Live Baccarat

For a long time, Baccarat has been the game of the high class, being played in private clubs for at least 2 centuries. This game is especially popular in the Asian gambling scene. It is said that baccarat makes up to 90% of Macau’s revenues, which is simply incredible. Nowadays baccarat is available in many land-based and online casinos, enjoyed by a large number of gamblers. Incidentally, it is also one of the easiest games to adapt to a virtual and live format, which explains its large presence in online casinos.

Presently, baccarat is a major addition to any online casino. There is an abundant supply of virtual baccarat games that come in many different styles. In recent years software providers have started offering a live dealer baccarat. This version of the game is hosted by professional croupiers and runs in real time. It lets you feel as if you were really in a land-based casino. The footage is streamed to your computer using high-definition cameras, delivering a crystal clear image. Being able to experience.

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Baccarat Rules

baccarat rules Baccarat is a simple game to understand and play. It is played with either 6 or 8 decks of cards. The croupier deals two hands – the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand. These hands have nothing to do with the players, rather gamblers place bets on which hand will be higher than the other prior to them being dealt. There is also the option to bet on the outcome being a tie, meaning that both hands end up with the same value.

Winning a Player or a Banker bet pays at a ratio of 1:1, while a tie bet has a payout of 9:1, though this may vary between different games. If a tie occurs Player and Banker bets are returned. The house typically charges a commission of up to 5% on all winning Banker bets, although some software developers have abandoned this practice.

The values of the cards are fixed. Cards 2 through 9 have the value as indicated on the card, whereas face cards and 10s are valued at 0 and an Aces count as 1. If any hand exceeds 9 then only the rightmost number is considered the value of the hand. For instance, a hand of 4 and 5 has a value of 9, a hand of 3 and 7 is valued at 0, and a hand of 8 and 9 is valued at 7.

If the Player hand has a value of 6 or more, they have to stand without drawing further. If instead, they have a hand of 5 or lower they have to draw one extra card. On the Banker’s side of things, if the Banker is dealt 7 or more, it has to stand without being dealt any more cards. If the banker has a score of 0,1, or 2, then it has to draw an extra card. In the event that the Banker has an initial score of 3,4,5, or 6 then whether or not the Banker draws further is decided by what the Player was dealt.

Advantage of Live Baccarat

live dealer baccarat The live dealer version of baccarat is in some ways superior to its physical counterpart. For starters, the barrier to entry is much lower. Baccarat is often played by the rich and wealthy, and because of that, the minimum betting limits might be too steep for the average player. At a live casino, on the other hand, the betting limits are much more flexible and the games are made to serve both high rollers and casual players. Some tables feature betting limits starting at half a dollar and going up into the thousands.

Furthermore, most live versions of baccarat do not have a maximum player limit and you enter can play as soon as you load the game. It is true that traditional baccarat can support up to 14 players at a time, but on a busy night you may have to wait for a spot to become available.

The main appeal of live dealer games is that they let you experience a true casino gaming hall, without ever needing to step out the front door. Not everyone has a casino in walking distance from their home and people who cannot physically visit one will definitely appreciate this. Additionally, you do not need to conform to a live casino’s working hours, since the games are always running and you can play at your own pace at any time of the day.

Another point in favor of live baccarat is the speed of the game. In a brick-and-mortar casino, the dealers have to set everything up, take in bets, give away winnings, etc. All of this takes precious time that could be spent playing the game. At a live casino, on the other hand, none of that happens, since it is all handled by the software. All the croupier has to worry about is dealing the cards. As a result, you will play on average more hands per hour at a live casino than at a land-based one.

Baccarat Variations

Baccarat is a classic casino game, that has been featured in gambling establishments for as long as anyone can remember. As is the case with such games, people and casinos have a habit of introducing new versions. While not all become world-famous, several have reached decent levels of popularity among some gambling circles. Below you will find the variations of baccarat that you are most likely to find at a live casino.

Punto Banco

Punto Banco is one of the oldest and most popular versions of baccarat, as well as the one that you are most likely to encounter at Live Casinos. Punto Banco is often simply called Baccarat and it is the game that most people associate with the genre. It is the simplest out of all versions, which certainly plays a part in its popularity. A Punto Banco table is offered at many online casinos, though there are slight differences between different versions. Some casinos host tables for up to 14 players, which is the classical way of doing it. However, this game can theoretically accommodate an infinite amount of players, therefore, you can also encounter tables which resemble the roulette style of play, where there is no player limit and many people can play at once. While traditionally Baccarat has been the game of the wealthy, in present day live dealer baccarat tables have varying bettings limits, starting from just a few cents and going up to hundreds of dollars. It is suited to both high rollers and budget-oriented players while offering the same fun and excitement.

punto banco live dealer

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat is another version of this game that you can expect to see at some live casinos. While not as widespread as classic baccarat, this variation certainly enjoys high popularity and has a substantial player base. As its name implies, this is a smaller scale version of baccarat, it has lower betting limits and features a smaller table. The same rules apply to Mini Baccarat with the only significant difference being the visuals.

live casino mini baccarat

Baccarat Roadmaps

As the goal of baccarat is to predict the winning hand, people will try to look for a pattern in how often each hand wins. Online casinos have provided charts that automatically track the winning hands and the order in which they come. Typically, a roadmap takes the form of a rectangular grid. The height of the grid is always 6 rows, and while the width is usually 12 columns, this may vary between casinos. Every now and then the dealer will switch the shoes and the graphic will be reset since it only tracks the history of the current shoe. The Banker’s hand, the Player’s hand and Ties each have their own unique symbol used to mark the play history. It might look complex at first, but after a moment’s thought, it is very easy to get your mind wrapped around it. The style of the roadmaps will vary between the different variations of baccarat, however, the concept remains the same.

