If you’ve played any form of baccarat before, especially the one found in a land-based casino, then live baccarat isn’t much different.
Instead, you play online with a real dealer who will deal the cards while you place your bets. This is like many other live dealer casino games which take table games to a new level.
While typical online baccarat games using animated graphics can be played and enjoyed, live baccarat offers high-definition broadcasts beamed straight to your computer or mobile device. And unlike the brick-and-mortar casinos, the live versions don’t have limits on seats (most allow unlimited players). Side bets, various stakes tables and lots of choices mean you’re never far from finding the perfect game.
Baccarat is one of the most popular games to play because it’s one of the simplest.
The game will begin with two cards dealt to the Player hand and the Banker hand. The aim of the game is to bet on which of those hands will be closest to a total of nine points, or you can wager that the round will finish as a tie.
When it comes to calculating the number of cards, all face cards and tens have a value of zero, an ace is worth one, and the remaining cards are at face value. If the total of the two cards is higher than nine, that score can be adjusted by taking ten from the original total.
Depending on which live baccarat casino you play at, you could draw a third card. If you bet on a winning Player hand, then you’ll win a 1:1 payout, but a winning Banker hand pays out the same minus a 5% commission.
That’s all there is to baccarat rules!
To play at the live dealer tables, click on your bet choice with the chosen bet size and watch the real dealer play out the hand. If you win, your cash is added automatically to your casino account, and the dealer moves on to the next round.
Baccarat is one of those games where it works better in a social setting. That’s why it’s popular in land-based casinos and is often depicted in TV shows and movies where the high rollers are plying their trade.
When playing a regular online version of baccarat, that social element is missing. There is no real dealer; instead, the computer deals virtual cards drawn from a random number generator. Sure, you can still enjoy the game, and it’s good for practising too, but to really immerse yourself in it, you need to try the live dealer version. When you play live baccarat, you can interact with the dealers via live chat, and they’ll respond to you, all while playing with other players.
It’s fun, it’s social, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.
5 REASONS TO PLAY LIVE BACCARAT
- Transparency on card dealing ensures fairness
- Just like being in a real casino setting
- Interesting online formats including Lightning Baccarat
- Big range of stakes from $1 to $1,000s per hand
- Available on your mobile anywhere, any time!
With so many different versions of live baccarat, it can be tough to decide where to start. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular versions of the game, so you can understand how they differ and which one you’ll want to try out next.
Mini-Baccarat – just like its older sibling, mini-baccarat plays exactly the same, but it’s just a pint-sized version of the game. It has lower stakes, so if you don’t want to bet big, then this is ideal.
Punto Banco – this is the most common version of live baccarat, with ‘punto’ meaning player and ‘banco’ meaning the bank. It’s the game we described in the how-to-play section.
Chemin de Fer – the main reason this version stands out is that you have the opportunity to bet against other players. You get to act as the Bank hand and set aside a bet that covers your opponents. The table looks different from the other baccarat versions, with 12 seats for players and two for dealers, and one for the Banker. You use six decks of cards within a shoe that moves across the table as you play, resembling a railway. Which in French is? Yep, chemin de fer.
Baccarat Banque – when you play this version of the game, you’ll be using three decks of cards and bet on yourself to win. You can, however, try for the role of the Banker, which is up for auction at the start of the game to whoever is willing to bet the most. Unlike Chemin de Fer, the players’ bets can collectively be more than the Banker’s. But then it gets similar again as the way of winning is the same as Chemin de Fer.
Before you get stuck into playing, here are a few basic betting tips that should help you along the way.
The Banker is the best bet, winning fractionally more than the Player. No wonder there’s a 5% commission on it. Betting on the Player is a marginally worse bet. But it’s the tie option that you should avoid since it has a higher house edge.
If you want the best chance, avoid playing any side bets because these, statistically, favour the casino even more than the base game. Each live table will have a rules section to explain how any side bets work.
When we compiled our list of best live baccarat casinos, we made sure they had the best games from the top software providers. One that really stands out is Evolution Gaming, as it has an amazing portfolio to check out. This includes:
- Live Baccarat Squeeze – a multi-camera game (over 15) that captures each subtle detail of the game.
- Live Baccarat Control Squeeze – take control of the squeeze yourself as cards are dealt onto a glass panel, with cameras under the table showing the live stream straight to your screen.
- Lightning Baccarat – a super-charged game with multipliers in every round. They are randomly generated, giving you the chance to win up to eight times your bet.
- No Commission Baccarat – just as the name suggests, the bank doesn’t take a commission, so it’s even more worthwhile betting on it here.
- Salon Privé – a VIP experience like no other. A high-end environment, high wagers, even a VIP Room Manager present. There are 11 private tables and features you won’t find elsewhere, delivering on the ultimate VIP live experience.
