How To Play Baccarat – A Beginner’s Guide for 2024
Learn how to play baccarat right here as we take you through everything you need to know about online baccarat. We cover all the vital details, from the rules of baccarat to the bets you can place and a step-by-step guide on how to play. We also offer top tips on how to play baccarat and win.
Baccarat may seem like an intimidating game to learn, but it is pretty simple once you have a grasp of the rules. The game has a low house edge, ensuring better payouts when you win, making it worthwhile to learn how to play baccarat at a casino online.
The Rules of Baccarat
Before we look at how to play baccarat, it is important to understand the baccarat game rules. Baccarat is a card game played with a shoe of six, seven, or eight decks of cards, each with 52 cards. When playing baccarat, you play against the house (dealer), where you each receive two cards placed face down. The aim is to accurately guess whether the value of the hand falls in favour of you, the dealer, or if it will result in a tie. Ultimately, you are aiming for a cards total of 9 as a winning hand.
Once you have made your bet, the dealer turns the cards over, revealing their value. Baccarat rules state that you determine the value of each hand by adding the individual values of the two cards together. However, if you end up with a double-digit figure, you only focus on the figure on the far right.
For example, if you receive a hand with a 10 and a five (total of 15), you only consider the five, giving you a hand of five points. But a three and a six will give you nine points, making this the better hand.
Baccarat Rules Card Value
Adding up the baccarat cards to determine your hand value means you’ll need to know the values assigned to individual cards in the game. Baccarat card game rules state:
- Cards 2-9—Face cards are assigned their face value, which is the number shown on the card.
- 10, Jack, Queen, and King—These cards have a value of 0 points.
- Ace—The Ace counts for one point.
Baccarat Drawing Rules
When learning baccarat and how to play, you’ll find that specific rules apply to dealing a hand. You begin the hand with two cards but can draw additional cards from the deck. However, this is dependent primarily on the first two cards you receive. The rules for baccarat and dealing or drawing follow this format:
- Baccarat third card rules state that if you receive a hand value of 5 or less, the dealer must add a third card to your hand.
- If your hand total is 6 or 7, there is no need for a third card.
- When you opt to stand, the banker must receive a third card if their hand has a value of 5 or below, but they can stand if their hand has a value of 6 or 7.
- If the banker’s initial hand has a total of 0, 1, or 2, they must add a third card to the hand, irrespective of the player’s hand.
- In the case that the banker’s hand has a total value of 3, and your third card isn’t an 8, the banker must take another card.
- If the banker has a total of 4 and your third card is valued between 2 and 7, another card is added to the hand.
- When the banker has a total hand value of 5, and your third card is valued between 4 and 7, another card gets added.
- When the banker has a total value of 6, and your third card is a 6 or 7, the banker draws another card.
- If the banker’s first two cards offer a value of 7, the hand stands.
Baccarat Rules Chart
To make things simpler, we have summarised the above rules in the following charts:
Player’s Baccarat Third Card Rule
| When the total of a player’s first two cards equal | Player’s Move |
| 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 | Draw a card |
| 6 or 7 | Stand |
| 8 or 9 (Natural) | Stand |
Banker’s Dealing Rules
| When the total of the banker’s first two cards equal: | Draws a card when the player’s third card is a: | Does not draw a card when the player’s third card is a: |
| 0, 1, or 2 | Banker always draws on a 0, 1, or 2 | Banker always draws on a 0, 1, or 2 |
| 3 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 9 | 8 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 | 0, 1, 8, or 9 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, or 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 8, or 9 |
| 6 | 6 or 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, or 9 |
| 7 | Stands | Stands |
| 8 or 9 (Natural) | Stands | Stands |
House Edge in Baccarat
Learning how to play the baccarat card game at an online casino means you’ll also need to consider the house edge, as this affects the odds and payouts. The greater the house edge, the less your payout.
The house edge is the commission the online casino takes from your bet for offering the game. Unlike many other card games, the house edge for baccarat varies according to the number of decks in the shoe and the betting options that apply.
