How to play Online Baccarat: the Complete Guide

Live Casino | 26/02/2023

A longtime favorite in Asia, Baccarat is a perfect fit for online gambling. With unique rules and principles, some players of this game pocket astronomical winnings every day. Want to learn more about this must-play game and try your luck at our Swiss online casino, PASINO.ch? Let this guide show you the way for your first games!

Baccarat, a particularly accessible and exciting game

With an increase in popularity every year, Baccarat has become a true favourite for many online gambling enthusiasts. There are several features that make it clear why there is a growing interest.

First (and contrary to popular belief), Baccarat, online or in a land-based casino, has a set of game rules that are particularly accessible. In fact, by simply reading a few summary explanations, you will quickly understand the mechanisms associated with this card game.

Every day, Baccarat brings together many players whose every decision may or may not earn them incredible winnings. In other words, while luck of the draw is the main factor, effort is a decisive factor in whether or not you win!

Unique Rules of Play

Unlike other card games (such as Poker or Blackjack), you can’t bet on your own success in Baccarat, but only on that of the player or the dealer. This mechanism might seem complex at first glance. However, this Baccarat rule is much easier to understand than it seems!

As a participant, you are the punter, or bettor, betting on two opponents:

The dealer (also known as the "house" or "bank")

The player (designated before each start of the game)

What is the main goal?

Leave the complex rules of Poker at the poker table. Baccarat offers an exciting and much simpler game mechanism: combine the value of 2 cards (or more) in order to get a total value as close as possible to 9 points (the ideal score). As a punter, you can bet on the dealer, the player or a tie between the two. Even for those less comfortable with online gaming, Baccarat is accessible and easy to use in this format.

How are points counted?

Points are counted based on the value of the cards dealt. But don’t worry, there are no complex combinations in Baccarat. The following table will help you quickly understand the value of each card.

As	1 point.
10 - Jack - Queen - King	No points, or zero points.
2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9	Points same as card number.

Does the colour of the card matter?

Baccarat is a simplified gaming system. Thus, the colour of the cards is not considered when counting points. No matter if the suit of the card is hearts, clubs, spades or diamonds, the value or result of the game is not affected.

What happens if the result is greater than 10 points?

Depending on certain situations, the cards dealt to the bank or the player may exceed 10 points. Here's a concrete example:

Player or dealer receives 2 cards: an 8 and a 5.
The result is 13 points.
The 1 (or 10) is then dropped, so the result is 3 points.

Of course, this also applies to each result above 10 points.

When is a new card dealt?

Depending on the result, the bank or the player can request a new card. Players can try to get closer to the "ideal score" of 9 points at the risk of exceeding 10 points and finishing the game with a low result. You may have guessed that accepting or not accepting a new card can significantly impact the result of a game.

The player and the bank cannot request a new card when:

The player has more than 5 points

The bank has more than 7 points

How does a game of Baccarat unfold?

Stage 1: the designation of the player

Each game of online Baccarat starts with the bank's bet. Participants can then decide to bet the entire amount proposed by the dealer (Banco) or a portion of it, following the victory of one of the 2 players. The participant who has won the largest amount will be designated as the player (Punto) of the game.

Stage 2: distribution of the cards

The cards are dealt following the designation of the Punto. This happens quickly and follows a specific order for dealing the cards:

The first card is dealt to the player
The second card is dealt to the bank
The third card goes to the player
Finally, the fourth card is dealt to the bank

Stage 3: additional cards

Depending on the result of the dealer's hand, the player’s hand and the strategies utilized, a third card will be dealt.

Last stage: winner announced

Finally, the results are counted by the dealer, and the winner is announced. In the event of a victory, the bets won are immediately awarded to the participants.

How much can be won by players?

If you win a game of online Baccarat, the value of the winnings is based on the amount of the bet made. The following table will illustrate the payouts.

Bet on the player’s hand	Punter doubles their bet (1 to 1).
Bet on the bank’s hand	Punter earns 195% of the bet made (bank receives a 5% commission).
Bet on a tie	Punter gets 800% of the bet (8 to 1).

To learn more about the winnings and odds for Baccarat online, please consult the "Baccarat Rules" section (accessible from our FAQ).

Is there a playable demo version of Baccarat?

Some online casino games have a demo mode which allows players to gradually familiarize themselves with the various mechanisms and rules. Since Baccarat online is a part of the live gaming system in the Live Casino, there is no demo version available. The game necessitates the bringing together several participants in order to set the Punto of the group.

What about the variants of online Baccarat?

At PASINO.ch, there are several variants of online Baccarat, including Speed Baccarat or Baccarat Control Squeeze. These entertainment offerings have certain exclusive rules such as deliberately "accelerated" parties or even the absence of commissions.

Online Baccarat Glossary

Banco	Term for the bank; also announced by the participant betting on the bank.
Punto	Term for the player; also announced by the participant betting on the player.
Face cards	Term for Jacks, Queens and Kings.
Coup	A round of Baccarat.
La Grande (Natural)	Term designating a hand wich totals 9 points, the best hand in Baccarat.
La Petite (Natural)	Term designating a hand (only 2 cards) that equals 8 points.
Commission	Interest paid to the bank on a banker bet win.
Shoe	Term designating the device managed by the croupier that holds and deals the cards.

Our advice for beginners

Avoid variants in your first games.

While some variants can be particularly exciting, we recommend that you start with the so-called "classic" Baccarat Live. Doing so will allow you to gradually familiarize yourself with the basic principles of this card game.

Place smaller bets

No matter how much you initially budget, we can only advise you to limit the value of your bets. Otherwise, a few defeats could lead to a negative experience.

Analyse the behaviour of other participants

Playing live allows you to interact with other participants and analyse their behaviour during the game. Pay close attention to every step and detail of a gaming session in order to refine your knowledge!

Manage your expenses/winnings responsibly

PASINO.ch prioritizes responsible gaming in order to ensure that every player has the best possible online gaming experience. Whether it's about budgets or winnings, it is important to set specific limits. If you feel that your behaviour is causing harm to your well-being, please contact customer support at PASINO.ch.