Live Baccarat | What is the Baccarat Game and How to Play it
Baccarat is a simple live casino game that is widely popular worldwide as different players only need to guess whether the player or banker hand will have a hand value that’s closest to 8 or 9. Bettors will typically have a roughly 50-50 chance of winning, especially with how low the chances of a tie occurring.
Playing live baccarat is fairly simple and most people can easily learn how to play baccarat and even win real money.
How to Play Baccarat | Baccarat Rules
When playing baccarat, you have the option to bet on either the player side or the banker side. To place a bet, simply decide which side you believe will have a hand value closest to 9. Once you’ve made your decision, the dealer will handle all the betting and deal the cards. This means that once your bet is placed, you can sit back, relax, and let the game unfold.
By betting on the player side, you are predicting that the player’s hand will have a higher value than the banker’s hand. On the other hand, if you choose to bet on the banker side, you’re anticipating that the banker’s hand will come out on top. It’s important to note that the terms “player” and “banker” don’t represent you as an individual player or the casino itself. They are simply different sides that you can bet on in the game of baccarat.
As you place your bet, keep in mind that the odds and payouts for the player and banker sides are slightly different. A winning bet placed on the player side will pay even money (1:1), while a successful banker bet will payout at 0.95:1 (minus a 5% commission). This commission is applied because the banker side has a slightly higher chance of winning. Besides these two bets, most baccarat tables also offer side bets.
A close-up of a hand placing chips on the player or banker betting area of a baccarat table. The background shows other players and the dealer at the table, with cards being dealt. The chips should be different colors for different denominations.
Live Baccarat Bets
| Bet | Description | Payout |
| Player | Pays out when the Player hand wins | 1:1 |
| Banker | Pays out when the Banker hand wins | 0.95:1 |
| Tie | Pays out when a tie occurs | 8:1 or 9:1 |
| Player or Banker Pair | Pays out when the first two cards dealt to the player or banker, respectively, is a pair | 11:1 |
| Either Pair | Pays out when the first two cards dealt to either the player or banker is a pair | 5:1 |
| Perfect Pair | Pays out when either two identical cards are dealt to the Player or Banker or when two identical cards are dealt to both Player and Banker as their first two cards | 25:1 or 200:1 |
| Player or Banker Bonus | Pays out when the Player or Banker, respectively, wins the round on a natural 8 or 9 or by at least four points. | – Natural 1:1 – Natural Tie Push – Win by 9 30:1 – Win by 8 10:1 – Win by 7 6:1 – Win by 6 4:1 – Win by 5 2:1 – Win by 4 1:1 |
| Super 6 | Bet on the Banker winning with a total value of 6 | 12:1 |
The Banker Bet charges a commission when it wins, making it ideal to look for No Commission tables to escape the commission. Most such tables however still charge when the Banker Bet wins with a 6.
Live Baccarat Payouts and House Edge
As shown in the payout values of the different baccarat bets, the Banker bet has a lower payout. This is because the house edge is lower than what the player bet offers, so it theoretically pays out more. Because it theoretically pays out more, casinos will charge a small fee to reduce their losses when the Banker bet does win.
The house edge for the player bet is approximately 1.06%, while the banker bet has a slightly higher house edge of approximately 1.24%. This means that, on average, the casino retains a small percentage of each bet placed. It’s important to note that these percentages can vary slightly depending on the number of decks used in the game.
| Bet Type | Payout | House edge |
| Player | 1:1 | 1.24% |
| Banker | 0.95:1 (minus 5% commission) | 1.06% |
| Tie | 8:1 | 14.36% |
A player win pays even money (1:1), meaning that if you bet ₱10 on the player side and win, you will receive ₱10 in winnings, in addition to your initial bet. On the other hand, a banker win pays 0.95:1 (minus a 5% commission). This means that if you bet ₱10 on the banker side and win, you will receive ₱9.50 in winnings, along with your original bet. The commission is applied to the banker bet as it has a slightly higher probability of winning, giving the house a small edge.
Lastly, we have the tie bet, which typically pays 8:1. However, it’s important to note that the tie bet carries a significantly higher house edge of approximately 14.36%. The high house edge should be enough to keep you and other players from using a one-sided strategy on this bet, despite its high payout. The common strategy is to stay away from this like a plague but it’s also fine to stake on it from time to time to try and enjoy the 8:1 payout.
By keeping these payout and house edge details in mind, you can make well-informed decisions when placing your bets in baccarat. Remember to assess the risk and reward potential for when formulating a baccarat strategy.
