Learning how to play baccarat is straightforward, as this classic card game is one of the easiest online casino games to play for real money. Read our guide, sign up to EVO.io, and play baccarat online to land big real-money prizes.
One of the reasons for baccarat’s enduring popularity is that it’s a simple card game with three outcomes – the banker wins, the player wins, or the tie. Accordingly, you can bet on these outcomes to land a potential payout.
Read on as we explain how to play baccarat for your best chance of winning bets, including which baccarat strategies to adopt to make this exciting game profitable in the long run.
Understanding the Basics of Baccarat
The aim of baccarat is to predict whether the player’s or the banker’s hand will be closest to nine. You can also bet on the tie. If you accurately predict and bet on the winning hand, you will receive a payout – it is that simple.
To begin the game, the dealer issues two cards to the banker and two to the player. The hand that has the combined total equal or closest to nine will win. We explain how to place your baccarat bets and the card values below so you understand how this works in practice.
The Baccarat Table
The baccarat table is easy enough to understand. Most tables have seats for seven or eight players. You can take the respective seat when you place a qualifying baccarat bet.
Then, as you can see above, there are three spots – one for the player, one for the banker, and one for the tie. All you need to do is place your chips in the respective spot, depending on which hand you think will win. If your bet is successful, you will win a payout.
Card Values in Baccarat
The best hand in baccarat is nine. So, for instance, if you bet on a hand with a 4+5 = 9, you will win a payout unless the other hand is also equal to nine. In that case, bets on the tie will win the payout.
Note that picture cards (K, Q, J) and tens are worth zero in baccarat. So, if a hand receives a J+5, it will be worth five, as the jack counts as zero. In baccarat, an ace is worth one – it cannot also serve as eleven, as is the case in blackjack.
Also, if a hand totals more than nine naturally, for instance, a seven and an eight, it would equal five rather than 15.
You can use the illustration above to guide you as you familiarize yourself with baccarat’s various hand and card values. As soon as you’ve played a few hands, it should be easy enough for you to work out the combinations.
How to Play Baccarat
Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to look at the practical steps required to play baccarat. There are essentially three phases to baccarat, which you can follow below to get started:
Placing Bets
Each game begins with the placing of bets. You can join the table at any time when you play online baccarat. Check the table limits and ensure you have sufficient bankroll to meet the minimum bets required for this baccarat variant.
Then, decide whether to bet on the banker, player or tie. As shown above, you must place the chips on the relevant spots on the table to place a qualifying bet.
Dealing the Cards
Once you’ve placed a qualifying baccarat bet, the dealer will issue two cards for the banker and two for the player. You don’t receive a hand in baccarat, per se, as you can bet on any of the three outcomes. Both the player’s hand and the banker’s hand receive two cards.
If either hand is a ‘natural’ eight or nine with two cards dealt, it wins with no more cards required. However, a third card might be dealt with in specific scenarios:
- If the player has 0-5, a third card is drawn. The player stands with all other totals.
- If the player has 6-9, the above rule applies to the banker.
- If the player draws a third card, the banker draws or stands based on the player’s total.
Don’t worry if that sounds like a lot to remember. The dealer will do everything at the table; you only watch.
Winning the Hand
When both the player and the dealer have a complete baccarat hand, the game is brought to a close, and payouts are issued. The standard payouts for baccarat are as follows, but note that different variants may adjust these payouts slightly:
- Banker’s bet: 1:1 (often minus a 5% commission)
- Player’s bet: 1:1
- Tie bet: 8:1 or 9:1
Strategies for Winning at Baccarat
You now have all the essential information required to play baccarat online. But how do you crank things up and give yourself the best chance of winning bets?
Optimizing your baccarat betting strategy and knowing which bets will most likely pay out will help. Here are some baccarat strategy tips to bear in mind:
Banker Bet Strategy
One of the simplest ways to play baccarat is to place banker bets, as these typically have a lower house edge (often 1.06%) than player bets. However, in some games, when the banker wins, the casino takes a commission, which can be up to 5%.
For this reason, we recommend looking for no-commission baccarat games so you can maximize your potential winnings and you don’t give anything away to the casino. Also, check the house edge of the baccarat game in question and select games with an RTP of 96% or higher.
