The Baccarat games can be found all online as well as in real land casinos. This game is the second most popular game after the game of Blackjack at casinos. Like Blackjack and other card games, this table game doesn’t have many multiple variations that you can try to play and have fun with.
But not be too disheartened there are some of the various outstanding features in this game that come in several variations and you can enjoy thus various Baccarat games using these features. These come in the big and the mini Baccarat game tables but before you begin to play you should know the standard baccarat game rules and how to play it.
Rules of a Standard Baccarat Game
Every baccarat game offers three staple bets, including the banker hand, player hand, and tie. When placing a banker or player bet, you’re gambling on one of these hands beating the other. Here’s an example. You wager on the banker’s hand, if the banker gets a score of 8 and if the player gets a score of 7 and the banker’s hand wins, and you win your bet.
A tie wager is based on the banker and player ending up with the same score and you win a large payout when both hands tie.
The house edge in Baccarat
The banker’s hand has a 1.06% house edge, the player hand has a 1.24% house advantage, and the tie bet normally has a 14.36% house edge which can vary based on payouts. You can see that the banker bet offers the best chance to win. Even with the casino taking a 5% commission from winning banker wagers, it still maintains the lowest house advantage. The player bet isn’t far behind in terms of the house edge.
Some punters enjoy making this wager when they feel that recent trends suggest doing so. The tie bet should be avoided at all costs. With a 14.36% house advantage, this is one of the worst wagers in all of gambling. As long as you understand the baccarat bets, then you’re all set to play and you needn’t use any skill beyond choosing the outcome and how many chips you’ll lay down. All you need to know is how the scoring system works to play baccarat like a pro.
The scoring system in baccarat
The hand that has a score closest to nine wins. The first digit of a score is dropped if it’s 10 or higher. Here’s how baccarat scoring works.
- Ace = 1
- 2-9 = Face value (i.e., 5 is worth 5)
- King, queen, jack = 0
The banker and player both receive two cards to start each round. The score of each hand determines whether the player and banker receive another card. The rules on drawing for cards are :
- If the banker or player draw an 8 or 9 on their first two cards (a.k.a. natural), they win as long as there’s no tie
- The player receives a third card if they have less than 5. They stand on a score of 6 or 7
- The banker draws when they have less than 6 and the player has 6 or 7. They stand if their total is 6 or 7
- Whenever the player receives a third card, the banker also draws for another card based on what the player has.
Two types of Baccarat
Now that you have understood the standard game of Baccarat comes in two types: Mini Baccarat and Big Baccarat.
Why this game is called big and mini-baccarat has a story to tell. Baccarat was first introduced in North America on a big table which means big baccarat that features 12-14 spots. These games are still available in certain Las Vegas high-roller areas.
Big baccarat players can choose to act as the banker, and the shoe is passed around the table so that everybody gets a turn. This fun aspect makes one feel like they’re the house, but it also slows the game down. Big baccarat also requires a dress code, which involves men wearing tuxedos or suits and women donning evening wear. The dress code suits this game when considering that the minimum wage is usually $100 per hand.
Mini baccarat is played on a table with only seven seats. The croupier handles all of the dealing/banking, meaning that players don’t get to act as the banker. Mini baccarat tables are fast-paced due to the smaller setup and dealer handling everything. This makes the mini version perfect for table game players who like lots of action.
The minimum wage ranges from $5 to $25 per hand, and there’s no dress code either. These factors make mini-baccarat more popular than the big version among many gamblers.
Different Baccarat Variations
Baccarat variations don’t differ wildly from mini baccarat but do have a slight difference from the standard mini version including the rules and house edge.
1. No Commission Baccarat
As casinos take a 5% commission out of winning banker bets to retain their edge over players, no commission baccarat differs, though, by not taking any commission.
This gives you a long-term edge over casinos in theory, which is why so many players are attracted to the no commission variant. But the rules are slightly modified to ensure that the house keeps its advantage.
If your banker hand bet wins on six points, then you only win 50% on your original wager (as opposed to 100%, or 1:1). This scenario has a 5.39% probability, which pushes the house edge to 1.46%. The player hand is your best option when considering that you have a worse chance of winning the banker bet in no commission baccarat. Ideally, though, you’ll avoid this game altogether. You can play this game at online casinos or land casinos.
2. EZ Baccarat
It is similar to no commission baccarat in that it doesn’t take 5% commissions from bankers’ hand wins. It also features modified rules to ensure that the casino retains its edge. A banker bet that wins with a three-card 7 is a push, rather than a 1:1 payout. But this scenario only has a 2.25% probability of happening.