Odds and House Edge

baccarat house edge The house edge in baccarat is one of the lowest across all casino games. When you place a bet on the Player the house advantage is 1.24%, whereas a bet on the Banker will give the casino a 1.04% edge. Winnings on either one of these will pay 1:1. When you bet on a Tie the house has a whopping 14,36% edge. To compensate for this, a winning tie bet pays 8:1 or 9:1, depending on the rules of the table.

These are the traditional betting options, although some software providers have implemented several side bets. These vary between different provider products, though some have become common. Big and Small are two of the side bets that you can expect to encounter. First implemented on Playtech’s live titles, these bets allow the player to wager on the combined value of the hands. If the value of the Banker’s and Player’s hand equals four then you can win a payout of 3:2 if you placed a Small bet. If instead, it is five or six, the Big bet pays 0.54:1.

An Either Pair bet rewards you with a 5:1 payout if the first two cards of either the Banker or the Player form a pair. The probability for this to occur is quite low at 14%.

A Perfect Pair is a bet where the win condition is the first two cards on either hand form a pair from the same suit. The probability of this is around 3% and it pays 25:1 at casinos using Playtech software. On Evolution Gaming software a single perfect pair pay 25:1, whereas two perfect pairs pay 250:1.

You can also bet on whether or not the Banker or the Player’s first two cards will form a pair. If won this bet pays at a ratio of 11:1.

Each of these bets can be placed independently from each other. You can wager on whatever you wish, be it only one or all of them.

Baccarat Terminology

Baccarat has been around for centuries. It has been featured in casinos from Las Vegas to Macau. It is quite clear that this is a very popular game with a dedicated following. In fact, a whole subculture has been created around baccarat tables. Players can often be heard speaking in jargon, often not understood properly by non-players. If you have ever been in a similar predicament then please go over some of the most used terms in baccarat that we have listed below.

Baccarat – A hand with a grand total value of 0, which is the worst possible hand in the game.
Banco – This is the Spanish word for bank, and logically refers to the Banker. In some cases, it is what the players call the dealer.
Banker Bet – Betting on the Banker’s hand. This bet pays 1:1 and has the lower house edge out of all three, but often is charged a commission by the house.
Bankroll – The funds you have available for gambling purposes.
Commission – Players that win Banker bets are charged a small percentage of their winnings to compensate for the lower house edge on that bet. This is usually 5%, though at some casinos it might be slightly lower.
Down card – Refers to a card which is dealt face down.
Flat Bet – Betting the same amount of money on each hand, regardless if the previous bet was won or lost.
House Edge – The house edge is the statistical advantage that the casino has over the players. It is designed in such a way that it allows for large short-term gain to some players, but in such a way that the casino always makes a profit in the long run.
Monkey – A slang word used to describe a face card or a ten.
Natural – A Natural refers to the best possible opening hand, which has a value of 9.
Push – When a bet is neither a winning nor a losing one it is called a Push. The funds that have been wagered carry over to the next round.
Shoe – This is the compartment that holds all the playing cards. It normally holds up to 8 decks and the dealers draw from it.
Standoff – When the Player and Banker hands are in a tie.
Tie – The bet with the highest house edge out of all three. It is the least likely to occur and pays the highest amount at 9:1. A tie is when the final value of both hands are identical.

Baccarat Strategy

live dealer baccarat strategy At its most basic, baccarat is a game of pure chance and you have no control over the outcome. There are no decisions to make as you would in blackjack and you are completely at the mercy of the dealer. While you cannot directly affect the game, there are several strategies that you can use to manage your bankroll, which, needless to say, is very important. Placing strategic bets can reduce your loss margin and even increase your profits. Over the years several tactics have been developed and perfected to give you the best chance of leaving the battle with some extra cash. Some of these are universal and can be used on nearly every casino game.

The 1-3-2-4 system is a very simplistic progression system that you can utilize to maximize your winnings and minimize your losses. The way it goes is that you assign a value to a unit – it could be CA$5, CA$10, CA$100, whatever you wish it to be. You place your first bet of a single unit and if it wins you progress to the next number in the sequence and bet that many units. If you lose a bet, then move one number back. The good thing about this betting system is that you make up your losses with every won bet. If you do win all four bets, then you will have 10 units in profit.

The Martingale betting system is another progressive strategy where you double your bet after every loss. When you win you simply adjust the size of your bet to that of the previous one. This system guarantees that you will get your money back from previous losses due to the increasing nature of the bets, if you win of course. However, this strategy is not without flaw. Since you double your bets rather than increasing them by a small amount, a bad losing streak can cause you to lose your entire bankroll. Exercise caution when using this system.

The Fibonacci progression is known to everyone that has basic knowledge of mathematics. Basically, it is a progressive system, where each number is equal to the sum of the two that came before it. For instance, you start with 0 and 1, the next number is 1. After that, you take 1 and 1, which equals 2. Then 1 and 2, which is 3. After which 2 and 3 make 5, and so on. It is not necessary to begin at 0 and 1, you can use any two numbers you want. You increase your bet with every loss following this logic, and when you win you decrease the size of your bet back to the previous amount. This system is similar to the previously mentioned Martingale, though it progresses a bit slower. It ensures that you will make back any lost bets provided that you can keep betting.

These strategies should be utilized on even money bets. These systems require you to win somewhat consistently, and you need the best chance to do so. Of course, using these strategies does not guarantee that you will win, since baccarat is, after all, a game of pure chance. Their goal is to increase your potential winnings and to cut your losses as much as possible.