Baccarat: How to Play

07/31/23

Table games are fun for multiple reasons. First and foremost, they’re a fantastic way to socialize. You can meet like-minded people if you play at a casino, and games of this kind are also an idea if you wish to have some fun with your friends. You’ll find table games of many types at casinos in Las Vegas and much further afield. One that you may wish to consider looking at is Baccarat.

Baccarat is an exciting game that you can play with multiple other people. However, knowing how to play it is difficult if this is your first time at the table. Luckily, you’re in the right place if you want to learn more about Baccarat – as we’ll delve really deep into this topic today.

In this guide, you will learn about the most important rules of Baccarat. On top of that, you can discover where to play Baccarat – both in land-based casinos and if you would prefer to try your luck in online games instead.

You will learn about how to win at Baccarat, too, along with what the role of the dealer is when playing this game. And as an even better bonus, you’ll get a complete suite of other useful pieces of information. If that sounds like what you’re looking for, keep reading.

What Is Baccarat?

While knowing the different rules of Baccarat is important, that’s not the only topic we should discuss. The best place to start is by first taking a look at what Baccarat actually is.

In a historical context, Baccarat is newer than many other types of games. However, it has been popular in Europe since around the 19th century, especially in France and Italy. Believe it or not, there is also a commune in the country called Baccarat – which is close to the German border. However, the region was not named after the game.

The game involves a board, and you will typically play it with cards. Like many table games, such as poker, each card has a different value. But unlike a lot of other games, some of the often more valuable cards – such as the kings and queens – don’t actually have any value in Baccarat. You don’t use joker cards in Baccarat, which is different from Pai Gow Poker.

When you receive a hand in Baccarat, you can’t receive a value of more than nine in total. The game is especially important for casinos these days, with many taking large chunks of their income from this game.

We’ll talk more about where you can play Baccarat in the future, but its availability is widespread in both the US and Europe. The game is also played in some parts of Asia. So, you often won’t have too many issues finding a place to play if you want to look for a casino when traveling.

Baccarat Rules

Okay, so you now have some context about what Baccarat is. Furthermore, we’ve also touched upon its potential origins. With those bases both covered, we can now start to have a look at what the main rules are for playing Baccarat.

When you play Baccarat, you’ll need to place bets – and this is done before the dealer gives you your cards. You effectively pick the outcome for what you think will happen when the cards are eventually dealt.

The dealer needs to collect everybody’s bets. It’s up to you how much you stake, and many casinos will have minimum and maximum limits for what you’re allowed to wager. As is the case with other forms of betting, such as sports betting, the payout is bigger if you land a result that was previously deemed to be less likely.

After you receive the cards, you will typically place another bet. This might seem confusing to begin with, but the second bet you place is different from your first one. You will do this with the knowledge of your cards that you have, and that can influence how close you are to winning.

What happens next depends largely on the situation. In some cases, a third card might then be thrown into the mix. This normally happens when you or the dealer don’t have either eight or nine. However, you and the dealer usually can’t draw another card unless the ones you currently have a value lower than six. Note that Aces are only worth one point when you play Baccarat. It’s worth keeping in mind that different casinos might have different rules in this respect.

Different rules apply when a third card is drawn. Once the round has concluded, you can collect your winnings if you successfully bet on the right outcome.

Cards in Baccarat

We spoke a lot about cards in the previous section, so now is a good time to go into further detail on what the different cards in Baccarat mean. As mentioned, Aces only have a value of one when you play the game. No joker is involved, and the kings and queens both have a value of zero.

Nine is the highest value you can get in a baccarat hand, even if your two cards have a higher value than nine. This is where things can get confusing, but hear us out. For hands that add up to more than nine, you will instead need to choose the last number as what your hand is worth. So, for example, an 8 and a 4 would be worth 2 – as 8 + 4 = 12.

When you think of things like the above, the Ace card only being worth one can actually work in your favor. This might take a bit of time to get used to, so it’s worth practicing as much as you feel is necessary.

Can You Play Baccarat Online?

We’ve already mentioned that many land-based casinos offer Baccarat among other table games, but much of the world is digital these days. With that in mind, you might be having a think about what your choices are to play Baccarat online instead.

A lot of the most popular land-based casino games are also available to play online. And in this respect, Baccarat is no exception. The only things that would limit you from playing Baccarat are if you aren’t old enough for the jurisdiction you’re based in, and whether online casino games are legal in the place that you are. For example, an 18-year-old could play Baccarat in the UK – but they couldn’t in most US states.

Where Can You Play Baccarat Online?

You can play Baccarat in many places online, and your choices will differ depending on where you live. Some operators are widespread across the US, but accessing these in Europe might be a little more difficult. However, there would also be alternatives.

