Baccarat first originated in Italy during the 16th century. The game first began as “Punto Banko” and was later shortened to just “Baccarat.” It became popular throughout France at the time, but remained largely unknown outside of Europe until it arrived in North America in the late 19th century. Today, countless casinos and online casinos offer the game to players around the world. While it may be one of the most popular games in Europe, many Americans and other English speakers don’t know what baccarat is or how to play it.
The objective of 百家樂 is simple: get as close to nine with a hand consisting of two or three cards, or obtain a hand value of zero (a ‘baccarat’) using only two cards.
Getting Started: How to Play Baccarat Online
Unlike many casino games, baccarat has no real strategy and is usually played as a game of chance. The player does not need to know any rules or play any betting strategies in order to play. The only requirement is to know which bets to make in order to increase the chances of winning.
Baccarat has three main parts: the deal, betting rounds, and the showdown. Each part requires slightly different strategies in order to improve the player’s odds of winning.
The Deal
After placing your bet(s) on either of the two hands, the dealer deals two cards to each of the three possible outcomes: player hand, bank hand, or a tie. Each card is either face-up or face-down depending on which version of baccarat is being played. Face-up cards are considered good for the player while face-down cards are considered bad for the player.
Here are the three most popular versions of Baccarat:
Regular Baccarat – Deals one card face-up and the other face-down. The dealer will peek at the card to determine if it is a natural nine or not. If neither hand has a natural, then the showdown occurs.
百家樂 Chemin de Fer – In this version, both cards are dealt face-down. The banker looks at his own card first and if it is a natural nine, he will announce “natural” and win automatically. If neither hand has a natural, the player’s second card is peeked at before the showdown occurs.
Mini Baccarat – Deals both cards face-up. If either hand is a natural nine, the game is over and the player wins automatically. If neither hand has a natural, then the showdown occurs.
The Betting Rounds
Once the cards have been dealt to all three hands, the betting rounds begin. There are two types of bets in baccarat: Player and Banker bets. The player is either betting on a win for the player or a tie. The banker is just the opposite – he’s betting on a win for the dealer or bank hand.
Player Bets (bets that are typically recommended)
Player bets should always be placed as soon as cards are dealt because it increases your chances of winning. This is because the player will be dealt two cards while the dealer or bank hand will only receive one card face up until the showdown.
Here are some essential tips for making successful player bets:
Always stick to high odds. It gives you a better chance of winning while still giving you good payouts should you win. Bets that offer high odds typically come in increments of 1,000.
Tie Hand Bets – Players should always bet on the eighth and ninth hands because they have a better chance of winning compared to other hands.
Don’t make any bets if only one card is dealt to a hand. You know it’s going to be a certain outcome so there’s no need to bet.
Banker Bets (bets that are typically not recommended)
The banker bets are the exact opposite of the player bets. Because the bank hand only receives one card face-up until the showdown, betting on this outcome isn’t recommended unless you want low odds. If you do decide to make a banker bet, here are some tips:
Don’t bet on the third and fourth hands because they have low odds.
Always place banker bets as soon as you can – once a player makes a player bet, it’s almost guaranteed that the bank hand will come out on top. In order to avoid wasting money, make sure your banker bet is placed before the player bets.
The Showdown
Once the last betting round is over, the showdown occurs. Baccarat requires no skill whatsoever so it’s just a matter of luck whether you win or lose. The dealer will peek at both hands and announce who wins. If neither hand has a natural nine, then whoever has the closest hand to nine wins. However, in the case of a tie, the player wins.
After The Showdown
Once a winner is declared, you can either collect your winnings or bet on another hand if you’re feeling lucky. Baccarat is very quick so it’s easy to have several rounds in just one hour. In fact, this is what makes Baccarat so popular.
