How to Play Baccarat

By learning exactly how to play baccarat, understanding how the game progresses, and what payouts to expect, you give yourself a better chance of making a profit when playing this popular comparing card game.

Here, we cover the key rules of baccarat, game variants, table limits, and RNG vs live titles. With a house edge as low as 1.06%, find out how different variants like Punta Banco, Banque, and Speed work at online casinos.

Understanding the Basics of Baccarat

First, let’s address the question, “How does baccarat work?” Although it may sound like a complicated affair, baccarat is a game of chance in which you place your chips on either the Banker, the Player, or the tie section of the table. By doing so, you try to determine which hand will score the closest to 9.

Card Dealing

The Banker and the Player are dealt 2 cards, both taken at their face value. Depending on the baccarat variation and its rules, the third card may be drawn for the Banker, the Players, or both.

Card Values

If the total of a hand you bet on exceeds 10, the second digit will be the hand’s value. For instance, a 9 and a 5 represent a total of 14, making it a four-point hand.

The 10s and the face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are worth zero points, while the rest of the cards have their face values. Still, if you get an Ace in your hand, it will count as a single point.

House Edge

To learn how to win baccarat rounds, you need to understand the different house edges. Betting on the Banker’s hand is the most favorable, with a 1.06% house edge.

The Banker’s win pays 0.95:1 because the house takes a 5% commission. The Player’s bet has a marginally higher house edge of 1.24%, paying 1:1.

Nikita Jones
Casino & Betting Editor

Expert Insight

With a house advantage of 14.36%, the tie bet is the least favorable. This bet is technically not a part of the main game but more of a side bet. Although it offers potentially high winnings with its 8:1 payouts, experienced players avoid it and stick to the two original ones with better odds.

Online Baccarat Table Limits

Baccarat is best known as a game for high-rollers, especially when played at lavish land-based casinos. Here, you can stake thousands on a single hand. However, to find low-stakes baccarat tables, you need to look at real-money online casinos.

Although these online gaming sites offer plenty of RNG baccarat games with bets starting as low as $0.10, you should remember that the betting limits vary across casinos and depend on the game variant and the type of table.

The table limits for this game in live baccarat casinos usually range between $1 and $10, the latter being more reserved for tables for high rollers. However, if you want to start big, you can also find online tables with limits that range from $100 and $250 to $500, $1,000 and $5,000 per hand.

The maximum bets typically span from $1,000 to $5,000, while at the VIP tables, you can wager between $10,000 and $50,000.

No matter the version of baccarat, the objective remains the same — to bet on a hand total that you think will be closest to 9.

The great thing is that you can play this casino classic at almost any online casino in the US and worldwide and use the funds from casino promotions to test the game and even win something out of it.

The first thing to understand when learning how baccarat is played is the value of each card. Cards 2-9 are worth face value. 10, J, Q, and K are worth 0. An ace is worth 1. There are two hands and three possible bets. Below, we have outlined how a baccarat game works.

Start by betting on the banker’s hand, player’s hand, or a tie.
The banker and player are dealt two cards each.
The hand with a total closest to 9 is declared the winner. Bets are settled based on this. Should the total go to 10+, the 1 is dropped. For example, a score of 14 would actually be 4.
In the event of a tie, you may receive your stake back, or the bet is pushed.

Baccarat Rules

Learning how to play casino baccarat involves knowing when additional cards are dealt. If the player’s hand is 5, an extra card is drawn. The table below shows how the banker’s hand can be impacted.

Banker’s Hand	Player’s 3rd Card	Banker’s Next Step
0,1,2	Any	Draw card
3	Any except 8	Draw card
4	2,3,4,5,6,7	Draw card
5	4,5,6,7	Draw card
6	6,7	Draw card
7	Any	Stand
8	Any	Stand
9	Any	Stand

An Example of How Baccarat is Played

Perhaps the best way to learn how to play baccarat is to watch a game. Baccarat featured in Goldeneye, the 1995 James Bond movie. The main character joins a table alongside Onatopp, who won the previous hand. Both are dealt two cards, which results in the following actions:

Bond placed a bet on the banker’s hand.
Onatopp selects the player’s hand and reveals an Ace and a 7. This gives her a total of 8.
The banker’s hand features a 5 and a 2. The total is 7.
Onatopp wins.