Below are some of the most popular US online casinos that offer Baccarat to their players:

FanDuel Online Casino
DraftKings
WynnBET
BetMGM

If you’re based in Europe, you should consider trying these places to play Baccarat:

Mr. Green
LeoVegas
Betway
MrQ
Casumo

When looking for casinos to play Baccarat, it’s worth also looking for sign-up and welcome bonuses. In some cases, you might be able to enjoy Baccarat without needing to deposit as much money as would otherwise be the case. These will vary depending on where you live.

What Is Baccarat Poker?

Baccarat is one of the most popular table games, and with many of those that fall into the same category, poker variations have been created by innovative businesspeople and gamers. When doing some research about Baccarat, it’s possible that you have heard of baccarat poker and not just the version we’ve discussed so far in this guide. So, does it actually exist? If so, what are the biggest similarities and differences?

Baccarat poker isn’t really a thing, but Baccarat itself is often seen as a viable alternative to poker for those who don’t want to play that game. The two have lots in common, such as the use of cards and being situated at a table. You will also need to beat the dealer.

However, there are a fair few differences between Baccarat and poker as well. For example, the house edge – which gives the casino an advantage over the player – is often higher in poker. On the other hand, poker is often more instant than Baccarat – and this is especially the case with newer types of the game, such as Texas Hold’em.

Baccarat Payouts

As we mentioned earlier in this guide, Baccarat is largely a betting-based game. As a result, you’ll need to have a good understanding of different patterns – but it’s also important to understand that luck will play a significant role in whether you are successful when you sit down at the table.

The Baccarat odds of winning will depend largely on the amount that you staked. However, you should also consider odds – i.e., the probability of what you bet on actually occurring.

When you receive a payout, it’s important that you understand the house and banker edges. These will reduce the amount that you get, compared to what would otherwise have been the case if you do win.

You can bet on a tie, and the odds of that happening are often around 8/1. The house edge is much higher when you wager that a tie will happen.

Player odds, meanwhile, are often evens (1/1). However, you will again need to take the house edge into account here.

The Role of the Dealer in Baccarat

Like with many table games, you will have both a player and dealer when you play Baccarat. The Baccarat dealer has a big responsibility, as they’re the person who will need to collect bets from each person around the table. The dealer also gives everyone their cards, along with dealing themself a hand.

Live Dealer Baccarat

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can play Baccarat with all kinds of unique interactive experiences. Let’s say, for example, that you’re unable to visit a land-based casino – or that you simply don’t want to. What can you do in those cases?

The best answer for many people is to play a live dealer game instead. Although you aren’t physically present with the dealer, you will still be playing with a real person. That individual deals the cards to you, and you’ll play in the same way that would be the case in a real-life casino. The entire game takes place over the web.

Baccarat: How to Win

We’ve covered quite a lot in this guide, and you might now be wondering how you can actually increase your chances of winning at Baccarat. The game requires both practice and patience, but with a combination of both, you can enhance your skills and hopefully also beat the dealer more times than would otherwise be the case.

The first thing you should do is not make any irrational decisions when betting. Your first bet will be quite challenging, but you should rely on intuition and instinct. Both of those will serve you better than if you just go for the craziest bet – just for the sake of it.

Playing as the banker in Baccarat can also increase your chances of winning, as you’ll have a better edge than if you’re a player. However, you should also note that many casinos won’t let you have an unlimited number of games as the banker – so you should choose this wisely.

Is Baccarat Popular at Land-Based Casinos?

While you can play Baccarat in numerous online settings, you might also want to go and play in real life. With this in mind, is Baccarat popular at land-based casinos?

In short, the answer is yes! Many casinos in real-life will offer Baccarat, and you’ll often get a dealer and be able to play with others. These games are entertaining and interactive, and a lot of casinos offer other entertainment amenities while you’re there – such as food and drink.

When you play Baccarat at a land-based casino, keep in mind that house edges might differ. On top of that, you should also think about the different commissions that other casinos might take – as these can impact the amount that you win on your bets.

A Definitive Guide to Baccarat

So, there you have it. Now that you’ve read this guide, you should be better equipped to improve your chances of winning at Baccarat. On top of that, you should have a better understanding of what the rules are when you play – and this should enable you to have more of a fulfilling experience when you sit down and receive your cards.

Baccarat is a lot more time-consuming than many other table games that you’ll find in a casino, and you should expect mistakes when you play early on. You’ll also need to think about the chances of receiving luck in your favor and adopt different strategies for how you can adapt your bets based on the hands you receive.

If you’re willing to stick with learning the rules of Baccarat, you can enjoy it to a greater extent in the long run. Hopefully, you feel better prepared to do that now that you’ve read this article.