BACCARAT ONLINE

PLAY BACCARAT ONLINE

As you may know, baccarat was made famous by the Agent 007. Yes, James Bond was a big fan of the game, but he is not the only one. Millions of players worldwide are enchanted with the simplicity of this casino game. At the same time, they are all hoping that luck will go their way and that they will leave the table with lots of cash.

Nowadays, you can play baccarat online at some of the best American casinos. To avoid barking up the wrong tree, we provided you with a collection of our in-depth reviews of the best New Jersey online casinos. By going through those guides, you can find a casino that will suit your needs and preferences.

Online baccarat offers equal levels of entertainment as the one played in land-based venues. In other words, it features an easy-to-play concept, alongside some very good odds. As a matter of fact, this particular game offers the lowest house edge of all table games in a casino. For that reason, it is important to learn what is baccarat and how to play baccarat online.

WHAT IS BACCARAT?

According to most experts, the game of baccarat comes from medieval Italy or France. In fact, the word ”baccarat” means ‘zero’ in Italian. On top of that, some historians believe that the concept of the game relates to ritual practices of worshipping the nine Etruscan gods.
Either way, modern-day baccarat has little to do with the occult and spiritual aspects. Yet, players of this game are, in a way, worshippers of the number 9. In other words, the goal of the game is to get as close to number nine as possible.

When playing baccarat, you are not playing against other players. Moreover, you are not even facing the casino. As a matter of fact, you are up against your own luck, and this makes baccarat a unique casino game.

Due to its Italian origins, the game is often referred to as Punto Banco. In addition, several variations of baccarat are available in casinos around the globe. For instance, baccarat lovers can play the American or the European version. Also, the well-known Chemin de fer and Mini Baccarat are popular, as well as the Baccarat en Banque.

No matter which type of baccarat you choose, the game will provide you with a lot of excitement. But, baccarat also comes with a specific set of rules. Thus, let’s take a quick look at all the elements you need to know before you start playing baccarat online.

HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT?

As we mentioned earlier, baccarat is a casino game that features straightforward gameplay. For instance, there are only three options to choose from when placing a wager.

In a brick and mortar casino, the dealer usually does all the work for you. So, he or she will draw the cards, call the outcome, make the payouts, and so on. When it comes to online baccarat, the software will do all those things for you. Again, your only job is to place the bet and hope for the desired outcome. In case you are wondering what are those three wagering options – no worries, we’ve got you covered!

Types of bets in baccarat

The name Punto Banco comes from the essential elements of baccarat. In translation, those two elements are known as the Player (Punto) and the Banker (Banco).

During a hand of baccarat, which is also known as a coup, the dealer will draw two cards for each of those elements. So, two cards are placed face-up in the Player’s box, and the other two are also placed face-up on the Banker’s position.

Your task is to choose the side which will have a stronger hand. We already said that the goal of the game is to get as close to 9 as possible. Here is how much you can win if you predict the right outcome:

• If you bet on the Player (Punto), you will be paid 1:1 (even money)
• If you bet on the Banker (Banco), you will be paid 19:20 (or, 1:1 with a deduction of 5%; this commission is only calculated if you win the bet)
• If you bet on a Tie (draw), you will be paid 8:1 (sometimes 9:1)

As you see, the biggest payouts come if you predict that the hands will have equal value. However, the Tie bet is a so-called sucker bet, and we do not recommend choosing this option. The house edge on this particular bet is 14.4%, which are terrible odds for a player.

But, how to know which of the two hands is stronger? Let’s take a look at the values of the cards in the game of baccarat.

Card values and combinations in baccarat

Even though there are variations, baccarat is mostly played with eight decks of cards. Yet, the values of the cards remain constant no matter which version of the game you play. So, here is a quick overview:

• Cards from 2 to 9 have their face value (5 counts as 5, 7 as a 7, etc.)
• Aces count as 1 (not as 11)
• 10, J, Q, and K have a value of zero (Kings count as 0, etc.)

When the dealer draws the cards, he or she calls the value of the hand. As we said, both the Player and the Banker will receive two cards at the initial draw. We will later see how they can receive extra cards.

And, if the value of the two cards in any of the hands is 8 or 9, this is called a ‘natural’. The naturals are the holy grail of baccarat, and they are a winning hand. For example, if the Player receives 5 and 4, 9 and Q, and so on.

