Baccarat

  • Written By
  • 11 minutes  read time
  • Last Updated
play at the best baccarat sites

Best Online Baccarat Sites For 2024

Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games especially because it is often associated with wealth and luxury. Much of this has not changed but thanks to the internet, playing Baccarat online is a luxury that every legal-age gambler can now enjoy. Made popular by James Bond movies, the game has gained a massive following in the online gaming community and even though it might seem confusing and difficult to learn at first, it is actually very simple once you master the basics.

Our recommended list of the best sites to play Baccarat online as of March 2024:

01
$5000 Bonus Wild Casino
5 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply
02
200% up to $1,000 Slots.lv
5 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply
03
150% up to $3000 Las Vegas USA
4.9 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply
04
100% up to $1000 Fair Go Casino
4.9 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply
05
$3000 in Bonuses Ignition Casino
4.8 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply
06
100% up to $3000 BetOnline Casino
4.6 / 5
Before You Play Play Now Terms & Conditions apply

Online baccarat is one of the few games with very low house edges – the average payout is 98 percent and this alone is enough to attract real money players who are looking to make a killing out of their gaming sessions. If you have never played baccarat before and you fancy fast-paced and action-packed casino games, then you are definitely in the right place. This guide intends to equip you with all the basic and most important details that you will need to get started at the online baccarat tables. To top it all off, we have also thrown in some handy tips that will go a long way in making your gaming experience truly exceptional.

Finding The Best Sites To Play Baccarat Online

finding the best sites to play baccarat online

There are hundreds of online gambling sites that give gamblers the opportunity to play Baccarat online. However, instead of leaving you to painstakingly visit each of these sites in order to find one that suits you, we have a list of top-rated sites. This will give you a head start on finding a great baccarat online site that meets all of the necessary standards. Our team of online casino experts has worked very hard to ensure that all of the casinos that we recommend meet a number of stringent criteria all of which are meant to ascertain that the gaming experience is nothing short of the best.

You do not have to take our word for it though – just go through the casinos and you will find they all meet the required standards in terms of:

  • Safety and security options.
  • An impressive selection of online baccarat games.
  • Decent numbers of fast, secure and reliable payment options.
  • Amazing bonuses and promotions to add value.
  • Licensing and certification from reputable third-party organizations.
  • Mobile compatibility.
  • Great customer support.

Getting Started Playing Baccarat Online

Needless to say, many people are so awed by baccarat that they may be scared to try it out especially after seeing the sort of people who play it in movies. While some of those movies accurately depict the game, it is important to note that it is a fairly simple game that just about anyone can enjoy. As mentioned earlier, all that you need to do is to get acquainted with all of the basic rules that define how the game is played. In many ways, there is not a huge difference between playing baccarat at a physical casino and playing baccarat online.

baccarat table layout explained

Here is a comprehensive summary of the rules that are followed when playing baccarat online:

  1. Players can place bets on the Player, the Banker or a tie in the relevant betting box on the baccarat table. No cards are dealt until all the players’ bets are dealt. A player wins if the bet they place matches the outcome of a hand.
  2. To kick off the game, the Player and the Banker are both dealt two cards face up – on certain occasions one or both of them may receive a third card.
  3. Neither the Player nor the Banker is allowed to decide if they would like to be dealt a third card. Instead, the decision is made by the Baccara online casino software when necessary.
  4. Tens and face cards all count as zero, aces are worth one while all the other cards are worth their face values. When adding up the values of cards in a baccarat hand, only the last digit of the number counts.
  5. The number that comes closest to 9 wins the round.
  6. In case both the Player and the Banker have the same amount of points, the tie bet will win the round.
  7. If none of the players playing Baccarat online has a natural hand (an 8 or 9) or a tie, the value of the player’s hand will determine what happens next. The player stands if they have 7 or 6. If they have either a 5 or a 0, they will have another card added to the total hand value – this marks the end of the player’s hand.

