’ve broken down everything that you want to know about online baccarat, here in our guide! Learn the rules, perfect one of our strategies, and find the best casinos in America to sign upfor!

• How to Play Baccarat

What are the Best Baccarat Online Casinos in America?

There are a number of online casinos in the United States that offer baccarat for real money! Just in New Jersey alone, players have over 20 casino sites to choose from. We’ve listedour top online baccarat casinos in the country to play on!

Find online baccarat and live dealer options at any of the following sites. Click on the links below each casino to sign up and claim a bonus to get started!

Hard Rock Online Casino (New Jersey)

Hard Rock has a great selection of online baccarat. They have live dealer baccarat and greatvirtual baccarat as well!

They'll start you off with 50 free spins and up to $1,000 in a match on your first deposit just for signing up.

SugarHourse (New Jersey)

SugarHouse is an awesome online casino for many reasons. They have great virtual and livedealer baccarat, streamed from Atlantic City by Evolution Studios.

SugarHouse also has one of the best welcome bonuses out there. $250 matching deposit with a super low 1x wagering requirement!

888 Casino (New Jersey)

888 online casino is one of the top online casinos in New Jersey! Players will find an impressive live casinoplatform with a variety of games to choose from. This includes live dealer baccarat. Sign up to 888 Casino in NJ now and you’ll receive a free $20 just for completingregistration.

Golden Nugget Casino (New Jersey)

Golden Nugget in New Jersey has a lot to offer players. They have a large selection of games,including great live dealer casino games. Some of the tables are even streamed directly from the casino floor to your device! Players have a number of baccarat games tochoose from at Golden Nugget NJ. Sign up today and receive $20 instantly!

Borgata

Even at the largest casino in Atlantic City, it can be hard to get a seat at the baccarat table. Lucky for you their online baccarat games are always available!

BetMGM is partnered with Borgata and offers the same great baccarat games, including live dealer baccarat!

What is Baccarat Online?

Online baccarat is a virtual version of the casino game Baccarat. The goal of the game is to wager on the hand you believe will get closer to 9. There are two hands to bet on; the Player andthe Banker, and other side bets, which we discuss further down.

You can play virtual baccarat or with a live dealer from your mobile device or computer.

Listen to our Podcast! Click here: 'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Baccarat' with Michael Shackleford, the Wizard of Odds (October 2010)

Steve interviews gaming writer Michael Shackleford, also known as the Wizard of Odds, to learn all about baccarat. They discuss how to play the game; the casino's mathematical advantage on thevarious bets that are offered; the best strategies for playing; and whether or not the game can be beaten in the long run.

Live Dealer Baccarat Games

Live dealer baccarat is extremely popular in the United States! These types of games are as close as you can get to the real casino experience, without having to go anywhere. The live casinowill stream directly from a studio designed to look like a real baccarat table. You can interact with the dealer using a chat feature and play the game at your own pace.

Live baccarat games are not available 24/7. The hours will depend on the online casino but are most often between 11 am to 3 am. There are a number of live dealer baccarat tables available, soit’s unlikely you’ll ever have to wait to play.

Play baccarat at the best live casinos in America:

How Does Baccarat Online Work?

Baccarat is not a difficult game to learn. When you play online, you’ll place your bets by selecting from the three options on the screen. Once you’re happy with your wagers, you can hit thedeal button and the cards will automatically be dealt.

After they have been revealed, the hand closest to 9 points wins. Those who bet on the winning hand can then claim their money.

Online baccarat doesn't have an actual deck to shuffle. It simulates the shuffling of the deck using a software program called a Random Number Generator (RNG).

How to Play Baccarat

The rules of baccarat are simple. Choose the hand that you believe will reach 9 points or closer using the cards dealt. There are three types of bets in baccarat; the Player, Banker, andTie.

1. Aces: 1 Point
2. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 cards: the point is the numeric value shown on the card.
3. 10, Jack, Queen, King: 0 points

Since the goal is to reach 9 points, the value of the hands goes by the last digit. For example, a 7 and an 8 would equal a 5 point hand in baccarat (7 + 8 = 15, 5 is the lastdigit).

If the first two cards in either hand total 8 or 9, then the game is over and the highest total wins. If the totals are both 8 or both 9 then it's a tie and neither hand wins.

For any other total the rules have to be consulted and it's always the player hand that goes first. If the player hand has a total of 6 or 7, it must stand. The only other totals it canpossibly have are 0,1,2,3,4 or 5 and for all of those totals, it must draw a card.

After the bets have been placed, you can choose to hit or stand. If you want another card in your hand, you’ll hit. If you don’t want to change your hand, you can stand. Deciding when to hitand stand can vary depending on the hand you’ve bet on. We explain this and the odds for each bet further down.

If the player hand has a total of 6 or 7 it stands and for anything else, it has to draw a card.

