Live Baccarat

Fancy a game of baccarat at one of the best casinos in Canada? Discover a bustling portfolio of exceptional table and card games at EnergyCasino, with a variety of live baccarat tables for every taste and playstyle.

HISTORY OF BACCARAT

The origins of baccarat are debated to this day, as the first written records of the game are from the 19th century. Although many accounts of the game’s first sighting are disputed, players can find remnants of several older games in modern-day baccarat. One of the earliest predecessors is the Chinese game of Pai Gow, which had an objective of landing a total of nine with tiles instead of cards. In Europe, the earliest similarities can be found in Tarrochi, Macao and Le Her games of fourteenth-century Italy. Other popular contenders include the French game of Vingt-et-un, or blackjack as we know it today. Baccarat’s first appearances in France date to the 15th century, and at the height of the Napoleonic era the game had two distinct variants: Baccarat en Banque (or Baccarat Deux Tableux) and Chemin de Fer.

BACCARAT TABLES

Today, baccarat tables are some of the busiest in Live Casinos around the world. The game is both engaging and easy to understand, making it a perfect choice for newcomers and casino veterans alike. At EnergyCasino, we offer a selection of live dealer baccarat tables hosted by Evolution, including Lightning Baccarat, Baccarat No Commission and Baccarat Squeeze. Let’s have a look at how to play live baccarat games and where to find the best Live Casino Welcome Bonus (subject to availability in your jurisdiction) for you to enjoy!

BACCARAT RULES

Baccarat has a reasonably low house edge and, luckily, the rules of the game are pretty simple! Before diving into strategies for playing baccarat, we’ll summarise the main rules below.

• The game is usually played with eight decks of 52 cards.

• The main objective of baccarat is to bet on a hand that, hopefully, reaches or is closest to nine.

• There are three regular bets you can place on a round of baccarat: on the Player’s hand, the Banker’s or on a Tie (push) between the two.

• Both the Player and Banker are dealt two cards, one or both may receive a third card.

• Whether or not one of the hands receives a third card is determined automatically, according to the strict rules of the game (more on that later).

• In live baccarat, the cards are dealt by the live dealer, but the gameplay decisions are automatic. Neither the Player’s hand nor the Banker’s can decide if they want a third card.

• Face cards and tens count as zero, while aces are worth one point. All other cards are given their face value.

• If the point total exceeds nine, the tenths place is dropped, leaving the last digit as the final total. For example, a hand with an eight and a nine (17 total) is worth seven (17-10=7).

• The hand that reaches or is closest to nine wins the round.

The effortlessness and popularity of this game make it a staple in any online casino, but don’t mistake its simplicity for a greater chance at winning — you still face a house edge on every bet you make. Albeit already low, the house edge can be reduced even more. Take a look at the useful baccarat terminology, and we’ll show you third-card rules and tips on playing baccarat right after.

BACCARAT TERMINOLOGY

Real casino table may offer different variations of baccarat which are not available on most online casinos, here we will address some of the most common terms in baccarat.

Baccarat – the worst attainable hand in baccarat, totalling zero points. Fun fact: ‘baccarat’ means zero!

Banker Bet – one of three possible bets in baccarat, a win on the Banker’s hand will be paid 1:1. Due to the really low house edge, a 5% commission is deducted from winning bets on the Banker’s hand in most games of baccarat.

Banque – a popular baccarat version, which includes one Banker hand and two Player hands.

Bankroll – the amount of money a player intends to spend while gambling.

Burning – when the top three or six cards are discarded right after shuffling and before the start of a new game.

Chemin de Fer - one of the more popular baccarat variations, also known as European Baccarat or Railroad. In this variation, one of the players is in charge of taking bets, dealing and playing as the Banker.

Chips – chips are used instead of cash, on real and Live Casino baccarat tables. Chips come in many denominations and are often colour-coded.

Down Card – any face-down card.

Dragon Bonus – a side bet on baccarat, not available in all games and one of the uncommon baccarat side bets in online casinos. The Dragon Bonus win is awarded if the chosen hand wins by at least four points. In some games, the Dragon Bonus applies to natural wins or non-natural wins with a margin of nine points.

Face Cards – jacks, queens and kings. Also referred to as picture cards.

House Edge – the advantage of the casino over the player. In other words, the house edge is the casino’s profit margin, expressed as a percentage of the players’ bets.

La Grande – meaning “The Big One” the best attainable hand in baccarat, the “natural” nine.

La Petite – meaning “The Small One” is the second natural hand in baccarat, totalling eight.

Monkey – a term used for tens and face cards.

Natural – when two cards in a hard total eight or nine.

