How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the most popular table games in online casinos across the globe, sitting just behind Blackjack and Roulette. Despite having its origins in China and the Far East, it has expanded its reach all across the world. Baccarat is now available in a variety of different forms, but all of them have the same basic principles.

Although this is a relatively simple game once you get to know it, diving straight in without prior knowledge can be confusing. Because of this we have put together this comprehensive guide to help answer questions such as how to play baccarat, the standard baccarat rules, baccarat strategy, what are the payouts on baccarat bets and more.

About Baccarat

Baccarat (pronounced bah cah rah) is simple once you know what you are doing and it can be a lot of fun. The word ‘baccarat’ is actually the term that refers to a card or hand that is valued at 0. There are several variations of the game available, with Punto Banco being the most popular. This game is played with either 4, 6 or 8 decks of cards all shuffled together and can be played with between 1 and 14 players.

The reason this is such a popular choice with casino players is that not only is it simple, but it is a game for all. It works for new players, experienced players, those with a big bankroll and those with a lower bankroll.

Because there are no advanced baccarat strategies and because it has a relatively low house edge, this makes it a great game for beginners. Not only is it uncomplicated, but the outcomes are never affected by the other players.

For those more serious and experienced players, baccarat appeals because it is a game that offers plenty of wins. But what is it and how is it played?

What is Online Baccarat?

Online baccarat is one of the most popular live casino games here at Rizk. It is played with standard playing cards, generally dealt from a shoe of between six to eight decks.

Once everyone has taken their seat at the table, two hands are dealt simultaneously, the ‘banker’ hand and the ‘player’ hand.

As a player, you can choose whether to bet on the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie. There are additional bets you can make as well, including side bets such as ‘pair’ or ‘perfect pair’. These do have a significantly higher house edge tough so it’s best to avoid them.

The aim of the game is simply to predict and bet on the hand that you believe has the value closest to 9. Pick the correct hand and you win. You can also bet on a tie – in which case you are betting on both hands to have the same value, but we wouldn’t recommend this, and we will explain the reason behind this later.

How to Play Baccarat – Step by Step

So, if you’re ready to get started, let’s take a look at exactly what happens next.

When you have chosen your baccarat game and have taken your virtual seat at the table, you will be faced with three betting options – Player, Banker and Tie.

After the bets have been placed, the game will begin with two cards being dealt to each hand (player and banker).

Now it’s time to calculate the value of the hands. The ace is valued at 1, the ‘face’ cards are valued at 0 and the rest of the cards score at their face value. Should a hand score above 9 then the score will be adjusted by subtracting 10 from the total. So, if the score is 13, the value will be counted as 3.

The rules of the game will decide whether or not the player or banker hands are allowed to draw a third card. No matter what the case is, there can only ever be a maximum of three cards in any hand. We will take a look at the three card rule a little further ahead.

If a player correctly predicts the winning player hand, then they will be paid out at 1/1. However, if they correctly predict a winning banker hand, although the odds are 1/1, there will also be a 5% commission taken from the win. This means that the payout for this hand is reduced to 19/20 rather than 1/1.

If a player correctly predicts a tie, then they will be entitled to a payout of 8/1.

How to Bet on Baccarat

Before making your bets, you need to understand the odds and payouts attached to the different types of bets.

So, what exactly do you win if you make a correct prediction? The basic rule is that if you bet on the player hand and it comes closest to nine then you win back double your stake. If you bet on the banker hand and it comes closest to nine, then you will be paid out at 95% of your stake… not quite double. This has to do with the house edge – and it is the deduction of this 5% that ensures the casino will always make their money on the game.

Betting on the player hand has a calculated house edge of 1.24%, whereas betting on the banker hand has a calculated house edge of 1.06%. These are both relatively low compared to other casino games, which is one of the reasons it is popular. If you notice, the house edge is actually a little bit lower on the banker hand, which is why the commission is taken from this bet instead of the player bet.

The only other possibility is the hands being tied. You can wager on this and it pays out much better – at 8/1. However, this has a substantially larger house edge of 14.4%, which is why savvy baccarat bettors avoid it!

There are also additional side bets you can make:

• The banker having a pair is paid out at 11/1. This has a house edge of 10.36%
• The player having a pair is paid out at 11/1. This has a house edge of 10.36%
• Either hand having a perfect pair is paid out at 25/1. This has a house edge of 13.3%

What is a ‘perfect pair’ in Baccarat?

Because baccarat is played with up to 8 decks, the perfect pair bet will be paid out if one of the hands is dealt with two identical cards. This means the cards need to have the same value and be of the same suit.

As you can see with the tie bet and side bets, the house edge is quite large. Even though they add some fun and excitement to the game that’s normally just a 50/50 outcome, they are best avoided if you want to actually make any decent returns.

The Third Card Rule

The game in itself is simple, but something that might cause some confusion is the possibility of drawing a third card. Whether or not a third card is drawn has nothing to do with player strategy. This is simply based on the rules of the game and will be actioned by the dealer. Although you can just sit back and see how the game unfolds, it’s best to go in with some idea of what might happen in this situation.