After the player hand is finished the banker hand must take its turn and if its first 2 cards total 0,1 or 2 it must draw a card. If its two cards total 7 it must stand and if the total is 6 itwill stand, but only if the player hand did not take a card.

The only other possible totals the bank can have are 3,4,5 or 6 and the decision as to whether or not a 3rd card is drawn depends on the 3rd card that was drawn by the player hand.

When the banker hand has a total of 3 it must stand if the player's 3rd card was an 8 and it must draw if the player's 3rd card was any other card.

Types of Bets and Odds

There are three bets you can make in baccarat! The Player hand, the Banker, or a Tie.

These are the odds of winning on an infinite deck with a 5% commission.

Player:

Banker:

Tie:

How to find the total value

No total can be higher than 9. So, if a total is 10 or higher you have to subtract 10 to determine its value. For example, 8, 8 totals 16 but you subtract 10 and your total is 6. 9, 5 hasa total of 4. 8, 3 has a total of 1; and 5, 5 has a total of 0.

Who Wins?

The object of the game of Baccarat is to have a total as close to 9 as possible. So after the first two cards are dealt, if either the player or banker hand has a total of 9 then that's calleda 'natural' and that hand is the winner.

If neither hand has a total of 9 then the next best possible hand is a total of 8 (which is also called a 'natural') and that hand would be the winner. If both the player and the banker end upwith the same total then it's a tie and neither hand wins.

Now, if neither hand has an 8 or a 9 then the rules of the game have to be consulted to decide whether or not a third card is drawn. Once that's done, the values of the cards are added togetheragain and whichever hand is closest to a total of 9 is the winner. If both hands end up with the same total then it's a tie and neither hand wins.

Gambling author, Steve Bourie, explains how to play and how to win at baccarat. Topics covered include:

• the rules of the game
• the bets that can be made
• the casino's advantage on those bets
• which bet is the worst and should never be made
• the best strategy for winning at baccarat
• a look at a baccarat betting system

Baccarat Betting Systems and Strategies

Once you understand the basics of the game, you can start to form your own strategy. This is based on the types of bets you can place and the odds for each.

Bet on the Player

The Player hand pays out even money if won, and doesn’t have any commission tied to it like the Banker. While the Banker hand may offer better odds for winning, you’ll get a higher payout ifsuccessful on the Player. If you bet on the Player hand and the sum is a 5 or less, you’re allowed to draw a third card.

Bet on the Banker

The Banker is the recommended bet to go for in baccarat. It offers the best odds and more chances to draw a third card compared to the other hands. Since the odds are so good, most baccaratgames will use a 5% commission rule on this hand.

The Banker can draw a third card under the following circumstances:

• The Player draws a 6 or 7, and the Banker is at 6.
• The Player has a 4, 5, 6, or 7 and the Banker is at 5.
• The Player has less than 8 points and the Banker has 3.
• The Banker has 4 points and the Player has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or face card.

If the Banker has less than 2 points, a third card will be drawn regardless of what the player is holding.

Make that Smart Bet on Baccarat at Golden Nugget or Hard Rock Online any time you're in New Jersey!

Bet on a Tie

Betting on the Tie can seem like a good idea because the payout is the highest of all three bets if you win. However, the house edge attached is 15%. A lot of baccarat strategies use the ruleof never betting on a tie. The house edge is too high and the odds are not the best.

If you want to bet on a tie you would place your bet in the area marked 'tie' and if you win you'll be paid off at 8-to-1, or $8 for every $1 you bet (at most casinos).

The big payoff sounds nice but actually this is a terrible bet because the casino advantage is nearly 15%. That's why we advise that you don't make this bet.

Bet Advantages

If you want to bet on the player hand just put your money in the area marked 'player' and if you win you'll be paid off at even-money, or $1 for every $1 you bet. The casino advantage onthe player bet is 1.36%.

If you want to bet on the banker hand you would place your bet in the area marked 'banker' and if you win, you'll also be paid off at even-money, but you'll have to pay a 5% commission on theamount you win. So, if you won $10 on your bet, you would owe a 50¢ commission to the house.

What is the Commission?

The 5% commission is only required if you win and not if you lose. The dealer will keep track of the amount you owe by putting an equal amount in a small area on the table that corresponds toyour seat number at the table.

After adjusting for that 5% commission the casino advantage on the banker bet is 1.17%.

Click here to Listen to our Podcast: 'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Baccarat
with Michael Shackleford, the Wizard of Odds'

Steve interviews gaming writer Michael Shackleford, also known as the Wizard of Odds, to learn all about baccarat. They discuss how to play the game; the casino's mathematical advantage on thevarious bets that are offered; the best strategies for playing; and whether or not the game can be beaten in the long run.

How to Win in Baccarat

All right, now that you know how to play baccarat we come to the important question which is - how do you win?

