Baccarat is one of the oldest card games in the world and in land-based casinos. Despite its reputation as a high-roller game, it remains popular across the world and especially in Asia. Underneath it all lies a deceptively simple yet exciting game, however. And today, we're going to learn how to play baccarat live.
The game does not require many skills but will require knowledge of the rules, especially when it comes to dealing the third card. You may also need some help figuring out which is the best bet in baccarat and similar newbie questions. We'll cover it all in our live baccarat tutorial, and you'll be playing with the best in no time.
Baccarat is fast-paced but relaxing due to its simplicity. Understanding baccarat rules is a must, but don't stress too much if you're just starting out.
When playing live dealer baccarat, players will have three bet choices. They can place their money on the Banker hand, the Player hand, or a tie bet. The object when playing the game is to bet on the hand that will have a total of 9 or as close to that as possible after drawing 2 or 3 cards. Live baccarat is played with 6 or 8 decks and all payouts are offered at 1:1 with the exception of the tie bet.
Beyond that, there are some important things to keep in mind about the value of cards in baccarat.
A round of baccarat is resolved when the dealer compares the Player and Banker hands. The one closest to 9 wins, and all players who bet on that hand get a 1:1 payout. If the hands are tied, the Tie bet wins and Player and Banker bets push (the stakes are returned in full.)
Keep all of these baccarat rules in mind as we continue.
It’s important to understand that the version of baccarat we play in live casinos is not the original ruleset. “Classic” baccarat is played with players facing off against other players. The variant found at casinos is casino baccarat, Punto Banco, or sometimes mini-baccarat.
However, there’s a simple step-by-step process if you wish to play baccarat at live casinos. We figured that going through a round of baccarat is the best way to show how it works.
Our beginner's guide to live casinos is the perfect introduction for anyone new to live dealer casino games. It’s a great resource to get started as it gives basic foundations about most important topics related to live casinos.
Players will not have many game options – three of them, to be exact. There’s not much to worry about here, but we’ll cover all three as part of our online baccarat guide.
As you can see, live casino baccarat does indeed have the best bet. The Banker bet is statistically the best move in baccarat, hands down. However, the difference between Player and Banker bets is not all that impactful. If you’re looking to have some fun and excitement, go with your gut.
While simple, this game is also fairly versatile. Software providers often use the basic template of baccarat to invent new mechanics and features. Some can get very experimental, but side bets are the most widespread.
Theoretically, side betting in baccarat is only limited by the creators’ imagination. However, we’ll go through a few common side wagers and how they work.
These are just some of the most common side bets in casino baccarat. Also, note that these wagers generally have significantly worse RTP than Player and Banker bets. As such, we can’t recommend them to beginners, but they can add a new level of excitement.
Since Baccarat is played quickly and the hands are dealt fast, players must choose their bets in a timely manner so as not to delay the game. May players who are new will be intimidated by the speed of the game and the amount that others are betting. To prepare for live baccarat, one should use free games first to learn the exact rules and then progress to low-limit tables before hitting the live dealer games that are offered online.
Here are some basic tips for finding top live baccarat games:
Also, you can further improve your skills by reading our various baccarat guides and tutorials:
Finding a good casino to play baccarat will help you immensely, especially when starting out. You can do so by reading our reviews and live casino rankings. Alternatively, here are some suggestions to try right now.
Because of the third card rules. Essentially, Player draws 3 cards whenever its 2-card total is 5 or less. Drawing a third card can (and often does) actually make the overall hand strength worse. Banker, on the other hand, has a more complex set of third-card rules. It draws only when there’s an advantage to do so, which results in a roughly 2% better chance of winning.
Yes, baccarat is very easy to learn and play. It’s one of the game’s many charms – you can simply jump in and have great fun, quickly and easily. Some rules of the game may take memorizing, but don’t be alarmed. Despite its reputation, baccarat is extremely friendly for beginners and newbies.
Statistically, the best way to play baccarat is to bet flat on Banker every round. That’s not exactly fun for most players, however, so it’s okay to mix things up with Player bets, too. Remember, Baccarat is mostly a luck-based game, so don’t stress too much about strategy if you’re just starting out.
The Banker bet is the better option between the two. However, the difference comes down to a 0.18% better house edge. If you want to keep things interesting, you won’t shoot yourself in the foot if you bet on Player. Don’t bet on Tie, though.
Live Casino Editor
Our Chief Editor is a live casino aficionado with years of playing casino games online under his belt. His vast knowledge of the industry’s ins and outs makes him a great leader of our LC team, while his penchant for learning new things has made him a great strategist. This has come particularly handy with our in-depth articles and editorials, where his expertise can shine to the fullest.
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