Fresh off her success, Onatopp raises the stakes for the next hand.

Onatopp plays the banker’s hand and reveals a 5 and a J. This equals a total of 5.
Based on the baccarat rules, Bond takes a third card, a 6.
His two opening cards were a Q and K.
With a total of 6, Bond wins.

Baccarat Bet Types

To help you understand the different bet types, we’ve provided more information below.

Bet	Payout	Description
Banker	0.95:1	Bet on the banker’s hand winning
Player	1:1	Bet on the player’s hand winning
Tie	8:1	Bet on the value of each hand being the same
Banker Pair	11:1	Banker to win with the opening two cards
Player Pair	11:1	Player to win with the opening two cards

Playing Online Baccarat vs. Live Baccarat

Although baccarat can be played at brick-and-mortar, online casinos, and bitcoin baccarat casinos, these gaming sessions differ in many ways. Most seasoned players honing their skills at land-based casinos are often seen transitioning to online baccarat.

Besides finding it easy to switch to the online version of this popular game, they prefer it for its accessibility. There are no distractions, and they can enjoy it from the comfort of their homes at any time or even on the road by playing on top mobile casino apps.

Even if this kind of baccarat play misses the social aspect, they can quickly turn to live baccarat, replicating the life-like casino atmosphere and featuring real croupiers.

Online Baccarat vs. Live Baccarat: Pros and Cons

Although many gamblers prefer to play baccarat online for its huge winning potential, this game also has a few disadvantages. We have listed all the perks and drawbacks below:

Pros:

Baccarat online is available 24/7
No limit to the number of players
More baccarat-related promotions
Faster gameplay with baccarat online
The stakes are lower for online baccarat

Cons:

Technical issues can occur
RNG baccarat lacks the social element

How to Play Baccarat Online

With countless online baccarat casinos, you are spoiled for choice. In addition to boasting a slew of baccarat variations, they allow you to enjoy the game using the free mode. The rules of baccarat are easy to learn; however, mastering strategies like Martingale’s, D’Alembert’s, and Paroli’s can help you play longer and increase your winning chances.

Nevertheless, if you are a newbie, this is where the demo play comes in handy. Fortunately, most online casinos, especially new gambling platforms looking to attract players, have this option.

Exploring baccarat game rules when no money is at stake is beneficial for several reasons. You can build confidence by playing in a stress-free environment. You will also learn the basics and all the nuances of this game, test and refine baccarat strategies, and get a better understanding of betting patterns.

Payouts Based on Point Totals of Banker vs. Player

Understanding how to play baccarat also involves knowing how much you stand to earn from different hands. Wins are based on the total of the banker’s and the player’s hands. This is outlined in the table below.

Outcome	Payout
Natural winner	1:1
Natural tie	Push
Win by 9 points	30:1
Win by 8 points	10:1
Win by 7 points	6:1
Win by 6 points	4:1
Win by 5 points	2:1
Win by 4 points	1:1

Different Types of Baccarat Games Online

Baccarat has evolved into many different variations over the years, each with varying dynamics of gameplay and each bringing a twist to the basic baccarat rules. Let’s explore them individually before you play baccarat online real money games.

Punto Banco

Commonly recognized as the North American baccarat, Punto Banco follows the basic rules of baccarat. It uses 6 to 8 decks of cards, with the goal of guessing which hand will have a total closest to 9.

It has a very low house edge of 1.24%, which is even lower for the banker’s bet (1.06%). One of the distinctive features of this baccarat game is that all winning hands owe a 5% commission to the house. Punto Banco is a staple in the majority of US-licensed and offshore casinos.

Chemin de Fer

Chemin de Fer has 6 decks of cards in play. The game starts to the right of the croupier and continues counterclockwise. The main twist lies in the fact that you compete against each other rather than the house.

Each takes a turn in the role of the banker and competes against the other players. Like in most Baccarat games, the casino will take a 3% -5 % commission on the banker’s bet.