In a game of baccarat using eight decks, betting on the player comes with a house edge of 1.24%, while betting on the banker has a considerably lower house edge of 1.06%. As such, the banker bet is the better option. However, there is a third option, where the card values result in a tie. This bet has a far higher house edge of 14.4%. If you bet on the player or the banker and a tie occurs, the house considers these bets a push, and you’ll receive your original bets back.
In other words, a bet on the banker’s hand will win 48.5% of the time, while bets on the player’s hand only win 44.6% of the time. Since your chances of winning a tie bet are only 9.6%, we recommend focusing on the banker bet if you want to make a consistent profit and properly manage your bankroll.
The following table highlights the house edge and payouts for baccarat:
| Bet type | Payout Odds | Odds/ Baccarat Winning Percentage | House Edge |
| Bankers Bet | 1:1 | 45.86% | 1.06% |
| Players Bet | 0.95:1 | 44.62% | 1.24% |
| Tie Bet | 8:1 | 9.52% | 14.36% |
How to Play Baccarat
Now that we have a good grasp of the baccarat casino rules let’s get into how to play baccarat. The following steps will show you how to play baccarat online. However, you can use these steps when learning how to play baccarat in a casino at a land-based establishment, too.
Choose a Baccarat Table to Join
Before you can begin betting, you’ll need to browse the top online baccarat casinos and choose one to join. Once you’ve signed up and deposited funds, you can browse the casino’s selection of baccarat games. While you will find several game variations, the best place to start is with classic baccarat, also called Punto Banco. When you have found the game you want to play, launch it by double-clicking the game thumbnail
Select Your Chip Value and Place Your Bets
Once the game has loaded, select the value of the bets you want to place by choosing a chip value and clicking it. You can then place your bets on the table by clicking the relevant sections. You can bet on either the player, the banker, or a tie. Your chips will appear on that area of the table, signalling your bet. If you’re playing in person, you would manually place your chips on the relevant section of the table. Remember, you can take as much time as you like when placing your bets.
Receive Your Cards
When you’re satisfied with the bets you’ve placed, you can click the button that says “Deal”. The croupier (or computer) begins dealing the cards – two cards for you and two for the banker, placed face down. When the cards are dealt, the dealer will then reveal their values. Based on the outcome of the cards, the round will either end because you have won or lost your bet or there has been a tie. Alternatively, the dealer may deal a third card based on the card value, after which the round will end.
Claim Your Winnings
The casino will pay your winnings into your online account if you win your bet. Once bets are paid, you can then decide whether to play another round or leave the game.
Bets in Baccarat
One of the great things about the baccarat game and how to play, is that there are very few betting options to learn and understand. As such, baccarat is one of the most straightforward online casino games. While you will find several primary baccarat betting options, there are a few side bets you can wager to earn more money on the game.
Main Baccarat Bets
In understanding the casino game baccarat and how to play, you’ll find there are three primary bets: the Player, the Banker, and a Tie. These are the three betting options you have when betting on a round of baccarat. While the Banker bet is the most common, the most lucrative, and has the lowest house edge, the Tie bet is the opposite, with the lowest probability and the highest house edge.
If you were to consider only two betting options, the Banker and the Player, your chances of winning the Banker bet are 51%, while winning the Player bet is only 49%, making the Banker bet the safer option.
While the Tie bet has odds of 8:1 and is a very tempting bet, remember that the probability of this wager winning is only 9.52%, which is minimal compared to that of the Banker bet
Baccarat Side Bets
Besides placing primary bets on baccarat, there are also several exciting side bets that you can wager. While the main bets focus directly on the hand, side bets allow you to wager on other aspects of the game. Casino baccarat rules allow you to place the following side bets:
- Banker Pair—If the banker’s first two cards are a pair.
- Player Pair—If the player’s first two cards are a pair
- Perfect Pair—If the player or banker’s first two cards are identical in value and suit. (Remember here if both the player and banker receive a pair of cards that are identical in value and suit, the odds payout at 200:1.)