If you bet on player you'll only be giving the casino a 1.36% edge. If you bet on banker you'll be giving the casino an even more modest edge of just 1.17%. While both of these are pretty lowedges to give the casino you're still stuck with the fact that the casino will always have an edge over you and in the long run the game of baccarat is unbeatable.

So, if that's the case then how do you win?

Well, the answer to that is very simple - You have to get lucky! And that's the only way you can win at baccarat.

Of course, this is easier said than done, but fortunately, in the game of baccarat, you have the option of making two bets that require no skill and both offer the casino a very low edge.Compare them to roulette - where the house has a 5.26% advantage on a double-zero wheel and slot machines - where the edge is about 8% to 10%!

When you gamble in a casino you have to play the games that have the lowest casino edge in order to have the best chance of winning. With that in mind you can see that baccarat is not that bada game to play for the recreational gambler.

Baccarat Draw Rules

Make Your Own Luck! Save Money by Playing Online Live Dealer Baccarat with Borgata or BetMGM any time you're in New Jersey!

Why Play Baccarat Online?

Playing baccarat online comes with a lot of advantages compared to the brick and mortar. Online, you don’t have to deal with waiting a long time for a spot at the table. You can play at yourown pace and collect rewards at the same time.

Play from your home

Online casinos allow you to play from anywhere in the state, as long as there is a stable internet connection. This makes playing online baccarat very convenient because you don’t have to leaveyour house to play!

You can receive Baccarat Online bonuses

A lot of casino sites offer new players bonuses upon signing up. You can use these bonuses to play online baccarat and get to know the game before depositing your own money. Bonuses do notexist at land-based venues, which means online users will get more rewards.

Access to live casino promotions

You can access a variety of casino promotions that can be used at live dealer tables! These are similar to bonuses but are only offered at live casinos. An example would be; wagering a certainamount at a live dealer baccarat table and receiving a reward in return. It’s another great incentive for getting gamers to sign up online.

For some great ongoing promotions for loyal customers, check out SugarHouse and 888

Baccarat Online Variants

Baccarat has different ways it can be played online. In the United States, a few of the most common variations include Baccarat Squeeze and Mini Baccarat. While new games can be exciting totry, these variations tend to have a higher house edge than the traditional version. This is why it’s recommended to stick to the classic baccarat version over new variations.

Baccarat Squeeze

Baccarat Squeeze is by Evolution Gaming and part of the live casino platform. It’s very similar to the original baccarat except for the cards being dealt face down. This adds a level ofexcitement to the game for players.

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat is one of the more popular variations of baccarat in the United States. Fewer people can play at a mini-baccarat table and the stakes are much lower than the othervariations.

Betting Systems

Baccarat is a game of luck, so some use betting systems to determine their bets. You can have some element of strategy if you're playing with a shoe of limited decks.

Betting on a Streak

Now let's take a quick look at one of the most common systems for betting on Baccarat. One thing that many Baccarat players seem to have in common is a belief in streaks and the casinosaccommodate these players by providing scorecards at the table that can be used to track the results of each hand. Many players like to bet on whatever won the last hand in the belief that itwill continue to come in and they hope for a long streak.

The thinking for these players is that, since Baccarat is purely a guessing game ,it's just like guessing the outcome of a coin toss. Chances are that a coin won't alternately come upheads, tails, heads, tails, heads, tails but rather that there will be streaks where the same result will come in for a while.

So, is this a good system? Well, actually, it's no better and no worse than any other system because no matter what you do you'll still have the same casino edge going against you on every betyou make: 1.36% on the player and 1.17% on the banker.

The one good thing about a system like this though is that you don't have to sit there and guess what you want to play each time. Instead, you go into the game knowing how you're going to playand you don't have to blame yourself if your guess is wrong, instead you get to blame it on your system!

Is Baccarat Online Legal in America?

You can play online baccarat in any state that has legalized online gambling. This includes Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. We only recommend legal online casinos in the US, so playerscan trust the site they’re wagering on.

Are Baccarat Online games rigged?

Online baccarat games are not rigged. The United States has very strict laws when it comes to states legalizing online gambling. Every online casino must abide by the regulations set by thestate or face serious consequences.

To guarantee every game of online baccarat is fair, casinos use a Random Number Generator. This way, the outcome is always random and fair for everyone playing.

Listen to our Podcast for the best tips! Click to listen: 'Baccarat - How to Playto Win' February 2017

Gambling author, Steve Bourie, explains how to play and how to win at baccarat. Topics covered include:

• the rules of the game
• the bets that can be made
• the casino's advantage on those bets
• which bet is the worst and should never be made
• the best strategy for winning at baccarat
• a look at a baccarat betting system

Gambling author, Steve Bourie, explains how to play and how to win at baccarat. Topics covered include: the rules of the game, the bets that can be made; the casino's advantage on those bets;which bet is the worst and should never be made; the best strategy for winning at baccarat; a look at a baccarat betting system; and much more

Can you Play Baccarat Online for Free?

