One of the best casino games for beginner casino players is Baccarat. It is popular, simple, and doesn’t require excellent skills to play or win.
In Baccarat, the player’s goal is usually to get as close to a total value of nine based on the value of two cards drawn to both the dealer and the player. Tens, aces, and face cards are valued as zero, while cards 2 through 9 are taken at face value. Nine is the highest hand.
Here, you will find all you need to know about this game including its history, strategies, and so on.
Best Baccarat Casinos – Ireland
What is Live Baccarat?
Live baccarat is an online version of the card-comparing game, which has for a long time been offered in casinos. Players follow the casino dealer’s activity from a video on the screen of their PC or mobile device and bet on the outcome they think will win.
The game follows the same rules which would be observed in a casino, with variations made on how the game is played, rather than the winning and losing rules. The ‘live’ feature is enabled by the use of a streaming mode, that uses an internet connection on both the casino’s and user’s end.
History of Baccarat
Baccarat’s early origins can be traced to as far back as the 19th century when it was popular in many private betting houses in France. Back then, baccarat banque was undoubtedly the most popular version of the game. Three players who compared card totals played this version.
After the legalization of gambling in 1907, Chemin de Fer, a version of baccarat which is played by two people, became popular. Later, casinos adopted the game in the punto-banco version, which is played to date.
The game took a while to catch on in the US but has now been popularized by Asian high rollers.
Basic Rules of Baccarat
The aim of baccarat is merely to bet on the hand which reaches a sum of nine or eight before the other one. Players can also gamble on a tie, although this is quite rare. There are two hands, the player and the banker, each of which is dealt two cards face up.
The sum of cards is compared, when either hand has a total of nine or eight. If neither has this total, the dealer draws a third card for each hand. Aces have a value of one, 2 to 9 have their actual value, and face cards have a zero or ten value.
Basic Baccarat Strategies
Baccarat is more about luck than strategy or skill. Since the players do not have any control over the cards, they can neither hold them as rounds progress or even cheat. The basic strategy thus lies on the hand on which to place money on, in each round.
The player is the most popular hand to bet on. Although it has the lowest odds, it is most likely to win and does not attract a commission. Houses usually collect a commission of 5% when the banker’s hand wins. A tie gives the best win returns (35/10), but it is highly unlikely to occur.
Nonetheless, there are some general strategies that can improve your overall game play in online casinos. Some of these are:
Go with Your Gut
If you’ve played Baccarat in mobile casinos for some time, it’s normal to believe that you’ve come up with a strategy that always works. However, your calculation and science can only go so far.
Sometimes, the best strategy is to go with your gut, especially when you aren’t quite sure of what bet to make. Statistically speaking, going with your gut doesn’t greatly lower your chances of winning, so something worth giving a try.
Go for The Smart Bet
While playing Baccarat, players often wonder which is the better bet: player or banker? Betting on the banker is usually taxed a 5% commission and usually seems like an unattractive option, especially for new Baccarat players. However, statistically speaking, the banker is the safer bet to put your money irrespective of the 5% commission in every win.
Betting on the banker comes with a lower house edge. Therefore the payout makes it worthwhile in the long run. The player bet typically wins 49.32 percent versus the banker’s 49.32 percent win rate. Initially, the difference might not seem like much, but the percentage difference will produce steady gains over time.
Don’t Fall For The Tie Bet
The payout for a tie wager is quite tempting, but any experienced Baccarat player will probably tell you to be very cautious about going for it. The payout for a tie bet is great, but you’ll have to depend immensely on luck to be able to score a win.
Putting your money on a tie bet is quite risky, and unless you have some psychic powers to predict exactly when it’ll show, then it’s probably not worth it.
Play Baccarat in Ireland
Many gambling establishments offer baccarat in Ireland. Land-based casinos, however, can only offer the game on a membership basis, and hence serve a limited number of players. To reach more people, these houses have established an online form of baccarat dealership model, which is not member-restricted.
Foreign-based gaming casinos are also exploiting the vast market of baccarat enthusiasts in Ireland. These companies can operate with or without Irish licenses, without breaking the law. The government of Ireland has, in the last two decades, taken steps to legalize online gambling, in a bid to earn some revenue from its widespread practice.