The history of baccarat is an exciting one. At one time, baccarat was the most popular casino game. All players who visited casinos did so with the intention of playing baccarat games. However, after some time, baccarat fell down the pecking order, and at some point, some casinos ranked it as the least popular casino game. in recent times, however, the game is now gaining more and more popularity. The popularity of baccarat in recent times is however skewed towards online baccarat. In this online baccarat guide, we are going to take time in exploring what online baccarat is all about while at the same time exposing the reasons why this game is gaining traction at a lightning speed.
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What is Online Baccarat
Online baccarat is sometimes referred to as online Bakara. In some jurisdictions, however, online baccarat is referred to as Punto Banco. However, we need to point out the fact that Punto Banco is a variant of baccarat thus though some may interchangeably use the terms punto banco and online baccarat to refer to the same game, the two are slightly different.
Online baccarat is a skill-based card comparing game. When we ascribe online baccarat as a skill-based game, what we are saying is that players must learn more about the game – by reading the game rules, playing tips, and strategies for winning – in order for them to maximize their chances of winning. While this is the case, we cannot eliminate the role that chance/luck plays when it comes to online baccarat.
When playing online baccarat, the player’s objective is to place a bet on who wins the upcoming round between the player and the banker. The one who gets the highest hand after the cards are dealt is the winner. When placing the bet, the player, therefore, must bet for the player or the banker. It’s important to note that in addition to these two, this game also allows players to place a third bet. The third bet is known as the tie bet. The tie bet simply entails that both the player and the banker will have the same hand value. For beginner players, the tie bet is however not recommended as its house edge is not favorable.
How to Play Online Baccarat
When it comes to playing online baccarat, players must first locate the trusted online casino Singapore they want to play at. Once done, players must choose the type of online baccarat game they want to play. These are two broad online baccarat games to choose from and these are explained later on in this guide. Once players have chosen the game they want, they must proceed to grab a seat at the table.
Online baccarat is played on an oval table accommodating 12 to 14 players. Once all players grab their seats, the dealer deals the cards – two each. Once the dealer finishes his part, the next thing is for the player to place his bet. Once all the bets have been placed, winners are determined and payouts awarded. It’s important to note that players can play online baccarat in two modes. Namely, the two are the demo mode and the real money. The latter mode that is, the real money mode requires players to wager with real cash. The beauty of online baccarat is that it accepts a wide variety of bet options thus appealing to all types of players from low rollers, mid-range players to high rollers.
When playing online baccarat, the highest possible hand is 9. Jokers are eliminated from the deck in use. All of the royal cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value. Royal card 10, King, Queen and Jack are worth zero points. Ace cards are worth 1 point. Players ought to note that when the value of two cards exceeds 9, then the unit digit of the sum total becomes the hand value. Simply put, if the player gets a 7 and a 6, his hand value is 3 as the unit digit of 7+6=13 is 3.
The player ought to note that at times a third card may be dealt. The third card may also be dealt with the banker but only when his hand value equals 5 or is less than 5.
The different Types of Online Baccarat Games
Online baccarat comes in two broad types. These are as follows:
- RNG Baccarat: RNG Baccarat is the most popular online baccarat game. This game is offered at most online casinos that offer online baccarat games. When playing RNG baccarat, players are basically playing against a bot. This is necessitated by the fact that the game’s outcome or results is determined by the random number generator.
- Live Online Baccarat: The second type of online baccarat is live online baccarat. This online baccarat game is also enjoyed at most online casinos but only those that come with the live casino section. When playing live online baccarat, players play the game in real time and they compete against a human banker. This is necessitated by the fact that the game is broadcasted live from state for the art studios. Live online baccarat is therefore the next best thing after baccarat played in land-based casinos.
It’s important for players to note that the above are the two broad categorizations of online baccarat. Apart from these, online baccarat also comes with various variants. Online baccarat variants come with more of the same objective. However, they differ slightly in gameplay rules as some come with side bets in addition to the three main bet types, the player, the banker, and tie.
Tips for Winning
- Settle for Online Baccarat games with low house edge: When it comes to online baccarat, players are recommended to settle for games that come with a low house edge. The house edge is the percentage that players are expected to lose over a long period of gaming. Settling for a game/variant with low house edge therefore minimises the player’s chances of losing much money.
- Take heed of the gamblers’ fallacy: The gamblers’ fallacy entails following the patterns of the game that is, checking the side that’s scooping the most wins. Once players determine the side scooping the most wins between the player and the banker, they may choose to go with the flow if they think the pattern will continue or go against the pattern if they think that a win is due on the side that’s losing the most.
- Ditch the tie bet at all times: There are three main bets when it comes to online baccarat that is, the player, the banker and the tie bet. While this is the case, players are advised to go for the first two only and to ditch the tie bet at all times. This is necessitated by the fact that the tie bet rarely wins and when it wins, its house edge is very high.
Round Up
Online baccarat is a game that’s on the rise. The simplicity of online baccarat has endeared the game with multitudes of players. Even more impressive about the game is the fact that it supports a wide variety of betting options. This, therefore, makes it appealing to low rollers, mid-range players as well as high rollers.