The Main Betting Options

As you may have realized, unlike many other online casino games where you bet or play against the dealer when playing baccarat online you wager on who you think will win: the Player, the Banker or a tie.

Banker Bets

These are arguably the most favorable types of bets a baccarat online player can place since it has a much lower house edge than all other bets – it features a house advantage of only about 1.17 percent. For this bet, the house will pay out 19:20 on your winnings especially because it wins more often than Player bets. Most sites offering online baccarat will deduct a 5 percent commission, but this may vary from one casino to the next.

banker bet layout diagram

Player Bets

Also referred to as “Punto bets” this is the second most popular type of baccarat bet for online players. These bets pay out 1:1 thus generating a house edge of about 1.36 percent. Also, for this kind of baccarat bet, the casino will not take any commission if you win.

player bet layout diagram

Tie Bets

Of the three main types of betting options available when playing baccarat online, Tie bets are perhaps the least favorable. Unlike the other kinds of bets, the odds of the player and the banker’s hands having equal value at the end of a round are pretty slim.

tie bet layout diagram

Not Enough? Even More Betting Options To Check Out

Once you have mastered the three basic betting options mentioned above, you are ready to branch out and make the most out of your gaming sessions. There are several other side bets and special bets that players can try out when playing baccarat only. In addition to those, there are many variant-specific bet types that you will find.

Here are some of the ones that can be found on most (if not all) of the different variants of online baccarat games:

  • Pair Bets
  • Perfect Pair Bets
  • Dragon Bonus
  • Big and Small
  • Panda 8
  • Dragon 7
  • Bellagio Match
  • Royal Match
  • Super 6
  • Three-Card Six
  • Matching Dragon
  • Total Points Even/Odd
  • First Two Banker/Player Cards Same
  • Suit
  • All Red/Black
  • Lucky 8

Finding The Best Variant Of Baccarat To Play Online

Over the years several different variations of baccarat have sprung up and each of them has contributed immensely to the game’s popularity. All of the variants are great in their own right but the only way of determining which is best for you is by having a first-hand experience with them. In this guide, we have detailed information about the most popular baccarat variations that you are likely to come across.

Chemin De Fer

This is considered to be the classic or formal version of baccarat and it is quite popular since unlike many other variants of baccarat, players compete against each other instead of playing against the dealer. The role of the banker rotates from one player to the next in an anti-clockwise manner and each of the players is allowed to draw or stand on five.

Punto Bunco

In this version of online baccarat, the house banks during rounds and plays hands based on standard rules using eight decks of cards in a shoe. There are no optional plays allowed here. Literally translating to “player-banker”, Punto Bunco is also the only variant that is closest to the classic game of baccarat.

Baccarat En Banque

Here, the drawing rules are similar to those of Chemin de Fer even though they may vary from casino to casino. The biggest difference is the fact that instead of rotating the role of the banker, the role is designated to a single player at the start of each round.

Baccarat Squeeze

This is one of the most exciting variants of baccarat particular because it adds a little bit of suspense to the already luck-driven game. Unlike other kinds of baccarat, where the dealer first deals the card to the Player bet, in Baccarat Squeeze the dealer deals the cards to the player with the biggest bet before proceeding to the remainder of the hand.

Mini-baccarat

The rules are the same as those of Punto Bunco but only a single croupier is present in this case. It is also relatively easier to play and features much lower table limits.

Playing Baccarat On Mobile

Playing baccarat online is already so convenient that so many people are switching from physical casinos. Well, things have gotten even better now thanks to advancements in mobile technology. Now, you can play baccarat online from literally anywhere via your smartphone or tablet.

Most online casinos including the top-rated ones that we are recommending have optimized their services and this has allowed their customers to access baccarat games online from multiple devices. All that is needed is a reliable internet connection and you will be good to go. The best mobile casinos have a decent number of optimized and fully-featured baccarat games for their customers to enjoy.

