The Complete Guide to Online Baccarat 2023

The game of Baccarat originated in Europe. More specifically, it has been around since the 10th century. According to most historians, the game originated in Italy while it was refined in France sometime in the 14th century. From Europe, the game found its way to the American continent where it was further refined with the modern rules we know today.

When translated from Italian the word Baccarat means zero. With this in mind, the game was designed with one simple rule that all Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are equal to zero. Since the game’s creation, this is one rule that persisted.

The game of Baccarat was widely played among the French royal families. Back in the day, the game was called Chemin de Fer. This particular variant of the game was refined during the French revolution. The game of Baccarat that was introduced from Europe to other parts of the globe was called Punto Banco.

Europe is known for producing impressive goods that last centuries and some of the best classic table and card games originate from European soil. When it comes to gambling in North America, the Great Depression had a major impact on the survival of casino games. When gambling was declared legal in the United States, games including Punto Banco reached new heights in popularity, especially after the Great Depression. However, back in the day gambling was primarily reserved for the elite.

Thanks to the introduction of the Internet, the game of Baccarat became very popular all over the globe, including in the United States. Today, almost every online casino has at least a couple of different Baccarat games, such as Mini Baccarat which employs the basic rules of the game played in land-based casinos of Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

Many words used in the game of Baccarat came from French and Italian which perfectly reflects the game’s French and Italian roots. Some of the most commonly used terms in the game of Baccarat also reflect its integration within the North American culture.

Baccarat: Baccarat refers to having a hand that equals zero. This is not something you want to have when playing the game. Banker: This is one of the three most popular betting options in the game. Essentially, you bet on the Banker or the Dealer. If your Banker bet wins you get a 1 to 1 payout minus the commission fee of 5% that goes to the casino. This bet is also sometimes called Banco.

Coup: Coup refers to a single round of Baccarat, including the hands of the Banker and the Player.

Dealer: The dealer or the croupier that deals and shifts the cards in gaming rounds.

Mini Baccarat: This is a very popular version of the game played online. When compared to classic Baccarat games, Mini Baccarat comes with lower betting limits.

Natural: This term refers to having two initial cards whose total is either nine or eight.

Player: This is yet another common move in the game of Baccarat which involves betting on the Player’s hand. Winning Player bets deliver payouts of 1 to 1. These bets also come with a casino edge slightly over. Winning Player bets is also called Punto.

Run: Run refers to simultaneous wagers that players can wager on other winning consecutive hands. 

Standoff: A standoff is when both the player and the Dealer have the same cards.

Tie: Tie refers to a standoff between the Player and the Banker. Tie bets are not common due to their high casino edge of around 15%. On the other hand, payouts of 8 to 1 are very lucrative.

The game of Baccarat accommodates up to fourteen players. Every game round is usually played with up to eight card decks. The Ten, Jack, Queen, and King cards are always worth zero, while Aves are valued at one. The remaining cards have their face value. Every gaming round starts with players making their bets on either the Banker, Player, or Tie. Once bets are settled, the Banker and all players at the same table receive two cards.

In the game of Baccarat, the hand cannot exceed nine. Hence, when you have a card total that exceeds nine only the second number counts for your total hand. In addition, extra cards are never dealt when the card total is nine or eight.

In the game of Baccarat, the dealer shoe is presented by the Banker, just like in Poker and Craps games and gaming rounds go in the clockwise direction on the Baccarat table. However, there is a small difference when the gaming round is won by the Banker’s side. In this case, the deal shoe does not move.

When it comes to the rule of the game, they slightly differ when playing Mini Baccara in regards to the way cards are dealt. Other than this, the remaining rules are always the same. However, winning odds slightly differ when you play classic Baccarat games. In Mini Baccarat, the dealer works with a six-deck shoe and all cards currently on the table are facing down.

The game of Baccarat is a very simple and straightforward game so there is not much you can do in terms of incorporating different winning strategies. Essentially, you have two options, to bet on the Player’s or the Banker’s hand. At the beginning of each gaming round, payouts for both options are 1 to 1. However, winnings on the Banker’s hand incur a 5% commission that goes to the casino.

When it comes to strategy, the most crucial thing to keep in mind is your hard-earned funds. You need to be fully aware of your budget. You need a set budget and you need to stick to it. One of the biggest benefits of playing online Baccarat is the opportunity to win big but at the same time, there is a high probability of losing your money due to the casino advantage tule.

This is why many online casino players prefer French Baccarat variants, such as Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque. At the same time, these specific variants are not so commonly accessible but if you find yourself roaming the streets of famous European cities you may come across land-based casinos offering both variants.