EZ baccarat features a 1.02% house edge on the banker’s hand when combining the three-card 7 push with no commissions. It’s definitely worth playing EZ baccarat due to its low house advantage. You can find this variation at a number of real land casinos including the casinos at Las Vegas.
3. 4% Commission Baccarat
As the name suggests this game only takes a 4% commission from winning banker wagers. The reduced commission drops the banker’s hand house edge from 1.06% to 0.60%. You nearly double your chances of winning with 4% commission baccarat as opposed to standard games. You will obviously want to play the 4% commission variation whenever possible. This game variation is found at very few land-based casinos.
4. 6-Deck Baccarat
Most baccarat games use eight decks, but there are certain casinos that feature tables with six decks. 6-deck baccarat lowers the banker hand house edge from 1.06% to 1.056%. This won’t make much of a difference to the average player. However, it does aid gamblers who play lots of baccarat and/or bet big. 6-deck baccarat can be found at online casinos that are powered by NetEnt or Playtech software.
The Playtech version also offers interesting side bets in addition to only featuring six decks. The available side bets in Playtech baccarat are:
- Small – Betting on the total number of the banker’s and player’s combined score being 4
- Big – Wagering on the total number of banker’s and player’s cards being 5 or 6
- Either pair – Betting on the banker’s or player’s first two cards forming a pair
- Perfect pair – Wagering on the banker’s or player’s first two cards forming a suited pair
While it’s always fun to take a chance on side wagers, the problem is that these particular bets all feature high house edges. Here are the house advantages for each of the side bets.
- Small = 5.27% house edge
- Big = 4.35%
- Either Pair = 14.54%
- Perfect Pair = 17.07%
Either Pair and Perfect Pair each have bigger house edges than the tie wager, which makes them reprehensible in the overall scope of gambling.
Big and Small both have reasonable house edges in comparison to side bets in other games. But you’re still better off simply wagering on the banker’s hand every time.
5. Baccarat with Higher-Paying Tie Bets
The majority of baccarat games offer an 8:1 payout for winning tie bets. But some games offer a more generous 9:1 payout. The 9:1 prize lowers the tie bet house advantage from 14.36% to 4.84%. Although still not a great house edge, 14.84% at least makes the tie wager worth considering if you like large payouts. Note that your best odds of beating baccarat lie with the banker wager.
6. Baccarat Games with Side Bets
Considering that baccarat games don’t offer much in the way of betting variety, some casinos add side bets to the equation.
Here are common side wagers that you’ll find in land-based and online casinos forming a variation in the gameplay of Baccarat
Side Bets
- Big bet: Wager on if the player and banker will combine for 5 or 6 cards. It pays 0.54:1 on your bet, and the house edge is 4.35%.
- Small bet: Wager on if the player and banker will combine for 4 cards. It pays 1.5:1 on your bet, and the house edge is 5.27%.
- Dragon 7: This EZ baccarat bet is based on whether the banker will win with a three-card 7 total. The payout is 40:1, and the house advantage is 7.60%.
- Dragon Bonus (player side): Bet on the player side winning with a natural (8 or 9) or by 4+ points. The house edge is 2.70%.
- Lucky Bonus: Wager on the banker winning with a score of 6. The house advantage is 2.66%, and you must risk up to 10% of your banker bet.
- Panda 8: This EZ baccarat side wager is based on the banker winning with a three-card 8. The payout is 25:1, and the house edge is 10.19%.
- Royal Match: Wager on the banker or player being dealt a suited or unsuited king-queen combo with their first two cards. The suited king-queen pays 75:1, and the unsuited combo pays 30:1. The house edge is 2.13%. These bets are nice for those who want to chase big payouts. You can especially win big with the Royal Match, Dragon 7, and Panda 8 wagers. Royal Match and Lucky Bonus also give you good chances to win because they feature a 2.13% and 2.66% house edge, respectively.
- Macau Baccarat: Macau baccarat differs, though, by allowing players to pick up their cards and even perform good luck rituals. Macau players will slowly bend back card corners to reveal the value. This superstition is based on the belief that slowly looking at your card value will improve your chances of winning. The rules aren’t any different at Macau tables than they are in any other mini baccarat game. But the superstitions, player passions, and ability to touch your cards makes this a baccarat experience to remember
Synopsis
Though Baccarat variations don’t differ greatly from the original versions but you can still find enough variety to make trying different games worth your while.
You can check out the different game variations at casinos and try them if available. Most of these games merely have subtle rule changes, but they’re still worth trying for something new and fun.
