Baccarat Rules are different to that of other casino games in that you can bet on either the “Banker” or the “Player”. The twist though is that the “Player” does not necessarily mean the player and the “Banker” does not necessarily represent the casino.
How to Play Online Baccarat
The fundamentals of Online Baccarat Rules are to predict which hand will have the higher value. Bets can also be placed on a “Tie” in the hopes that the Banker and the Player will end up with a same-value hand. It is Important that players understand these three betting options to understand how the game of Baccarat works. YourCasinoWorld.com has put together this rules guide, explaining the various betting options and hand values in detail.
Card Distribution
To kick off the came both the Player and the Dealer position receive a one card with the Player position receiving its card first. Both positions then receive a second card and this card will determine the way forward…
The Players’ Way Forward
If the Player position shows a hand value between 0 and 5 and the Dealer position is showing a hand value between 0 to 7, the Player position receives a third card. If the Player position has a hand value greater than 5 then a third card is not given to the Player position.
The Bankers’ Way Forward
If the Banker position shows a hand value of 0, 1 or two, the Banker will receive a third card. If the Banker is holding a hand value that is less than 7 but not 0, 1 or 2, whether or not he receives a third card will be determined by a predetermined mathematical chart that takes the Player positions’ hand into consideration.
| HAND VALUE | BANKER – DRAW / DON’T DRAW |
| 0, 1 or 2 | Banker always draws |
| 3 | Draws if Players’ last card is any number except 8 |
| 4 | Draws if Players’ last card is any other than 0, 1, 8 or 9 |
| 5 | Draws if Players’ last card I anything other than 0, 1, 2, 3, 8 or 9 |
| 6 | Draws if Players’ last card is any other than 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 or 9 |
| 7 | Banker never draws |
| 8 or 9 | This is a Natural hand |
Baccarat Card Values
Baccarat is unlike the majority of other games in terms of card values and hand values. If you are a new player wanting to learn How to Play Baccarat we suggest that you leave all prior knowledge and preconceptions that you might have at the door.
- Cards numbered 2 through 9 keeps their numerical value.
- Face Cards, in other words, Jack, Queen and King hold no value and all count as zero.
- A 10 numbered card also has no value and counts as zero.
- An Ace is counted as 1
Calculating a Baccarat Hand Value
There is more to calculating a Baccarat hand value though and it is not simply what your cards amount to. In order to achieve your hand total you need to drop the tens. For example;
If the Banker position holds a 4 and an 8, the usual value, when adding the two numbers together, would be 12. However, to get to the hand value in Baccarat the tenth digit needs to be dropped. In other words, if the cards amount to 12, the “10” needs to be subtracted and the Baccarat hand value will be 2.
Baccarat Betting Options & Betting Processes
Apart from getting used to the unusual counting system, you need to understand how you will benefit from betting on the different positions.
Betting on the Player
The Dealer and Player position both pay out even money on every hand. Therefore, predicting the correct position will pay you out your original bet an equal amount on top of that as a winning.
Betting on the Dealer
Betting on the Dealer gives players an approximate 1% higher odds on winning and since you are able to be on either position when betting on the Dealer of approximately 1% increased odds on winning. Because players may bet on each position evenly the majority of online casinos charge 5% commission on winnings from the Dealer position. In other words, if the player bets on the Dealer and wins, the original bet plus 95% of the bet will be paid out as your winnings.
Betting on a Tie
Betting on the Tie position rarely pays off but when it does the payout can be substantial. An accurately predicted Tie on average pays 9 to 1 – that is the original bet plus 9 times the original bet amount. Everyone benefits from a Tie and in most casinos it is considered a Push. Because of this, none of the players who bet on Dealer or Player loses their original bet. The hand is simply re-dealt without financial losses to anyone.
One of the reasons for Baccarat’s popularity is that the game offers one of the lowest house edges. The Player position has a house edge of 1.24%, while the Dealer position has an advantage of 1.06%. The Tie position carries the highest house advantage at 14% on average. It is not unheard of for the house to sustain heavy losses from high stakes Baccarat games that fall in favor of the player.
Grasping the concept of Online Baccarat Rules and how to apply them to the game will prove to be of great value to Baccarat players. In addition to our Online Baccarat Rules – How to Play also check out our Online Baccarat Strategy Guide. Making use of the YourCasinoWorld.com guides along with our Baccarat Rules can turn anyone into a skilled, professional Baccarat player!