Baccarat is an intricate card game that is thought to have gained great popularity in France between 1483 and 1498, during the reign of Charles VIII. As popular as it is in land casinos around the world, it is just as popular at online casinos, because it is easy to play, highly entertaining and can be very lucrative.
List of 10 Online Casino Bonuses that allow Baccarat
| Casino | Type | Value | % Baccarat Wagers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Luxury Casino |  |
Match | £1000 | 10 | Claim |
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Virtual City Casino | |
Match | £530 | 10 | Claim |
 |
32Red Casino | |
Match | £160 | 10 | Claim |
 |
BETAT Casino | |
Match | £300 | 20 | Claim |
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Jetbull Casino | |
Match | £150 | 1 | Claim |
 |
Kaboo Casino | |
Match | £300 | 5 | Claim |
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Phoenician Casino | |
Match | £1200 | 10 | Claim |
 |
Superlenny Casino | |
Match | £300 | 5 | Claim |
 |
Casino Luck | |
Match | R1400 | 1 | Claim |
 |
Thrills Casino | |
Match | €300 | 5 | Claim |
It has to be said that unlike many other casino games, there is little or no skill involved in baccarat as the fate of each hand lies purely in the cards dealt. Perhaps this is the reason baccarat is so popular, because it all comes down to one basic principle; the highest value hand always wins, except when there is a tie.
Baccarat Explained
In baccarat only two hands are ever dealt in each round - one to the 'Player' and one to the 'Banker'. Before each hand is dealt, you must place your bet of any amount (up to the table limit) on either the Player or the Banker. In order to win, the cards dealt to whoever you bet on must have the highest value. If you win, you'll win double your money. So for instance, if you bet $100, you'll get back $200.
The highest possible card value in baccarat 9 and the lowest is zero. The way the values of cards in baccarat work are as follows: Cards 2 to 9 keep their face value, while an ace is worth 1 and 10s and picture cards are worth nothing. The objective of the game is to make the highest value hand up to 9. Get 10 or over, and you bust and lose the hand and your bet. However, if the total of the first two cards dealt is over 10, the first digit of the total is dropped. For example, if one of the hands dealt is a 9 and a 6 (15), the value of that hand is 5.
So after you have placed your bet, each round of baccarat starts when the dealer deals the Player two cards face up and the Banker two cards face up. Each hand is added up according to the above values. And here's where it starts to get interesting. If either a Player or a Banker's hand value is 8 or 9, no more cards are dealt. This is called a 'natural'. But there are occasions where an additional or 'third' card is dealt to either the Player, the Banker or both.
If the Player's initial hand value is less than or equal to 5, he is dealt a third card. If the Player is not dealt a third card and the Banker's initial hand value is 6, he is not dealt a third card. However, if the Banker's initial hand value is 5 or less, he is dealt a third card.
Baccarat Third Card Rules
If the Player is dealt a third card then the Bank's third card rules listed below come into effect...
If the Banker's initial hand value is:
- 2 or less, he is dealt a third card, regardless of the Player's third card
- 3 he is dealt a third card unless the Player's third card is an 8
- 4 he is dealt a third card unless the Player's third card is a 0, 1, 8, or 9
- 5 he is dealt a third card if the Player's third card is a 4, 5, 6, or 7
- 6 he is dealt a third card if the Player's third card is a 6 or 7
- 7 he is not dealt a third card.
If the Player and Banker have the same card value, the hand results in a tie or a 'push' and your original bet is returned to you.
And that is baccarat explained in a nutshell. In terms of baccarat strategy, there is no real strategy to speak of except to always play within your means and choose the most reliable and reputable online casinos to enjoy baccarat on.