What is Baccarat and How Do You Play Baccarat Online for Money?

If slots don’t tickle your fancy and blackjack seems a bit boring, we’ve got a table game for you. Popular in Asia but also a hit online, baccarat is a card game where you have the freedom to choose. To see what we mean, scroll down for our guide on how to play baccarat online.

How to Play Baccarat Online

Baccarat online is a card game where the aim is to get a total of as close to nine as possible. In this regard, digital and live baccarat online are similar to blackjack, in that you’re aiming to make the best total possible. However, unlike blackjack where you’re playing a hand against the dealer, baccarat is autonomous.

There are two hands in play, the Player’s and Banker’s, but you don’t get to control either of them when you play baccarat online. In some respects, you’re just a spectator. The way cards are dealt and, in turn, drawn from the deck is based on a series of rules that we’ll explain in a moment.

What you can do, however, is back one of the hands. You do this by betting on the hand you think will win. Alternatively, you can bet on a tie. Once you’ve placed a bet, the cards are dealt and the hand closest to a total of nine wins. If you’ve picked that hand, you receive a payout.

That’s the basic premise of a standard baccarat card game. The questions we now need to answer are:

1. How are points scored in a game of baccarat online?

Points are scored by taking the value of each card and adding them together. For example, if the Player’s hand is dealt a two and a three, the total is five. That’s easy to understand, but what about cards that are worth 10 points in other casino card games? Also, what happens when you get a total that’s higher than nine?

Below is the scoring system used when you play a baccarat card game online:

• Picture cards and tens = zero points
• Aces = one point
• All other numbered cards = points based on face value

A hand consisting of a King and an Ace is worth one point. A hand consisting of a Queen and a seven is worth seven points. A hand consisting of a six and an Ace is worth seven points. What happens when a hand is worth more than nine?

Let’s say a hand is made up of an eight and a seven. That’s a total of 15, based on the baccarat online scoring system we’ve just outlined. Because nine is the best total, a hand can’t be worth 1five. Therefore, in this instance, you take the second digit (i.e. the one on the right). A total of 15 then becomes five.

2. What are the rules that govern how cards are drawn from the deck?

When a hand’s total is less than eight or nine, a card can be drawn from the deck. The counter to this is that hands valued at eight or nine are eligible for a showdown. For example, when you play baccarat online and the Player’s hand is worth eight and the Banker’s hand is worth six, the Player wins.

However, if the Player’s total is five and the Banker has a total of six, draws need to take place. The rules governing when a hand receives an extra card vary depending on their starting totals. What’s more, there are different rules for the Player and Banker.

Player Hand Baccarat Drawing Rules

• If the Player’s total is eight or nine, it’s classed as a natural win.
• If the Player’s total is six or seven, they stand on that total.
• If the Player’s total is 0-5, they draw a card unless the Banker has a total of eight or nine.

The Player will always win with a natural (two-card total) eight or nine. The only exception to this rule is if the Banker has the same hand. In this instance, it’s a tie.

However, if the Player hits a natural win, this hand is declared the winner and the Banker doesn’t draw a third card. If the Player’s total isn’t eight or nine, the Banker can draw a card based on the rules below, if they don’t win with a two-card total of eight or nine.

Banker Hand Baccarat Drawing Rules

Assuming the Player’s total isn’t eight or nine, the Banker can draw a card based on the rules below, if they don’t win with a two-card total of eight or nine.

