Baccarat is one of the best games for beginners to play due to its simple and fast format and not requiring any skill. Simply bet on the Banker, Player or Tie and watch the action unfold to hopefully land you a win. There’s no pressure to understand the rules, make any additional decisions or learn strategies – you simply bet, watch and hope!
What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat is a simple card game where you bet on the results of a hand rather than going against the dealer or other players. You simply choose to bet on the Banker, Player or Tie and spectate the hand that is played out automatically in front of you. You don’t need any special skills to play, learn any strategies or even make any decisions aside from the bet you’re placing.
Simply put, while it might not look like it in the James Bond movies you may have seen it played, it is one of the easiest games you can choose in an online casino lobby.
The Goal – Get Closest to 9
If you’re wondering what the goal is or what beats what in baccarat, it’s simple. The winning hand is the position that gets a hand value that is the closest to 9, while a Tie occurs if both hands have the same value.
Each position is dealt two cards, with each holding a value as shown in the table below:
| Card | Value |
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 – 9 | Face value |
| 10, J, Q, K | 0 |
Where it might get confusing is how the final value of each hand is calculated, although understanding the process is not really needed to play the game. Everything is done automatically online, whether in a software-based baccarat game or by the trained dealer on the live tables.
The baccarat card values of each hand are added up to give a combined total. All totals up to 9 stay as they are, but any with a value of 10 or more have the first digit removed. For example, a hand value of 15 becomes 5 because the 1 is dropped and an 18 would become 8.
The value closest to 9 wins, with a natural 9 created from just two cards automatically beating everything else. If a natural 9 is not created, then a natural 8 is the automatic winner.
How to Play Baccarat – Step by Step
A baccarat hand takes just seconds to play, which is ideal if you prefer fast-paced casino table games. Once you’ve found a variation and table to play, you just need to follow the steps below to play:
- Decide your bet amount within the table’s betting limits
- Place your bet on the Player, Banker or Tie
- Watch the two cards being dealt to the Player and Banker
- If either hand is an 8 or 9 (natural), the round ends
- If not, the third-card rule decides whether each hand draws once
- The hand closest to 9 wins and all bets are settled
- Rinse and repeat
As you can see, there is nothing for you to do except choose your bets. Everything else is done for you, making baccarat an excellent choice for beginners.
The Three Baccarat Bets – Player, Banker & Tie
The only real choice you have to make in baccarat aside from the size of the bet you’re placing is which bet you want to place. The Player, Banker and Tie are the three baccarat bets to choose from, but we’d recommend avoiding the Tie due to its high 14.36% house edge.
Instead, your main considerations should be the Banker with a 1.06% house edge or the Player with 1.24%. The Banker wins a bit more frequently than the Player, but to offset that, there is a 5% commission that comes out of every Banker win.
| Bet | House Edge | Pays | Wins When |
| Banker | 1.06% | 0.95 to 1 due to a 5% commission applied | When the Banker position gets a value closest to 9 |
| Player | 1.24% | 1 to 1 | When the Player position gets a value closest to 9 |
| Tie | 14.36% | 8 or 9 to 1 depending on the table/game | When Player and Banker have the same hand value |
The Third-Card Rule (When Does a Hand Draw?)
The third card rule in baccarat determines whether either of the two hands requires a third card to be drawn. While this is an aspect of the game that often causes panic with beginners, it really shouldn’t, as it is determined automatically. You don’t even need to understand the rule to play the game.
However, we do recommend learning about the rule as it makes each hand easier to follow.
The Player Third-Card Rule
The third-card rule applied to the Player position is the easiest to understand, as a third card is drawn on values of 0 – 5 only.
| Player’s First Two Cards | Action |
| 0 – 5 | A third card is drawn |
| 6 – 7 | The hand stands |
| 8 – 9 | A Natural – so the hand stands |
The Banker Third-Card Rule
As for the Banker third-card rule, this is a little more complicated as the third card of the Player often decides whether the Banker receives its own third card.
| Banker Total | Banker Draws When Player’s Third Card is | Otherwise |
| 0 – 2 | Always | Nothing |
| 3 | 0 – 7 or 9 | Stands on 8 |
| 4 | 2 – 7 | Stands on 0, 1, 8 or 9 |
| 5 | 4 – 7 | Stands on 0 – 3, 8 or 9 |
| 6 | 6 – 7 | Stands on 0 – 5, 8 or 9 |
| 7 | Never | Stands |
On occasions where the Player does not receive a third card, the Banker only receives a third card with a hand value of 0 to 5.
