Among the major casino table games, Baccarat has really been getting short shrift lately.
For the other heavy hitters, such as Blackjack, Roulette, and Slots, the Live Dealer era has been a as good as a gold rush! New titles are coming out on a nearly constant basis, and the gambling community seems to be eating them up with gusto.
Yet Baccarat hasn’t quite caught fire in the same way. And at some point, you have to ask: why?
After all, this game offers RTP that can compete with any offering at any casino anywhere! It also possesses the cultural clout that comes with being a favored activity of the legendary 007, as well as a long history of success with both providers and players.
(It’s true that Craps has also been left behind somewhat as well, but that is as largely due to the structural and social nature of the game.)
So what gives? Why aren’t there as many wonderful Baccarat releases as there are for other faves?
Whatever the reason, Pragmatic Play is trying to correct this imbalance with their 2023 Mega Baccarat Live release.
Most baccarat offerings include excellent odds, and this one is no exception, with a handsome RTP of 98.79%. Yet the design team adds win multipliers and exciting features to sweeten the pot even further: we’re talking multipliers up to 100x that may be activated on any betting round.
That salient feature is called Mega Rounds. After the betting period is over, but before play begins, random multipliers may be added to every betting position. Then, a dice shaker appears, throwing two dice: if the combined sum totals 8 or 9, then all of those multipliers are activated for the round in question. Those multipliers are awarded in addition to standard payouts, not instead of them. It certainly makes things interesting!
There is, however, a counterbalance to this chance for bigger and better payouts. That comes in the form of a 20% fee applied to all bets, a mandatory charge that makes up for the house edge lost by adding multipliers into the mix.
(Please note that, unlike some other multiplier-rich takes on standard fare, it is not possible for players to opt out of the 20% fee in exchange for a few rounds without bonus features. The increased volatility is not optional here! If that’s a deal-breaker, we’d suggest considering a different baccarat title!)
All things considered, we think this title is worth trying out. It provides the relatively high RTP associated with Baccarat, while also ameliorating then less appealing elements of low volatility and occasional boredom.
When smart players combine games like this with superior casino bonuses, good things can happen. Expect adventure here!
