Casino Online

Baccarat is a deviation from the usual table game at casinos. Players don’t necessarily play their own hand, but rather bet on either the “bank” or the “house” to win. The odds are about even, although the house advantage comes from the casino taking a 5% commission on all bets placed on the house. The game has been popularized via the James Bond films as a game of glamor and intrigue.

Playing Baccarat

Baccarat games are played with multiple decks of cards at one time, usually six or eight depending on the table and the game. It is usually well advertised when joining a table how many decks of cards are being used. Cards from the deck are then dealt out into two separate hands- The player and the house. Rather than trying to beat another player using the cards dealt, baccarat players can either bet money on the bank or the player prevailing. There is also the option to bet on a tie between the two hands occurring, which is a rare occurrence which pays off significantly more.

Baccarat hands are judged by their face value. Cards 2-9 are worth exactly their face value, while aces are worth 1 and 10s and face cards are worth 0. These cards are added up to form the value of the hand. The maximum value of a baccarat hand is 9, so if players hand adds up to ten or higher, it will roll over again and start from 0. For instance, if a player is dealt a 9 and a 5, totaling 14, it would count only as a 4.

Both hands are dealt a minimum of 2 card with a maximum of 3. When either is dealt it either an 8 or 9 total, it is referred to as a “natural.” When this occurs, no further cards will be drawn. Players are required to draw a card if their hand totals less than 6.

For more information about the many terms and phrases used in baccarat, check out our Baccarat Glossary.

Online Baccarat

Playing baccarat online is a good way to get a feel for the game. After all, it takes practice to get a good feel for how to play any game, especially a game like baccarat. Playing online at popular websites such as Golden Palace or Bodogs will help to get you in the game and ready to play at the casinos.