- Either Pair—If the banker or player’s hand is a pair.
- Big or Small (4-5-6)—This side bet allows you to bet on the final number of player and banker cards. A small is 4 cards, while a big is 5 or 6 cards.
- Dragon Bonus—In baccarat rules, the dragon bonus allows you to place bets on the banker or player winning the round by a margin. The greater the margin, the higher the payouts.
- Super 6—This side bet allows you to wager that the banker will win by a margin of 6 points
- All Red/Black—This bet is based on the colour of the cards. If you wager all red, you bet all the cards in the hand will be red. The same applies to an all black bet, where all the cards dealt must be black.
Baccarat Bets: Odds and Payouts
When learning a casino game like baccarat and how to play, having a baccarat rules card outlining the payout odds, probability, and RTP for each bet can be helpful. So, we put a baccarat rules sheet together for you:
| Bet type | Payout Odds | Odds/ Baccarat Winning Percentage | RTP |
| Banker Bet | 0.95:1 | 45.86% | 98.94% |
| Player Bet | 1:1 | 44.62% | 98.76% |
| Tie Bet | 8:1 | 9.52% | 48.00% |
| Banker Pair | 11:1 | 7.47% | 89.64% |
| Player Pair | 11:1 | 7.47% | 89.64% |
| Perfect Pair | 25:1 | 3.34% | 91.95% |
| Either Pair | 5:1 | 14.2% | 86.29% |
| Big | 2:1 | 31.8% | 97.35% |
| Small | 3:2 | 37.8% | 90.63% |
| Super 6 | 12:1 | 5.39% | 70.02% |
| All Red/Black | 24:1 (Black)
22:1 (Red) |
3.73% | 93.47% |
| Dragon Bonus | 1:1 up to 30:1 | 6.92% to 0.03% | 90.63% |
How a Round in Baccarat Plays Out
Having been through the baccarat rules for beginners, let’s look more closely at how a round of baccarat will play out:
- Take your seat at the table and choose your chip value.
- Place your bets on the table.
- The cards are dealt and then revealed.
- No further cards are dealt if you or the banker have a total value of 8 or 9. However, if you have a hand value between 0 and 5, you must draw a card, but if your hand value is 6 or 7, you must stand. The banker must draw a card or stand based on the baccarat rules and chart near the top of the page.
- Based on these outcomes, you will either receive a payout or not. Afterwards, the round finishes and the table is cleared for the next round.
Tips for Baccarat and How to Play Like a Professional
Once you have covered all of the bases and learned how to play baccarat, it is time to consider several tips to boost your overall game. While these won’t turn you pro overnight, our top hints for playing online baccarat will undoubtedly set you on the right path.
- Learn the rules of the baccarat cards game – One of the best things you can do for yourself when learning how to play online baccarat is to get well acquainted with the baccarat rules and strategy options. Understanding the rules will make it easier to place bets and know when to draw a card and when to stand without having to look them up each time.
- Practice, practice, practice – Many of the best online casinos in the UK offer electronic baccarat games in demo mode. You can play these games for free and practice before you start playing for real money. Once you have a good grasp of how to play baccarat, you can also use these demo versions to try new baccarat strategies.
- Resist the Tie Bet – The tie bet comes with generous odds that are tempting to many. However, the probability of winning and the high house edge on this bet make it one to steer clear of, as your chances of making the bet are low.
- Back the Banker – Despite the 5% commission on a banker bet, this wager has the highest probability of winning and the lowest house edge. So, while you won’t win massive payouts, you are more likely to get a win. However, if you are practicing baccarat strategies that require even money payouts, betting on the player is your better option.
- Make use of bonuses and promotions – Online casinos offer exciting promotional offers you don’t often find at land-based casinos. The best casino bonuses provide large sums of bonus credits that you can use to play more of the baccarat games on offer.
- Practice responsible gambling—The best way to play like a pro is to practice responsible gambling. One great way to do this is by setting betting and budget limits for yourself. However, GamCare is a great place to start if you need professional assistance.
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