The beauty of playing Baccarat is that there are only three possible outcomes to each game played. And as the house edge on two of these bets is around the one percent mark, it is also one of the best paying casino games.
The aim of any game of Baccarat is to try and guess what the outcome of the game will be; specifically, whether the bankers or the players hand will be closer to a total value of nine, or if both hands will tie.
You can bet on any of the three possible outcomes and at varying stakes. The bet levels at most casinos start quite modestly, but they also accommodate the super high rollers, for many of whom Baccarat is the game of choice.
Baccarat Articles & Guides
Baccarat Variations: What's the Difference Between Chemin de Fer, Punto Banco & Baccarat?
Many a casino player may quite understandably assume that baccarat is baccarat and that's that. But in actual fact that isn't 'that', because baccarat comes in several different forms, and even more if you are playing online. All very similar, but different nonetheless.
What is Edge Sorting in Baccarat?
Casino players are always looking for an edge, but they don't usually mean a literal one. Edge sorting is a way to get an advantage over the casino, but those who have done it and been caught have not fared well in court.
Why Does James Bond Play Baccarat?
The most famous secret agent in the world is known for many things, but one of them is his luck at the casino tables. He plays many games, but baccarat is his favourite. Why?
Pattern Recognition in Baccarat
You should read this article for a full understanding of why, but we can state quite clearly and simply that pattern recognition in baccarat is nonsense. It doesn't work, ties in with gambler's fallacy, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something.
Is It Better to Bet the Player or the Banker in Baccarat?
As one of the simplest games in the casino, Baccarat also offers one of the lowest house edges - but only if you make the right bet. You can learn what that bet is and why here, and also which bet to avoid like the plague.How to Play
To set a new game of Baccarat in motion you must first decide which of the three betting options you would like to place a wager on. You can place as little or as much on any of these betting boxes as you please, however, they must fall with in the minimum and maximum permitted table stakes as displayed on the Baccarat table.
Once you have placed your wager, hit the ‘Deal’ button and the banker will then deal two cards to both the bankers and players hand. Both sets of cards are dealt face up and the total of each hand is tallied up to give a total value.
When counting cards in Baccarat, any ten or picture card is counted as a zero. If the total value is over nine then the right hand digit in the total is the one used; so for example if the total is 14 then the value of that hand is 4, and if the total is 15 then the value of that hand becomes 5 and so on.
The next bit is where Baccarat gets a little confusing if you are unfamiliar with the game. Both the players hand and the bankers hand may draw additional cards, depending on their value.
If the players hand is a 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 then they will draw a card. If the player stands (ie: totals 6,7,8 or 9) then the banker will only draw a card if their hand totals 5 or less.
If the player does not stand, then whether or not the banker draws a card will depend on both the value of the players third card and the value of the bankers hand.
- For banker hands of 0, 1 or 2, a third card is always drawn.
- For banker hands of 3, a third card is drawn unless the players third card is an 8.
- For banker hands of 4, a third card is drawn if the players third card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
- For banker hands of 5, a third card is drawn if the players third card is a 4, 5, 6 or 7.
- For banker hands of 6, a third card is drawn if the players third card is a 6 or a 7.
- For banker hands of 7, 8 or 9, a third card is never drawn.
Banker Bets & Commission
If you place a winning bet on the banker then a 5% commission is deducted from your winnings. This is to cover the fact that the banker’s hand is slightly more likely to win than the players hand. Regardless of which hand you choose to bet on, the house edge is still around 1%.
Hints and Tips
Due to the high payout odds available on the ‘tied hand bet’, this can lure many players into placing this wager; however it is worth pointing out that this particular wager has a huge house edge attached to it, and this means it offers very poor value for players.
So our main tip for playing Baccarat is to stick to placing either a player or banker bet, and never be tempted by the high payout odds of the tied bet wager.