Tips And Tricks For You

Just like most other online casino games, online baccarat is at its core a game of chances which means that there is not really much you can do to completely overcome this. Even the best strategies do not guarantee that you will win when playing baccarat online. However, it goes without saying that your chances will be significantly improved if you fully master and understand the basic rules, the odds, and probabilities associated with playing baccarat online.

That said, the basics of the game and borderline tactics aside, there are a few tips that you can use to gain a bit of an edge when playing baccarat online. Some of them may have just a little impact but as we all know from the world of gambling, even the slightest advantage can make a huge difference.

The tips that we are recommending include:

  • Sticking to the Banker bets especially if you are just starting out. These bets have the lowest house edge which means that they are where you are likely to win the most rounds and lose the least.
  • Staying away from the Tie bets – this applies to both beginners and experienced players. The 14 percent house edge is pretty huge which is what makes betting on it quite bizarre. Other side bets and progressive jackpots also have pretty high house edged (3 to 5 times what the standard is) and you should keep away from them unless you have truly mastered the variant of Baccarat you are playing.
  • Managing your bankroll effectively and stringently to ensure that you not only do not bet more than you are willing to lose but also play for longer. A great money management strategy is by far the most crucial thing if you hope to have a great gaming experience.
    Finding baccarat games that use as little decks as possible.
  • Searching for online casinos or baccarat online games that charge no more than 5 percent commission on the banker bet winnings.

Ready To Get Started?

By now you must be very eager to try your hand at playing baccarat online and you can do this with confidence since you have learned all that there is to learn in order to have a wholesome gaming adventure at the online casino site of your choosing. Even if you still feel like that playing baccarat online is an intimidating experience, there is nothing that some practice will not fix. Many of the top-rated baccarat online sites offer free variants of the game – lots of great players started out with these before proceeding to real money gaming. So, what are you waiting for? A mind-blowing casino experience awaits you!

Frequently Asked Questions

✔️ Is It Hard To Play Baccarat Games Online?

It’s actually one of the easiest card games for anyone to learn, regardless of their experience level. It’s literally a simpler version of blackjack.

✔️ How To Find The Best Online Baccarat Casino?

There are many things to consider when trying to find the best online casino to play baccarat for real money, such as the credibility of the site, the payout rates, the quality of the software, and signup bonuses, just to name a few. Finding an online casino that offers the best of the best in all these criteria can be very time consuming, so your best bet to accomplish this task is to simply choose from our list of recommended online casinos which we have thoroughly tested and verified they are indeed the best online casinos on offer right now.

✔️ Can I Just Play Baccarat Online For Fun?

Absolutely! All of our recommended online baccarat casinos offer free play versions so you can get to know the game before risking your own money.

✔️ Can You Devise A Card Counting Strategy For Baccarat?

No. Baccarat is not a game that can be counted unless you use a computer that can calculate a game in real-time and advise on moves.

✔️ Can I Use A Betting System Such As Martingale To Win At Baccarat?

No. Players cannot beat a negative expectation game over the long term relying on a betting system. If a player was to double after every loss, they would eventually reach a point where their loss is too big for them to cover it or the table limit would simply not allow it. The chances of a player hitting 9 losses in a row, for example, by simply betting on the Player bet is 1 in 572.

✔️ Is Baccarat Good For People Without Any Casino Experience?

Yes. Baccarat offers the slimmest theoretical edge because the Banker bet wins 45.86% of the time whereas the Player bet wins 44.62%. Another 9.52% of all bets result in a tie. To offset part of this advantage, though, the house will charge a commission on the Banker bet, as it’s aware of the statistical probability that goes hand-in-hand with this type of wager.

Darcy isn’t your typical bookworm. She loves to read, but there’s adventure in her life, too. As she would put it – words and play, makes for much to say. Our Darcy is a poet and a gaming journalist. She has a tight grasp of on the latest regulatory developments not only in her home in Italy, but all across Europe. Darcy is our go-to person when we need to make sense of local regulation across Europe and neighbouring regions.