What is Online Baccarat
Online baccarat is a card game and is one of the cornerstones that make up the four main casino table games alongside roulette, blackjack and craps. Like its fellows, baccarat originates in Europe and was played throughout the continent. The game was brought over to America where it became a popular casino attraction overnight. The game is often punted as the game of nobility or royalty. This is due to its historical connection to the aristocracy of Europe who played the game all the time. Baccarat online is considered by many to be an elite casino game and often attracts high rollers. The game is also very popular in Asia and is the number one game in many casinos in the region.
Rules of online baccarat
Online baccarat shares some similar game aspects with blackjack. Both games are card-based, both games are based on a two-card total and both assign different values to standard playing cards. In online baccarat, the aim of the game is to reach a total of 8 or 9 with a two-card hand. Unlike blackjack, however, the game is not played between dealer or house and player. Baccarat online is different from other games in that there are two players within that game that play against each other. The dealer or house acts as an agent and controls the flow of the game. Other players bet on the outcome between the two players in the game.
The two-player positions in the game of baccarat are called the Player and the Banker respectively. These two positions are marked on the baccarat table so other players know where to place their bets. There is also a third bet option for a tie between the two. This is also marked on the baccarat table as the Tie position. Both the Player and the Banker need to achieve a two-card total of either 8 or 9 to win. This is done by adding the two cards together to come to a total number. In baccarat online if the two-card total is a double-digit figure, the first number is removed. For example, a two-card total of 11 would be 1 and a two-card total of 13 would be 3.
Just like blackjack, online baccarat assigns different values to standard playing cards. The deck of cards is valued in the following way:
- Face cards (K,Q,J) = 0
- Ace cards = 1
- 10 cards = 0
- Cards 2 – 9 = 2 – 9
There are a few different baccarat variations that are played at online casinos. Some online baccarat variations feature up to six decks per game while other use up to eight decks at a time. Standard baccarat online rules have the dealer deal to the Player first and then to the Banker. There are also complex third card rules that come into play if either hand is too low.
Tips on playing online baccarat
Online baccarat is an easy game to learn to play and most newcomers only need a few minutes to get the game. Here are a few baccarat tips to help you learn to play baccarat.
- Play a few free online baccarat games first. Find baccarat casinos that let you play baccarat for free. This is a great way to develop a baccarat strategy. Some casinos also offer great baccarat bonuses. This is a good way to prepare for the game when you want to play for real money.
- Consider the house advantage of each bet type. In online baccarat, there are only three bets to make, the Player, the Banker or a Tie. Each bet carries a house advantage percentage. The Banker bet is the best bet with the lowest house edge of just 1.06%. The Player position has a higher house edge of 1.24%. The Tie bet has the highest house edge of all at 14.36%. Clearly, this is the bet to avoid.
Top online baccarat software brands
The game of online baccarat is a staple of every online casino and there are quite a few good brands of software making online baccarat games. It is always a good idea to stick with the top software brands when first starting out with online baccarat. This is because these are the games with the highest reputations and are the safest to play. Top online baccarat games can be found from Microgaming and Playtech, two of the oldest online casino software brands in the world.
History of baccarat
Baccarat experts believe that the game could have originated in either Spain or France as a version of the modern game were being played in both countries at more or less the same time. Some of the earlier versions of baccarat which are still played in casinos today include PuntoBanco, Baccarat Banque, and Chemin de Fer. Before the arrival of the internet and the online casino, baccarat was often the centrepiece of many top casinos.
The game of baccarat is historically linked to the European aristocracy and many casinos add this in promoting the game. You will often see the game of baccarat separated from other casino games. Some casinos offer their baccarat in separate rooms while others rope their baccarat tables off with velvet ropes. This is all done to promote the exclusive quality of the game. This has also managed to put a lot of new players off trying the game. Many believed that the roped off the game was only for serious gamblers or high stakes players. Some also believed that the game must be too complicated and therefore shied away from it.
The truth is that baccarat is in fact quite a simple game to learn to play. Anyone can learn to play the game within a few minutes. The advent of the internet and the online baccarat casinos also helped to show the game of online baccarat in a different light. Today the game of online baccarat is more popular than at any time during its long history. More and more new players are discovering how easy the game is to play and also how fun the game is.
