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Play Baccarat Online – Rules and General Information

Baccarat , also known as Punto Banco , is a card game that is played with several decks of cards, usually 6 to 8. The game is known for being featured in several James Bond creations like the first novel Casino Royal and the movie GoldenEye. The rules are fairly easy and the game has a lot in common with Black Jack. There are many different versions of Baccarat available in online casinos.

Learn the Simple Rules of Baccarat

In Baccarat, the banker and the player are dealt two cards each. The winner is the hand where the combined sum of the cards is closest to nine. The sum eight and nine are so-called “Natural” and they always win. In case one hand gets eight and the other nine, the one who has nine wins. You put your bet on one of the hands before any of the cards are shown. Therefore, the outcome of the bet is truly a gamble.
Statistically, it is best to place your bet on the banker’s hand as it usually has the best chance to win. The probability of the banker’s hand winning is 45.86%, the player’s hand is at 44.62% and the chances of a tie is at 9.52%. The house edge is 1.06%, 1,24% and 14.36% in the above-mentioned scenarios respectively. Most cards have their original values, but there are some exceptions that players need to be aware of. The face cards are worth zero and the ace has a value of one point.

The numbers of the two cards on hand is added up. For example; if the hand consists of two sixes, the total value of the hand is twelve. If the total sum is more than ten points you deduct ten. In that way, a hand with a value of twelve will ultimately only be worth two points. If the total value of a hand is five or less you are allowed a third card. If you play Baccarat online that third card will be dealt automatically.
This is favourable compared to when you are playing Baccarat at a landbased casino. In live games, it is quite common for players to forget to request the third card. And that is the card that can give you another opportunity to get a winning hand.

Finally, always check the odds of the current game before you start playing. Also, make sure that you have a budget planned when you are playing Baccarat. That way, you will not end up spending more money than you can afford. Another good tip is to keep to your strategy, that is of course if you had one in the first place.