Baccarat Card Values
In baccarat, aces are worth 1 point, cards 2 to 9 carry their face value, and 10s and face cards (king, queen, jack) are worth 0 points. When calculating the value of a hand, the values of the cards are added together. If the sum exceeds 9, the second digit is taken as the hand value. For example, if a hand has a total of 13, the value of the hand is 3.
| Card | Value |
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 |
| 8 | 8 |
| 9 | 9 |
| 10, King, Queen, Jack | 0 |
Memorizing the card values is easy enough, but it can get confusing when players see that the Player hand is dealt a third card.
Third Card Drawing Rules
Understanding the drawing rules is crucial when playing baccarat. These rules determine when a third card is drawn and can have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. In baccarat, both the player hand and the banker hand have specific conditions that govern whether or not a third card will be drawn.
The rules may change per baccarat variation, but the general rules are the following:
Player Third Card Drawing Rules
When it comes to the player hand, if the initial two cards add up to a total of 8 or 9 (a natural), no more cards are drawn, and the hand stands. If the total is 6 or 7, the player hand stands, and no additional card is drawn. However, if the total is between 0 and 5, a third card is drawn for the player hand.
Simply put, the player hand only draws a third card when their total is less than 6.
Banker Third Card Drawing Rules
The banker hand follows a more complex set of rules for drawing a third card. The decision to draw a third card for the banker hand depends on the player’s third card value. The following conditions apply:
Banker Third Card Rule Chart
| Player’s Third Card | The Banker Draws When Their Hand is | The Banker Stands When Their Hand is |
| 2 or 3 | 0-4 | 5-7 |
| 4 or 5 | 0-5 | 6-7 |
| 6 or 7 | 0-6 | 7 |
| 8 | 0-2 | 3-7 |
| Ace, 9, 10, or a Face card | 0-3 | 4-7 |
Baccarat Variations
Players will be able to play several exciting variations when they register in Betso88 casino and play baccarat online. One popular option is classic baccarat, which fairly features the standard game rules that most people are familiar with.
Live online baccarat provides a convenient and immersive gaming experience, with realistic graphics and interactive features. Players can access a wide range of online baccarat games from different providers and enjoy several unique features integrated into their own baccarat games.
Classic Baccarat
Online baccarat incorporates cutting-edge technology to recreate the atmosphere and excitement of a land-based casino. With live dealers and real-time gameplay, online baccarat offers a high-quality gaming experience. Players can interact with the dealer and other participants through live chat, adding a social element to the game. Additionally, live baccarat often provides various betting limits to accommodate both casual players and high rollers.
Many gaming providers offer unique variations of the classic version with some notable differences like how Evolution Gaming features red envelope multipliers, AE Sexy offers sexy baccarat that features live dealers in skimpy clothing and a switch to toggle between classic and no commission, and SA Gaming featuring a Diamond and Sexy Hall and also having a switch to toggle between classic, no commission, and cow cow.
No Commission Baccarat
Another popular variation is no commission baccarat, which eliminates the 5% commission normally charged on banker wins. In this version, the payout for a winning banker bet is adjusted to 1:1 instead of the standard 0.95:1. This slight difference in payouts can affect the overall house edge and betting strategy. No commission baccarat is an excellent choice for players looking to explore a slightly different twist on the traditional game.
Most no commission tables feature the Super Six side bet so that players will win more money when they placed a winning Banker Bet, especially since the Banker Bet charges 50% when it wins with a 6. Ezugi, however, doesn’t have Super Six in its No Commission table and instead features the following side bets:
Ezugi’s Super 6 is also essentially a no commission baccarat game, except that it removes all other side bets in favor of the Super 6 side bet.
AE Sexy’s no commission baccarat is hidden behind a toggle in its classic baccarat game and features a large number of side bets besides the Super Six side bet.
Speed Baccarat
Speed Baccarat is a baccarat variation by Evolution Gaming that functions similarly to that of classic baccarat. The only difference between this and classic is that a single round only lasts for 27 seconds, compared to classic’s 48.
Lightning Baccarat
Lightning Baccarat plays nearly the same as classic baccarat, except that the game features multipliers of one to five random cards and a 20% lightning fee paid once the player has placed their bet. The multiplier amounts are 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, and 8x.
Players have a chance to win 512x their stake when they get lucky enough and have lightning cards in their winning hands.
Golden Wealth Baccarat
Golden Wealth Baccarat by Evolution Gaming is similar to their Lightning Baccarat variation. The main difference is in the theme of the game and the actual multipliers. Here are both games’ multipliers:
| Lightning Baccarat | Golden Wealth |
| 2x | 2x |
| 3x | 3x |
| 4x | N/A |
| 5x | 5x |
| 8x | 8x |
Just like with Lightning Baccarat, players can win up to 512x their stake and are charged a 20% fee.
