There’s no question that when you join one of today’s exceptional online casinos, you are going to have an amazing lineup of premium slot games. Sometimes, you might have more slot games than you can handle, which presents a good problem. What also presents a good problem is having a growing number of live dealer games.
The centerpiece of the live dealer play is online baccarat. Take a rewarding journey by reading this article about the wonders and rewards of mastering online baccarat.
- Understanding Online Baccarat
Online Baccarat, which is usually the Punto Banco variant, is based on the traditional Punto Banco variant played around the world. Baccarat, besides being an elegant and classic game, goes back to 1600s France. While there is some debate about the true origins of baccarat, it is accepted that it comes from the concept of “zero,” which is a hallmark for playing baccarat, which comes from the Italian concept of “baccara.”
The current name is accepted from being named after the actual town of the same name. The current and oldest version of baccarat is Punto Banco. Punto stands for “point,” while Banco stands for “bank,” two terms that come up heavily when playing online baccarat.
- How to Play Online Baccarat
Playing most online baccarat games works like playing in person, which makes it easy for players to adjust. Compared to the other table games, online baccarat doesn’t have as many variants. However, that is quickly changing.
- Counting the Cards
Not to be confused with the illegal card counting activity that is heavily frowned upon at retail casinos, to succeed, the first step is learning how to count cards. Unlike blackjack, you don’t have to worry about busting, which is a massive sigh of relief for baccarat players.
In baccarat, the tens and the face cards all count as zero, hence the name “baccarat.” The other playing cards deuce through nines, and they have their straight-up value. Also, the Jokers are not used to playing baccarat either online or in person.
- How to Win
Also, unlike blackjack or poker, for that matter, you don’t compete directly with the other members of the banker, who is known as the dealer. Instead, winning at online baccarat calls for correctly betting on the player’s, banker’s, or the tie bet.
The player’s bet speaks for itself because it means the player’s hand is the highest round. The same goes for the banker’s bet, which means the dealer has the highest playing hand. The tie bet means you bet that the player and the dealer have the identical playing card value.
With either bet, the players and the dealer begin with two cards. If the first two cards equal nine or eight, that bet automatically wins. However, in most scenarios, the player will draw an additional card, but under certain circumstances.
If the first two cards are worth less than five, the player must draw until they get to seven, which is where they must stand no matter what. For card values between five and six, the player can then draw an additional card or standing with the hand they have. In the event that drawing an additional card goes over nine, the player doesn’t bust.
Instead, the first number in the value is dropped, and the second number is kept. For example, if the new playing value is 10, the final value will be zero because of the first digit being dropped. Like the player, the dealer can draw a third card, but under tighter circumstances.
For example, if the banker’s playing hand is worth three points and the player’s hand is worth eight, the banker can draw a third card. The best hand for the banker to draw is when the banker’s hand is worth four, and the player’s hand is worth somewhere between two and seven. However, if the banker’s is worth seven, they must stand regardless.
- The Betting Odds
There are many factors involved when choosing a specific baccarat bet. Besides the player’s budget, knowing the house edge for each bet is also essential for mastering online baccarat. The player’s bet is a solid option because the house advantage is 1.25%. The banker’s bet is the lowest, with a 1.05% house edge.
However, some real money and social casinos offer no-commission baccarat, where the house edge drops even lower between 0.5% and 1%. Of all the online baccarat bets, the tie bet has the worst house edge of over 14%.
- Working with the Bonuses
While being a high-roller certainly has its perks, mastering online baccarat also calls for budget management and making sound bets. To help players, the top online casinos also feature plenty of rewarding bonuses to help them pad their bankroll. No-deposit and welcome bonuses are fantastic stepping stones towards mastering online baccarat.
- Conclusion
The great part is that today’s online casinos have expanded to offer many rewarding online baccarat variants. It’s common to find a live version of Super 6 and Gold Dragon Bonus Baccarat. No matter the variant, understanding the house edge with proper budget management are essential towards mastering online baccarat.