Also, a common occurrence in baccarat is when the total of the hand goes over nine. In those cases, the dealer will count only the second digit. For instance, if the Banker receives a six and a 10, the total of the hand counts as six, not as sixteen. Our friendly tip is to subtract ten of the total in these situations. Or, you can just remove the first number in your head. Either way, a hand consisting of a seven and an eight has a value of five in baccarat.

Drawing the third card in baccarat

So, besides the three betting options and four cards on the table – is there anything else that is important to know about the game of baccarat? Well, yes, and this is where things get a bit complicated. But, don’t worry, well put everything in simple terms.

On top of that, you don’t even have to know any of these things when playing online baccarat. The software will do all the work for you. But, it is advisable to know what is going on at each moment.

For example, the ‘process’ of drawing the third card in baccarat is regulated by a predetermined set of rules. Moreover, those rules are different for the Banker and for the Player. Since the Player is the one who always goes first in baccarat, we’ll start with the Player’s hand.

The rules for drawing the Player’s third card

• If the Player receives a natural (the total of 8 or 9) – it stands
• If the Player receives a total of 6 or 7 – it stands
• If the Player receives a total of 5 or less – it receives another card

On the other hand, the rules that govern the drawing of Banker’s third card are more complex. In fact, they are directly affected by the Player’s third card. Even so, you do not have to memorize them to have fun while playing the game. Here are the situations in which the Banker draws the third card:

The rules for drawing the Banker’s third card

• If the Banker receives a natural (8 or 9) – it stands
• If the Banker receives a total of 7 – it stands
• If the Banker receives a total of 6, and the Player’s 3rd card is 6 or 7 – it draws a 3rd card
• If the Banker receives a total of 5, and the Player’s 3rd card is from 4 to 7 – it draws a 3rd
• If the Banker receives a total of 4, and the Player’s 3rd card is from 2 to 7 – it draws a 3rd
• If the Banker receives a total of 3, and the Player’s 3rd card is any other than 8 – it draws a 3rd card

Once again, if you feel overwhelmed by these rules, there is no need to worry. The best New Jersey online casinos will provide you with guidance through the gameplay. By doing so, you will get to experience the best of what baccarat has to offer.

BACCARAT OPTIMAL STRATEGY

Now that you know how to play the game, you are probably interested in knowing how you can win at baccarat. Well, the game of baccarat is one of those casino games that are entirely based on luck. For that reason, no betting strategy can guarantee 100% success. Even so, players are relying on different systems when playing baccarat at US online casinos.

For instance, some of them are using the well-known Martingale system. This famous strategy requires you to double the initial bet until you encounter a win. After that, you go back to the starting wager and start all over again. Rinse and repeat. But, the Martingale system comes with a set of risks, and you could quickly run into the betting limits imposed by the casino.

Yet, the most popular baccarat strategy is known as ‘riding the hot streaks’. As a matter of fact, the land-based casinos provide players with scorecards to keep track of the results. Players believe that they can predict the outcome of the upcoming hand on the basis of previous results.
However, it seems that the Gambler’s Fallacy makes the players forget that every hand in baccarat is an independent event. As such, the odds do not depend on the so-called hot streaks.

Of course, betting strategies a great way to manage your money. Even though baccarat strategies cannot guarantee that you’ll win every time, they can increase your chances. Also, an optimal strategy will lead you to start making informed bets. And, this can be a big deal when it comes to winning some cash at baccarat.

BACCARAT RTP

When it comes to the return percentage, different bets in baccarat will offer different odds. In general, baccarat is a generous casino game. As such, it was traditionally considered as a high-rollers game. In recent years, online gambling has made the game accessible to everyone.
So, the RTP and the house edge on the three most important baccarat bets are:

• Player – house edge of 1,24% (RTP – 98,76%)
• Banker – house edge of 1,06% (RTP – 98,94%)
• Tie – house edge of 14,4% (RTP – 85,56%)

Also, some casinos will offer various side bets alongside these three main ones. Depending on the casino, side bets often come with a high level of risk. So, be cautious when placing the wagers on those betting options.

SUMMARY

Baccarat, or Punto Banco if you like, is a casino game that offers lucrative payouts and engaging gameplay. After all, there are only a couple of decisions that you need to make when playing this game. Yet, the simplicity is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to playing baccarat online.

Thus, we recommend that you choose one of the best online casinos in the USA and start playing the game. After a few rounds, you’ll fall in love with baccarat.

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