Baccarat Banque

Following similar baccarat game rules like Chemin de Fer, Baccarat Banque allows you to act as the banker. However, the catch is that only the player with the largest pot in every round can take on that role. They stay in this position until they deplete their funds or choose to step away.

The game uses 3 decks of cards and accommodates 6 players on each side of the table (in land-based casinos), competing against the banker. The player who is the banker doesn’t necessarily bet against the other players and can only wager that the banker’s bet will win.

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat is a smaller version of the game, accommodating only 6 to 7 players in land-based casinos. Its online counterpart is highly popular because it features the lowest table limits, so it mainly attracts budget-conscious players.

The game is fast-paced, with rounds lasting about one minute and a half, and it follows rules and objectives similar to regular baccarat.

Speed Baccarat

If you are wondering about Speed Baccarat game rules, they are similar to other game variations, except that the gameplay is much faster. Each round must be finalized in about 27 seconds, on average.

The dealer uses 8 decks of 52 cards, giving players 12 seconds to place their bets. Furthermore, this baccarat game is only available online.

No Commission Baccarat

The rules of the No-Commission Baccarat game are the same as those of the traditional version, except that there is no 5% commission on the winning Banker’s wagers, and they pay 1:1.

Another difference is that all winning Banker’s hands with a total of 6 will be paid 50%. However, if you placed a Lucky 6 side bet on the Banker’s hand beforehand, the payout will be 12:1 for the 2-card 6 and 20:1 for the 3-card 6.

Baccarat Squeeze

How do you play Baccarat Squeeze? It’s easy. Aside from letting you bet on the Banker, the Player, or the tie, this baccarat game has an interesting tradition on the betting table.

To increase the tension and make the game more entertaining, the dealer “squeezes” or slowly reveals the value of the playing card. Other than that, the game has the same payouts and follows the rules of baccarat found in the majority of variations.

Progressive Baccarat

Progressive Baccarat is a live dealer game played with 8 decks of cards, which resembles a standard version of this game. However, what makes this baccarat play special out is the possibility of randomly hitting a constantly increasing progressive jackpot.

Another unique element is the progressive jackpot side bet, which allows you to wager on a specific outcome of the betting round. The main prize is won only if the Player and the Banker are dealt an 8 and an Ace of the same suit.

Live Dealer Baccarat

Nowadays, you’ll find Live Dealer Baccarat in some of the best online live casinos in the US. It is the same baccarat game you’ll find in any land-based casino, but you play it online, streamlined from professional studios in HD using multiple cameras. There is a real dealer, and you compete against an unlimited number of players.

The basic rules are the same — you get to bet on the Player, the Banker, or the tie and predict which hand total will be closest to 9 while the dealer controls the rest of the game. This makes it a perfect opportunity for mastering the fundamentals of how to play baccarat and win.

Daragon Tiger

Dragon Tiger is a version of baccarat that uses just two cards. The dragon and the tiger receive one card each. Your job is to bet on which hand will be higher. Selected prop bets can also be placed.

The table below shows the different RTPs and potential wins with the different variants of baccarat. The information is based on games from leading developers. However, the figures may vary slightly when you play other versions.

Game	RTP	Max Win
Punto Banco	98.76%	20x
Chemin de Fer	98%	60x
Baccarat Banque	98.4%	8x
Mini Baccarat	98.94%	30x
Speed Baccarat	98.94%	250x
No Commission Baccarat	98.94%	200x
Baccarat Squeeze	98.94%	30x
Progressive Baccarat	98.94%	8x
Live Dealer Baccarat	98.76%	250x
Dragon Tiger	96.27%	18,125x

The Bottom Line

The simplicity of baccarat rules makes this a popular game for beginners in particular. Often overlooked due to the prominence of blackjack, baccarat games come in RNG and live dealer formats. You should now understand how these games work and how to bet on the banker, player, or a tie.

FAQ

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What makes baccarat popular with high rollers?

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Responsible Gambling

Although gambling is all about fun and entertainment, it can lead to a highly complex disorder if not approached responsibly and cautiously.

Responsible gambling means setting limits to yourself (both with money and time), not perceiving gambling as a source of income, and only wagering the funds you can afford to lose.

How to Play Baccarat – The Basics of Playing Baccarat Online