If you are playing a game that does action the third card rule, then this is how it is decided. Remember, this is NOT a decision you make yourself, it will be done automatically.

Third Card Rules for the Player Hand

If the player hand has a value between 0-5, or a total value of ten, then a third card will be drawn. If the hand total is 6 or 7, this is known as a ‘stand’ and no third card will be drawn. If the hand shows a total of 8 or 9, this is described as a “natural” and no third card is drawn.

If the game rules allow third card draw then it can be summarised as below:

Third Card Rules for the Banker Hand

The rules for the banker hand works in a similar way but is slightly more complex. Whether or not the banker draws a third card depends on the value of the player’s hand after they have drawn their third card.

So, for example, if the banker has a total value of 6 from his two cards, they will need to see what the player’s hand is worth before drawing or standing. If the player has a value of 6 or 7 after their third card is drawn, the banker too will draw a third card. But if the player hand has a value of 1-5, 8 or 10, then the banker will stand.

As a player, you do not need to memorise these, as you will not be required to action them. It will be the dealer’s responsibility to do so, but the basic rules can be summarized as follows:

• If the banker’s hand is 7, 8 or 9 after 2 cards the dealer will always stand
• If the banker’s hand is 0-2 after 2 cards the dealer will always draw

Top Tips and Baccarat Strategies

As is the case with all table games, going into it with a baccarat basic strategy will help. The more you play, the more you will learn and the better you will get, but you do need to understand certain actions and plays early on. So, let’s take a look at some top tips to help you piece together your go-to baccarat strategy.

Avoid the ‘tie’ betting option. Baccarat experts have calculated that the tie bet has an average house edge of 14.4%, which is huge. This gives you a major disadvantage right from the start and makes this an unwise betting choice.

Betting on the banker hand is the best choice. Ultimately, the banker normally wins just over half the games and should be your standard bet. The fact that the casino attaches the 5% commission to this bet confirms this to be the case. The house edge for banker bets is 1.06% compared to player bets which is 1.24%.

Don’t be too aggressive and keep an eye out for winning streaks for either hand.

When the banker hand loses out to the player hand, skip betting on the next outcome. Simply observe that round to see who wins and continue your bets in line with the outcome.

Treat a tie bet as though it never happened. A tie bet simply means that there isn’t a winner or loser so don’t include it in your banker-wins/players-wins calculation sheet if you have one.
Practice good bankroll management. Baccarat standard bets have a good house edge. However, the win-lose ratio of the game makes it very much like the flip of a coin. Always monitor how much you are betting. You need to make sure that your bankroll management and how much you bet works for your own financial situation.

Baccarat – a Game of Skill or Luck?

Unlike poker (and to an extent blackjack), baccarat is a game of luck rather than skill. There is no advanced online baccarat strategy that you can use to help you win (apart from a few tips that could increase your chances of getting an overall return). Some may try and implement banking strategies, such as the Martingale strategy, but this rarely works out well.
Ultimately, the only real strategy is to bet with the banker as it has the lowest house edge.

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Baccarat FAQs

Q. Why Do They Bend the Cards in Baccarat?

The bending or ‘squeezing’ of the card is to add tension to the game. It is a deliberate process where the card is bent up on the adjoining side, revealing only the suit symbols on the edge with the card number being concealed. Some dealers do a quick, no fuss bend whilst others do a slow deliberate bend and it all adds to the drama.

Q. What is a Player Bonus in Baccarat?

When you check out our promotions page, you will find a variety of different promotions that we update regularly. The baccarat player bonuses include cashback offers, free plays, deposit bonuses and more.

Q. How Do You Read a Baccarat Roadmap?

Baccarat trends are recorded on ‘roads’ which are graphical representations of trends and results of the shoe as hands are dealt. They make up a roadmap that helps a player assess what has happened in the game previously and helps them to predict future results. Overall, there are 17 columns and 6 rows, filled vertically. You need to look for patterns – e.g. banker wins, banker wins, banker wins. When you spot a sequence like this you make your bets. If the results keep alternating, you hold your bets.

Q. What Happens if The Hand Adds Up to More than Nine?

If the hand totals more than nine, then you need to subtract 10. So, if the hand totals 11, it will actually be 1. If it values 18, it will be 8. So, although 11 might be closer to 9 than 18, the totals will be 1 and 8, which will reverse that result.

Q. How Do You Get a 3rd Card in Baccarat?

You will only get a third card in baccarat if the game rules allow for it. This will then be actioned by the dealer and you will play no part in it. Third cards will be drawn for hands that are valued at between 0-5 or 10.

Q. What Is the Baccarat House Edge?

The house edge of baccarat very much depends on what bet you place. The house edge is even different between the banker and player hands. The house edge for betting on the banker hand is 1.06% and 1.24% for betting on the player hand. The tie bet and side bets have a substantially greater house edge. The rule of thumb is to go for the bets with the lowest house edge – in this case, the banker hand.

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