Players in America have access to a lot of free online baccarat games! Many of the online casinos will offer a demo version for each game. Sometimes you’ll be required to sign up for the casinofirst, but it’s not always a must. This will depend on the casino site you’re on.

A lot of casinos offer both online and live dealer baccarat games, but you cannot play live dealer baccarat for free.

• 888 (New Jersey)
• Borgata (New Jersey)
• Golden Nugget(New Jersey)
• SugarHouse (New Jersey and Pennsylvania)
• Hard Rock (New Jersey)
• BetMGM (New Jersey)
• Hollywood (Pennsylvania)
• PartyCasino (New Jersey)

Who Plays Baccarat?

When you think of Baccarat you probably think of a game that's played by the casino's wealthiest players who sit at a private table and can afford to bet tens of thousands of dollars on theflip of a card and you know what? You're right!

The game of Baccarat has always had a reputation as being for the richest gamblers and that usually scared off the average player, but nowadays more and more people are discovering thatBaccarat is really a good game for the small stakes player because 1.-it has a relatively small advantage for the casino and 2.-it's very simple to play.

Why is the Game Named Baccarat?

Actually the name Baccarat comes from the Italian word for zero and as you'll see there are lots of zeros in this game. When you add the cards together all of the 10's and all of the face cardsare counted as zeros, while all of the other cards from ace though 9 are counted at their face value.

Rules for Dealing the Third Card

If the Bank has 3 and

• Player's third card is 8 - BANK STANDS
• Player's third card is 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10 - BANK DRAWS

When the banker hand has a total of 4 it must stand if the player's 3rd card was a 1,8,9, or 10 and it must draw if the player's 3rd card was any other card.

If the Bank 4 and

• Player's third card is 1,8,9,10 - BANK STANDS
• Player's third card is 2,3,4,5,6,7 - BANK DRAWS

When the banker hand has a total of 5 it must stand if the player's 3rd card was a 4,5,6 or 7 and it must draw if the player's 3rd card was any other card.

If the Bank has 5 and

• Player's third card is 4,5,6,7 - BANK STANDS
• Player's third card is 1,2,3,8,9,10 - BANK DRAWS

When the banker hand has a total of 6 it must stand if the player's 3rd card was a 6 or 7 and it must draw if the player's 3rd card was any other card.

If the Bank has 6 and

• Player's third card is 6 or 7 - BANK STANDS
• Player's third card is 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10 - BANK DRAWS

There you have it - those are the rules of Baccarat concerning the draw of a third card. As you saw they were a little complicated, but remember that you don't have to memorize the rulesyourself because the dealer will know them and play each hand by those rules, but you can always ask for a copy of the rules at the table to follow along.

Example scenarios

Now let's try some sample hands: The player hand has queen,9 for a total of 9 and the banker hand has 4,4 for a total of 8. Which hand wins? Both hands are naturals, but the player hand totalof 9 is higher than the banker hand total of 8, so the player hand is the winner.

If the player hand has 4,2 for a total of 6 and the banker hand has ace, jack which totals 1, what happens? The player hand must stand on its 6 and the banker hand must always draw when it hasa total of 0,1 or 2. Let's say the bank draws a 7 and wins 8 to 6.

What happens when the player hand has king, 5 and the bank hand has 2, 4? The player hand must draw and let's say it gets a 7 for a total of 2. The banker hand has a total of 6 and if it couldstand on that total it would win because its 6 is higher than the 2 held by the player. Of course, if you were betting on banker that's exactly what you would want to happen but, unfortunatelyfor you, the rules require the bank hand to draw another card whenever its first two cards total 6 and the third card drawn by the player is a 7. So now, instead of having a winning hand youhave to hope that the card you draw isn't a 5, which would give you a total of 1 making you a loser.

You also wouldn't want to draw a 6 because that would give you a total of 2 which would give you a tie. In this case let's say that the bank hand goes on to draw an 8 which gives it a total of3 and it wins 4 to 2.

Baccarat Rules Video

If the player hand has 3, ace for a total of 4 and the banker hand has 8, 7 for a total of 5, what happens? The player hand must draw and say it gets a 9 for a total of 3. Once again, thebanker hand would like to stand on its total because it would win, but the rules have to be consulted first and in this case when the banker's first 2 cards total 5 and the player's third carddrawn is a 9 the banker hand must stand, so the banker hand wins 5 to 3.

No Commission Baccarat Rules

Finally, let's say the player hand has 4,3 for a total of 7 and the banker hand has 6,10 for a total of 6. The player hand must always stand on totals of 6 or 7 and the banker hand must alsostand on its total of 6 because the player hand didn't take a third card. The player hand wins this one 7 to 6.