• If the Banker’s total is 0-3 and the Player doesn’t have a total of eight or nine, the Banker receives a card.
• If the Banker’s total is three and the Player doesn’t have a total of nine, the Banker receives a card. *(If the Banker’s total is three and the Player has a total of eight, the Banker doesn’t receive a card)
• If the Banker’s total is four and the Player’s third card is worth two, three, four, five, six or seven, then the Banker receives a card. *(If the Banker’s total is four and the Player’s third card is worth 0, one, eight, or nine, the Banker doesn’t receive the card)
• If the Banker’s total is five and the Player’s third card is worth four, five, six or seven, then the Banker receives a card. *(If the Banker’s total is five and the Player’s third card is worth zero, one, two, three, eight, or nine, the Banker doesn’t receive the card)
• If the Banker’s total is six and the Player’s third card is worth six or seven, the Banker receives a card. *(If the Banker’s total is six and the Player’s third card is worth zero, one, two, three, four, five, eight, or nine, the Banker doesn’t receive the card)
• If the Banker’s total is seven, no additional card is drawn.
• If the Banker’s total is eight or nine, this is classed as a natural win if the Player doesn’t have eight or nine.

3. What are the payouts in the baccarat online real-money game?

When you play baccarat online for money, the potential payouts are:

Banker Bet

If you bet on the Banker’s hand and it wins, you’ll receive an even-money payout (1:1). Based on these odds, a winning wager of five will return 10 (five profit + five-stake back). However, this isn’t the end of the story when you play baccarat online.

The Banker bet wins, statistically speaking, more often than the Player hand. In technical terms, the house edge on a baccarat Banker bet is 1.06%. For the privilege of getting a better shot (in theory) of winning, you pay a 5% commission.

So, on a winning five bet, you’d pay 5% on your total return of 10. This means you’d receive 9.50 (10 X 0.05 = 0.50 commission).

Player Bet

If you bet on the Player’s hand and it wins, you’ll receive an even-money payout (1:1). The house edge on a Player bet is 1.24%. That’s higher than the house edge on a Banker bet (1.06%). This means a commission charge isn’t deducted from your total return.

Tie Bet

In most baccarat online real-money games, the payout for a tie is 8:1. Some variants may offer larger or smaller payouts. However, in general, when you play baccarat online, you’ll receive 8:1 on a winning tie bet.

Types of Baccarat Games

You should now understand how to play any baccarat game in a general sense i.e. if you understand the main format, you can adjust based on a variant’s specific rules. The good news is that almost all digital and live baccarat online casino games have identical rules.

But, if there is some slight variation, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem if you know the fundamentals.  

Traditional Baccarat

Traditional or classic baccarat online uses the main ruleset we’ve already described. You can play baccarat online for money via your desktop or mobile in a digital or live setting. Our live baccarat online casino tables are the most popular because they feature human dealers.

Speed Baccarat

As a leading baccarat casino online, we like to offer something different from the norm. Speed tables use the classic ruleset but increase the speed at which things happen. This means dealing and drawing take less time, which means you can play with more hands per minute.

No Commission Baccarat

No commission baccarat online allows you to receive a full payout on a winning Banker bet. As we’ve explained, standard baccarat games charge a 5% commission on winning Banker bets. That doesn’t happen in this variant.

Changes to the number of decks used and a reduced payout for hands worth six points means the house edge is different in no commission baccarat online. That means the 5% charge isn’t deducted from your winnings.

Where to Play Baccarat Online

You can play baccarat online for free or real-money prizes right here at The Clubhouse Casino. Our software has been optimised for all devices, which means you can play via your computer, smartphone or tablet.

What’s more, we offer a selection of baccarat variants, including live baccarat online. Finally, thanks to games with side bets and general casino promotions, you’ll get plenty of enjoyment from our baccarat table games lobby.

Baccarat Online FAQ

What is the best baccarat online game?

Traditional baccarat is great, and no-commission games bring something different to the mix. However, one of the best baccarat online variants you can play is speed because you don’t have to wait long for the result of a betting round.

Can I win cash prizes when I play baccarat online?

Yes. When you join The Clubhouse Casino, you can play free demo games using a virtual bankroll or you can make a deposit and place real-money bets in an effort to win cash prizes.

Is baccarat online fair?

Yes. All of our casino games, including baccarat, have been tested and certified as fair by independent agencies such as eCOGRA. This means you’ve got a fair shot at winning each time you play.