Pair – a pair is two numerically identical cards.

Pass – a win.

Player – one of baccarat’s most misleading terms. ‘Player’ in this case does not mean you, the participant, or other baccarat players. This term refers to one of the three available bets in baccarat, with a house edge of just over 1% and a 1:1 payout for winning. The person playing a game of baccarat is referred to as a ‘Punter’.

Push – when the Player’s hand ties with the Banker’s. A push in baccarat can also be called a ‘Standoff’ or simply ‘Tie’.

Run – one of the side bets available on some baccarat games, allowing the placement of bets on a series of hands.

Side Bets – side bets are additional bets that can be placed in a round of live baccarat. Side bets in baccarat include a Run, Dragon Bonus, Player Pair, Banker Pair, Perfect Pair and Either Pair. A side bet is typically placed to the sides of the main betting area and may be labelled with an abbreviation. Check the Game Rules for a detailed breakdown of available side bets and their payouts.

Table of Play – the rules, usually depicted as a table, according to which a third card can be dealt.

Tie – one of the three possible bets on baccarat. When a hand ends in a tier, punters who wagered on Player or Banker will have their bet returned. The payout for wagering on Tie and winning is 8:1 or 9:1, depending on the casino.

BACCARAT CARD VALUES

• Tens, jacks, queens and kings are all worth zero points.

• Aces are the lowest card and are worth one point each.

• All other cards (2-9) assume their numerical face values.

• When the value of the hand surpasses nine, only the last digit of the sum counts. For example, a hand total of 14 will count as four.

• Only the numerical value of each card is relevant in baccarat, the suit is insignificant.

HOW TO PLAY LIVE BACCARAT

So, what determines when a Player or Banker will draw another card? When a Player or Banker are dealt a hand with eight or nine, it is called a “natural, and no additional cards will be dealt. In cases where the hand total is worth 0-7, the Table of Play is consulted to determine when the third card can be dealt to one or both of the hands, according to The Third Card Rule.

The Player always goes first, so we’ll breakdown the Player Hand table here. If the initial two-card hand totals 0,1,2,3,4 or 5, the Player draws a third card. If the two-card total is six or seven, the Player stands. No card is drawn by either hand on a natural. Since the Player’s hand goes first, the Banker’s third-card draw is dependent on the value of the Player’s third card and the total of the first two cards. In nearly every game of live dealer baccarat, you can view the detailed rules under ‘Game Rules’, accessible by clicking the ‘?’ button on most Live Casino games from Evolution. Fortunately, many of the modern, online baccarat variations are played automatically according to the rules. Make sure to take a thorough look at the Table of Play and the relevant payouts, especially if you’re new to baccarat!

LIVE BACCARAT STRATEGY

Much like in blackjack, outcomes in baccarat are dependent on the cards that were played during the previous round. What that means is that this game is one of both luck and skill, and the house edge can be lowered. The dependability of all outcomes on the previous draws allows players to alter their bets or playing strategy to maximise the payouts.

The house edge on Banker bets is 1.06%, 1.24% on Player and a massive 14.4% on Ties. We recommend that newcomers place bets on the Banker and avoid Tie at all costs. One of the basic baccarat strategies is to capitalise on winning streaks, and it just so happens that the Banker has a slightly better chance at hitting a streak. Avoid betting aggressively even when you count cards like the pros, a win is never guaranteed in casino games.

In casino games like Lightning Baccarat or mini-baccarat, with a significantly greater amount of decisions, one popular strategy advises betting on the Banker until it loses. Then wait out subsequent rounds until the Player loses and place your chips on the Banker again. In theory, the reduced amount of decisions you make also reduces your expected losses.

Given that baccarat outcomes are dependent on the previous rounds, betting progression strategies will never overcome the house edge in the long run; thus, we advise against following betting systems like the Martingale.

LIVE DEALER BACCARAT GAMES

One of the advantages of playing live dealer baccarat games in real time is having the flexibility and opportunity to make strategically advantageous decisions. Before paying, make sure to consult some of the many guides online, and don’t forget to pick a table which is suitable for your playstyle. When it comes down to it, always play responsibly and be wary of making a risky side bet, following a mathematically disadvantageous strategy or chasing wins and streaks.

LIVE BACCARAT BONUS

If you’re playing at an online casino, check out the promotional offers before grabbing that seat at an online casino live dealer baccarat table. At EnergyCasino, you’ll find a fantastic Live Casino Welcome Bonus (subject to availability in your jurisdiction) and plenty of recurring promotions that may help you boost your wins or even return cash on losses! Keep an eye out for our Cashback bonuses and Live Casino tournaments as well.

FAQ