Note that RNG baccarat played against the computer tends to have a higher RTP than live dealer baccarat, though exceptions apply.
Managing Your Bankroll
Managing your bankroll and gambling responsibly is crucial when playing any online casino game. You will get into financial difficulties if you don’t bet within your means and chase your losses at the baccarat table.
Every person has their betting limits and can afford different amounts when betting online. Therefore, you should always decide how much to deposit into your casino account, adjust your baccarat bets accordingly, and play responsibly.
An excellent way to do this is to play baccarat games with low minimum bets. For instance, rather than betting $1 or $5 per hand, you can find games at EVO.io that accept bets as low as $0.10. This helps your balance to last for as long as possible. Learn more about savvy bankroll management here.
Learning from the Pros
If you want to take your baccarat gameplay to the next level, you can adopt professional and advanced baccarat strategies for enhanced bankroll management and better-winning opportunities.
For instance, strategies like the Martingale, Paroli, and Fibonacci can all be applied to your baccarat strategy. These strategies won’t necessarily help you win more often, but they will help with bankroll management while helping to control your losses.
The Martingale strategy, for instance, is a progressive baccarat strategy. You increase your wager each time you lose and reduce it when you win. For example, if you bet $1 on your first hand and lose, you would increase it to $2 and continue doing so until you win. When you win, you revert to your initial wager of $1.
Though the Martingale strategy requires a healthy bankroll for success, it’s a brilliant way to play baccarat methodically and can significantly improve your enjoyment of the game.
For pro baccarat tips and gameplay hacks, consider following professional gamblers on platforms like YouTube and Twitch and pick up some insider tips on playing.
Practice and Patience
Though baccarat is primarily a game of chance, patience is required as you play. You can win or lose every hand you play, so don’t get disheartened when the cards aren’t in your favor.
The more you play, the more familiar you will become with the game, which will help you strategize and identify potential betting opportunities.
Another handy tip is to play baccarat for free before switching to real-money gameplay. When you play for free, you can enjoy the trials and tribulations of online gambling without losing money. Then, when you’re ready, switch to cash gameplay and try your luck.
Playing Baccarat on EVO.io
EVO.io is a top betting site where you can play baccarat games with a low house edge. We offer RNG games and live dealer titles, allowing you to enjoy different types of games at your own pace or guided by a real-life casino dealer.
- Signing up for an account at EVO.io to play baccarat couldn’t be easier:
- Visit our homepage and click the ‘Register Now’ button.
- Follow the prompts to create your account. Alternatively, register at EVO.io with Google or X.
- Transfer crypto from your digital wallet or buy crypto to play at EVO.io.
- Visit our game lobby and find a baccarat game.
- Check the minimum bets and other betting limits before placing player bets or banker bets.
The EVO.io Casino features an intuitive user interface, outstanding graphics, and easy navigation. So, create an account today and enjoy a brilliant selection of baccarat games for real money play.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Baccarat
As you prepare to play baccarat at EVO.io, here are some common mistakes to avoid to give yourself the best winning chance:
- Betting on the tie: Though it offers a payout of 8:1 or 9:1 in baccarat, the tie bet has poor odds and rarely comes in. You will find that you burn through your bankroll quickly if you bet on the tie, so stick to banker and player bets for the best odds.
- Chasing losses: Though not specific to baccarat, chasing your losses when betting online can cause financial issues in the long run. Discipline is essential when betting online, so make a deposit, adjust your stake, and place your bets to stay in control. If you lose, accept it and return to the casino when you have more funds available.
- Ignoring bankroll management: This goes hand in hand with the previous point, but ignoring the importance of bankroll management is another way to get yourself in a sticky situation while playing baccarat. So, acknowledge how much you have to spend and always gamble responsibly.
Play Baccarat Today with Crypto at EVO.io
Baccarat is one of the world’s most popular table games available at online and land-based casinos. To play baccarat for a chance of winning, create an account at EVO.io, deposit crypto, and read our guide above to help you decide whether to place a player’s bet or a banker’s bet.
Choose games with a low house edge for your best shot at a winning hand and avoid the tie bet, even though it offers the best payout.
Then, enjoy playing baccarat online responsibly, bet within your means, and never chase your losses!
