How to Play Live Baccarat: The Complete Guide

Posted: March 30, 2020

Updated: March 30, 2020

Guide to play baccarat for dummies
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Image source: Roland Scheicher at German Wikipedia / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The history of baccarat is a matter of controversy. Some people claim that it was invented 500 years ago, while others say that it came from the 19th century. Live baccarat is an easy game, where you only have to make one decision – whether to bet on the Player or the Banker. Now, let’s figure out how to play live baccarat online.

The goal

The main objective of the game is to predict a winning hand. A dealer deals cards to the “Player” and the “Banker”. Both of them are just playing parties and they have nothing to do with the casino or you. Moreover, a dealer doesn’t deal any other hands regardless of the number of players.

High Rollers' Club Presented by Baccarat — Start playing now online – Image via Flickr

Live baccarat is a great game for the casino first-timers, as it often relies on pure luck. However, you can still gain an advantage by understanding how the game works.

How to play live baccarat

The game starts with the players betting on a winning hand. Then, the Player and the Banker receive two cards. In order to win, a hand must reach the closest to 9. If one of the initial hands has a total of 8 or a 9, then it is a “natural” and this hand wins. However, if none of the initial hands have “natural”, then a dealer can deal one more card. There is a set of rules regarding when the Player and the Banker can take an additional card.

Card values are also very easy to memorize. All the numbered cards except for 10 are just counted according to their numbers. The Jack, Queen, King and 10 have a 0 value. Lastly, the Ace is counted as 1.

Another important thing is that it is not possible to exceed 9 or “bust” in baccarat. For instance, if the Player has 4 and 6, then it is not 10, but 0. If the Player has 7 and 8, then it is 5, and so on.

As we mentioned earlier, drawing the third card depends on the Player’s initial hand. For instance, if they have 0-5, then the Player must “hit” – take one more card. If the Player has 6 or 7, then they must “stand”. Additionally, if the Player has 8 or 9, they win.

The Player’s Hand

Initial Hand Total	Action
0-5	Drawing a card
6 or 7	No Draw
8 or 9	No Draw

The Player always receives their card first. Then, the Banker’s action will depend on a Player’s third card. For example, if the Player stands with 6 or 7, a similar set of rules applies to the Banker. However, if the Player takes the third card, there are a few possible outcomes:

The Banker’s Hand

Initial Hand Total	Drawing a card if the Player’s third card is	No draw if the Player’s third card is
0-2	Drawing a card regardless Player’s 3rd card	Drawing a card regardless Player’s 3rd card
3	0-7, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A	8
4	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7	0, 1, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
5	4, 5, 6, 7	0, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
6	6, 7	0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
7	–	–
8 or 9	–	–

Playing live baccarat online

Now, when you have learned the basics, it’s time to practice. Although a lot of online gambling sites in the UK have baccarat games, live baccarat is a bit more rare option. Then, where to play live dealer online casino games? Next to a very few pages, the Bet365 Casino offers live baccarat, along with other live table games. First-timers will also receive a generous welcome package, so this is definitely a great choice for playing live baccarat.

Live baccarat odds

Usually, land-based casinos follow the standard scheme of the baccarat odds. If the Player has a winning hand, the casino pays 1 to 1. When the Banker’s hand wins, the casino deduces a 5% commission and therefore it is paid as 0,95 to 1. Finally, the most beneficial outcome is a tie – in case you bet on a tie and win, you will get the 8 to 1 payout. However, make sure you know your house rules, as every casino is different. Besides, online casino sites in the UK usually offer better odds.