Just to reiterate, while the third-card rule might sound complicated, it is calculated automatically whenever you play.
Baccarat Side Bets & Game Variations
While we recommend sticking to the basic version of baccarat when starting out, you should know that there are also several other variations you can play. Some are simplified variations, others offer side bets you can place and some are played quicker than normal.
Side bets are placed independently of the main bet, giving you another way to win while playing. However, while side bets usually pay more, they often come with a higher house edge. Therefore, we suggest ignoring them in the same way as the Tie bet.
As for the different baccarat variations you might come across at an online casino, the following are just some of them:
- Punto Banco – Basically identical to regular Baccarat, just using a different name
- Mini Baccarat – A smaller table format and lower betting limits
- Speed Baccarat – Less time between hands to ensure more hands are played per hour
- Live Dealer Baccarat – Many variations of baccarat are also delivered in a live format with an actual dealer hosting the game.
If you want to check out some baccarat games with side bets, Tiger Baccarat and EZ Baccarat are two of the best options.
How to Play Baccarat Online with Crypto at mBitCasino
Now that you understand more about baccarat, you might want to experience its simple gameplay and low house edge for yourself. If you do, we recommend checking out the many baccarat tables and variants we have here at mBitcasino.
You’ll find dozens of options covering different betting limits, and you can enjoy fast crypto withdrawals using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and the many other cryptocurrencies we support.
Getting started is easy as well:
- Create an account within seconds
- Deposit the crypto of your choice
- Find a baccarat table (live or software-based)
- Place your bet and start playing
Play baccarat with crypto here at mBitcasino using the steps above. Just remember to play responsibly with money you can afford to lose.
Baccarat Terms to Know
If you’re wondering what is a natural in baccarat or what some other baccarat terms mean, we have you covered. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common terms you may see in the chatrooms of live games or when you search the net for a baccarat strategy to check out.
- Natural – When a position scores an 8 or 9 from their first two cards
- Coup – The name given to a single round of baccarat
- Shoe – A shoe is the box that holds the playing cards
- Punto / Banco – Punto Banco is both the Spanish translation of Player Bank and a simplified variation of baccarat
- Commission – Refers to the 5% commission that comes out of winning Banker bets
- Stand – A Stand is when a position draws no further cards
How to Play Baccarat FAQ
How do you play baccarat for beginners?
The short beginner-friendly summary of playing baccarat is to bet on the Banker, Player or Tie bet and wait for the result. The winner is the hand that finishes with a hand value closest to 9.
How many cards do you get in baccarat?
You personally receive no cards as you do not actually partake in a hand of baccarat. However, the Banker and Player usually receive two cards each, with a third sometimes needed to determine the result.
What is a natural in baccarat?
A natural is when one position scores 8 or 9 from their first two cards to win the round right there.
Is baccarat easy to learn?
Yes, baccarat is fairly easy to learn, as you literally have just a single decision to make, which is what bet to place. Understanding the hand values and when the third card rule applies are the only two aspects that may take time to learn.
What’s the difference between Player and Banker bets?
The difference between the two main bets in baccarat is that the Banker has a slightly lower house edge of 1.06% compared to the Player’s 1.24%. Furthermore, a 5% commission is applied to Banker bet wins to offset that slight mathematical advantage.
Why is there a 5% commission on Banker?
The 5% commission is applied to offset the fact that it wins slightly more often than the Player. Even with the commission, the Banker bet is still the best to rely on when playing.
Do you need strategy to play baccarat?
While you can use a baccarat strategy if you wish, it’s not required to play. Besides, just flat betting on the Banker is probably the most responsible strategy when paired with bankroll management.
Can you play baccarat online?
Yes, both in a live format and on RNG-powered virtual tables. We feature both abundantly here at mBitcasino.