Dragon Tiger
Although a different casino game, Dragon Tiger can still be considered a baccarat variation as it’s widely known as two-card baccarat. Only one card is draft per side and players must only guess whether the Dragon or Tiger side will have the highest value card or if a tie or suited tie will occur.
The payouts here are slightly different from baccarat’s.
| Bet | Payout |
| Dragon | 1:1 |
| Tiger | 1:1 |
| Tie | 11:1 |
| Suited Tie | 50:1 |
The tie bet has a significantly higher payout than in baccarat and the suited tie is another attractive betting option due to its obscenely high payout. Still, for consistent wins, it’s advisable to stick to Dragon or Tiger bets.
How to Win at Baccarat | Baccarat Strategy Guide
Use the One-Sided Betting System
The one-sided betting system is a system where players will simply stick to either the Player or Banker Bet and hoping for a winning streak. Players can opt to switch bets when they lose to try and have a winning streak with the other bet.
The advisable bet to stick with is the Banker Bet since it has a lower house edge compared to the Player Bet.
Use the Flat Betting Strategy
Flat betting is betting only a fixed amount every time for a certain period of time. This helps manage losses by ensuring that players won’t lose more money when they get unlucky with a single bet.
Players can use Flat Betting in conjunction with the One-Sided system and stick to the Banker Bet to have more consistent wins.
Play No Commission Baccarat
The Banker Bet has the lowest house edge of all baccarat bets and is more likely to win compared to the Player Bet. Because of this, the casino typically charges a 5% commission for every winning Banker Bet to ensure that the casino doesn’t lose too much money. Fortunately, players can place Banker Bets and win without being charged a commission fee when playing No Commission Baccarat.
No Commission Baccarat is a good baccarat game for when using the One-Sided system because of the lack of commission for every winning Banker Bet. The only downside to this game is that if the Banker Bet wins with a 6, 50% of the pager will be paid to the casino. However, winning with the Banker Bet without worrying about the constant 5% commission should be attractive enough for many players and the chances of the Banker hand winning with a 6 should be that high to result in hot streaks.
Avoid the Tie Bet
The Tie Bet features a hefty payout, especially in Dragon Tiger, and it can be tempting to place Tie Bets to try and win the 8:1 payout. Players should avoid the Tie Bet as much as possible, especially when using betting systems to try and win consistently due to how low the chances of a Tie occurring are.
Players who want to try their hand with the Tie Bet should only do so sparingly.
Use the 1-3-2-4 Betting System
The 1-3-2-4 system is a four-step system that effectively helps limit a player’s losses and guarantee a small winning when they successfully complete the system without losing at a step. The system works by following four steps religiously.
- Player place a 10 PHP bet for their first bet. Player continues to bet 10 PHP until they win.
- The player places a 30 PHP bet for their second bet. Player goes back to the first step if they lose.
- The player places a 20 PHP bet for their third bet. Player goes back to the first step if they lose.
- The player places a 40 PHP bet for their fourth bet. Player goes back to the first step if they lose.
Once the progression is over, you can either go back to the first step or cash out your winnings.
Use the Martingale Betting System
The Martingale system is a betting system where players must double their bets for every loss. This allows them to win back their losses, regardless of how severe their losing streak was. The only downside to this is that players will need an extensive bankroll to continuously use this system since the bet amount can get high with enough losses. The progression is as follows:
| Bet Lost | Bet |
| 1 | 10 PHP |
| 2 | 20 PHP |
| 3 | 40 PHP |
| 4 | 80 PHP |
| 5 | 160 PHP |
| 6 | 320 PHP |
| 7 | 640 PHP |
| 8 | 1,280 PHP |
| 9 | 2,460 PHP |
| 10 | 5,120 PHP |
As seen in the progression table, the amount that a player must bet to get back their losses can get hefty after a few bets. Fortunately, players won’t necessarily have to suffer extensive lose streaks at baccarat due to how close to 50:50 the chances of winning a Player or Banker bet are. This is especially the case when players switch from Player and Banker bets to try and keep up their winning streaks.
Manage Your Bankroll
Bankroll management is essential to keep players from spending too much in casinos. This keeps players from losing money they can’t afford to lose by sticking to a certain budget specifically allotted for casino gaming. Practicing this alongside different betting systems can help limit a player’s losses while still having a chance to win big, depending on the betting system used.
FAQs
Conclusion
Baccarat is a popular casino game well-known for its simplicity, making baccarat a good casino game for beginners. Players can make money just by sticking to either Player or Banker bet due to how frequent short winning streaks can occur.
Players have plenty of choices since different gaming providers have developed different game variations and titles with unique features. AE Sexy’s classic games feature girls in skimpy clothing acting as dealers and the table itself featuring a No Commission game mode that can be toggled on or off while Evolution featured plenty of different baccarat titles.
