The First Steps You Must Know about Live Baccarat Online

Casino games online are a real blast, especially when talking about chance-based games. Skill-based games are a bit more complex and require a lot of practice before you play for real money. Baccarat is something in between. It's one of the simplest luck-based games with an easy learning curve.

Baccarat has only a few bets to put your money on. You can bet on the Banker, the Player, or the Tie. Rarely any variant has any extra bets, so it has an easy learning curve. In this guide, we'll tell you more about the way it's played and why it's a great choice for new players.

Fun Fact about the Name "Baccarat"

The first mention of baccarat came in an 1847 book by Charles Van Tenac. The name can be traced back to the Italian word baccara which translates to zero as you can tell, face cards and tens have zero values in the game.

French historians claim that's not the case. Noted game historian Thierry Depaulis says that the name comes from an expression used in Provence - fa baccarat. It means "to go bankrupt", which is an accurate representation of what might happen if you play recklessly or don't use a strategy.

For a long time, baccarat was only popular in land-based casinos. However, that all changed when it arrived online, with numerous RNG and live variants of Punto Banco now available.

How to Play Live Baccarat Online

Playing baccarat is very easy in EsballPH HaloWin casino. There are several available RNG variants you can practice with and get ready for the Evolution casino games. Only a few rounds of baccarat will give you a pretty clear idea of what to expect. We already said that it has an easy learning curve, and with our guide, you'll learn how to play live baccarat online in no time.

Before you start playing, you need to choose a respectable Evolution casino. If you want a top gaming site, EsballPH HaloWin casino definitely fits the profile. It has all kinds of games including RNG and live baccarat which is what most players want to try.

There are three main baccarat variants you should know about:

• Punto Banco: the most popular online baccarat variant so far. It's a modification of the Chemin de Fer variant available at Evolution casino sites. You play against the dealer, with three options available - Player, Banker, and Tie. The hand that comes closer to 9 wins the round.
• Chemin de Fer: This variant is popular in land-based casinos. The rules are once again simple - the hand closest to a count of 9 wins. Unlike Punto Banco, it requires a minimum of six players on the table.
• Mini-Baccarat: a simplified variant of Punto Banco popular in online casinos such as EsballPH HaloWin casino. It can be played with a few players only and the stakes are lower to accommodate beginners.

Top Live Baccarat Online Tips and Tricks

In baccarat, face cards and tens have no value. Aces to 9 have their numeric value. To begin playing live baccarat online, you need to pick the right variant and place a bet.

Back the Banker, Not the Player

When playing online live baccarat, it's best to stick to the Banker bet than the Player or Tie. Or any of the side bets for that matter. It has the lowest house edge of all the bets and gives you the best chance to win something without losing a lot of money. With a good strategy to back your bankroll up, hitting the Banker all the time is one of the simplest tips for baccarat games.

Baccarat Rules

The dealer begins the game by dealing four cards in total - two to himself and two to all players. All cards are face up. The hand with a count closer to 9 or equal wins the round. Obviously, you may end up in a situation where the count exceeds 9 - for example, 6+8 which equals fourteen. In that case, the first number is dropped, leaving you with a hand of 4.

In essence, you're betting on which hand is closer to 9 in value. Since the bet is placed before the game begins, the hands are compared and the winner is announced. Similar to blackjack, you can draw more cards, but only in certain situations.

• When the player or banker has a hand of 8 or 9, both will stand
• If a player has a hand of 5 or less, they can ask for a third card
• If the player stands, the banker must hit on a total of five points or less
• When a player gets a third card, the banker must also get one if their hand value is 0-2
• If the player's third card is a 4 or 5, the banker must take a card if their hand is lower than 5
• If the player's third card is 6 or 7, the dealer takes a third card if they have a hand of 6 or less
• When a player gets an 8 or a 9 as a third card, the dealer must take one as well if their hand is 2 or less
• If the player gets an ace as the third card (or a zero value card), the banker must get a third card if their count is 3 or less

Use a Good Strategy

Chance-based games with even money bets are perfect for trying out a strategy. You can try many and see if they bring you success. Negative progression systems such as the Martingale would work great. Double your bet on losses and revert back to the original bet on wins. Betting the Banker all the time is a great strategy that could help you recover some of the lost money. Not right away, but in the medium run, Martingale or negative progression systems would do you good.

Live Baccarat Online Payouts

When you play baccarat in an Evolution casino, you'll see that both the Banker and Player pay 1:1. The house edge on the Banker bet is 1.06% (with a 5% commission), which makes it the favorite of most players. The house edge on Player is 1.24%, which is still better than, say slots.

You'll also see the third bet in baccarat in EsballPH HaloWin casino - the Tie. It pays the most at 8:1, but its house edge is over 14%, therefore it's not the best bet to play.

Some Evolution casino sites will have live baccarat games with exciting side bets. These can pay 100:1 or more, but as expected, they're far riskier. Those include the Egalite Bonus where you bet on the number value of a Tie, the Dragon bonus which is a bet on the point difference between the hands, or the Tie Bonus which pays when your 5 or 6 card ties with specific totals.

You can choose to play any of these live baccarat online bets, but keep in mind that your chances to win with them are not as great as betting on Banker.

Place Bets 

The BET LIMITS exhibit the lowest and highest stakes authorized on the table in total. In case you surpass the limit of the bet that you intend to bet, you will receive a notification on the screen.

Your bet can’t be accepted if it’s lower than the minimum limit. If you place multiple bets, but some are lower than the minimum limits, only the bets that do not comply with the required regulations will be rejected. You need to have enough funds to cover your bets whenever you participate. 

Side Bets 

Besides the three standard betting spots, this baccarat game features two non-mandatory side bets; Banker Piers and Player Pier. The only time a side bet experiences a win is when the two beginning cards dealt on Banker or Player respectively encompass a pair, with either result paying out 11 to 1.