Baccarat FAQ
Your Baccarat FAQ – Baccarat is a game which you are probably seeing more and more of both at casinos and in television and other media. This is because it is growing rapidly in popularity. While it is especially trendy in Asia, it has taken off around the globe.
This is a game which can appear quite complicated at a glance. So you may have quite a few questions about it. In actuality, baccarat is pretty simple. You should find it fast and easy to learn. Below, we answer some frequently asked questions about baccarat.
A Baccarat FAQ – The Q’s and the A’s!
Baccarat FAQ #1 – Can I play baccarat online?
This is actually one of the first questions people have quite often. In fact, let’s answer that question real quick, and then we’ll jump on back to all of the other questions you may have, so keep in scrolling down to see more!
Yes, you can play baccarat online. In fact, you should find a far wider selection of baccarat variants on casino websites than you would at your local brick and mortar casino.
These should include regular baccarat games which you play with a graphical interface as well as live baccarat games. The more casino sites you join, the wider your selection of baccarat games will be.
Bovada
Bovada is by far one of the most US friendly online casinos you’re going to find anywhere!
If you are completely new to the game of Baccarat, Bovada will have you covered by letting you play one of their two versions totally for free while you learn the rules and figure out what you’re doing before playing with your real dough!
Now, we admit that having 2 versions is not the largest selection in the world, but you’ll just have to trust us when we say that you simply cannot go wrong with Bovada.
Bovada has 2 different versions of Bacccarat. This is just the “straight, non-classic” version that they will let you play for free !
If you were to go and join Bovada right now and use the code “NEWWELCOME” when making your initial deposit and you can get a Welcome Match Bonus of 100% up to $1000!
BetOnline
BetOnline is another awesome site that those of us here in the office use ourselves on a regular basis.
Looking in their casino under the “table games” section, you’ll find three different tables for baccarat, but that’s not where they’ll shine here…
If you happen to be one of the people that miss the thrill of going to a brick and mortar casino, BetOnline has your back there with some of the best “Live Dealer” you’ll find around!
The current live baccarat options at BetOnline.
As you can see in the image above there are currently 2 live dealer options available for baccarat. I’m typing this on a Wednesday evening and I just got that image. Being a “live dealer”, these options do change with different dealers as well as the possibility of more tables with different wagering requirements.
You actually do not need a code for one of their better promotions. You can currently get a 100% Risk Free Casino Bet up to $100! There are some games that this can not be used on, but baccarat is not one of them!
Of course check out their T’s and C’s, but get on it and go nuts with no risk to you!
MyBookie
And finally rounding out this short list is MyBookie.
MyBookie does their best to make sure that you’ve got not only Baccarat, but also a great big selection of other games, both video and live, giving you plenty to do if you want to check out something else as well!
Baccarat, the way you would see it if you were to play the video version over at MyBookie.
While you’re there, make sure you also check out “Max Quest – The Wrath of Ra” if you truly want to see something else outside of the normal fares!
As you’re in their casino, use the code “MB150” for an amazing 150% Match Bonus up to $750!
Baccarat FAQ #2 – Is baccarat a game of skill or a game of chance?
Baccarat is not a game of skill. This may come as a surprise if you have heard it referred to as one, which you probably have at some point or another. I do not know what the origin of this point of confusion is. I only know that it is a common mistake.
Luck is the sole determinant of the outcome of each hand, subject to the probabilities which are expressed through the house edges for the different types of baccarat bets.
If you are looking for a game of skill, you should consider one which involves strategy, such as poker blackjack. But if you prefer a game of chance like roulette or slots, you should enjoy playing baccarat.
Baccarat FAQ #3 – What is the baccarat house edge?
Moving beyond the scale of this article, the House Edge in a nutshell.
The house edge for baccarat depends on the type of wager you place. Below are the house edges for the three main types of baccarat bets:
- Player bet: 1.24%
- Banker bet: 1.06%
- Tie bet:14.36%
What many people do not know is that there are other types of baccarat wagers which may be available to you as well, depending on the specific type of baccarat you are playing and the house rules. Some players ignore these other types of bets, while others have fun with them.
Baccarat FAQ #4 – What are the best baccarat strategies?
There is only one useful “strategy” for playing baccarat, and that is to keep your house edge as low as possible. That means always wagering on the banker, and never on the player or tie bet.
If you see anyone claiming to be selling “winning baccarat strategies”, run the other direction. There is no such product which can deliver results. Again, baccarat is a game of chance and chance alone.
Baccarat FAQ #5 – Can’t I just count cards in baccarat?
Technically, it is possible to successfully count cards while playing baccarat. But it is simply not worth your time.
First of all, you cannot count cards online because of poor deck penetration. Secondly, even if you are offline, it is a waste of time and effort since you can only yield a tiny payout over the course of an hour with a huge amount of money on the line. In essence, you would need to stake $1,000 just to walk away with $1 in profits averaged out over time and many hands.
There are other means of making money at the casino which are potentially far more profitable and less time consuming. If you want to make money reliably, I recommend investigating poker and video poker.
Baccarat FAQ #6 – How many types of baccarat are there?
There are many variants of baccarat you can try. Some examples include Punto Banco, EZ Baccarat, Chemin De Fer, Super6, Super Pan 9, Three Card Baccarat and Baccarat en Banque. That is not a full list. You may find other types of baccarat to play. Once you have learned to play one type of baccarat, transferring your knowledge over to other types of baccarat should not be too difficult.
Some types of baccarat are more popular in some countries than in others. The selection online is especially extensive since online casinos serve customers from around the world.
Baccarat FAQ #7 – What are baccarat commissions?
The house edge for the standard version of baccarat (i.e. 1.06% for the banker bet) has a 5% commission incorporated into it. This fee applies when you win, and helps to keep the casino profitable when offering baccarat.
Sometimes, you might encounter baccarat games which advertise different commissions. But you should check their house edges. If they are equivalent or lower, you are in good shape. If they are higher, the casino is compensating for the lower commissions, and you might want to pick a different game.
Baccarat FAQ #8 – Where can I play commission-free baccarat?
Along with reduced-commission baccarat, you may hear about zero commission baccarat. You might be wondering where you can find these games.
Commission-free baccarat may be available at a local casino offline. You also might encounter it online at various casino sites.
I recommend that you avoid it in most cases, however. Even though you can sometimes find reduced-commission baccarat which has a lower-than-average house edge, you probably will not run into that with zero-commission baccarat.
It is more likely that you will find that these games have significantly higher house edges to compensate for the complete lack of commissions. Instead of a banker bet with a house edge of 1.06%, for example, you might find that the house edge for the banker bet has bumped up to 1.46%.
As a result, playing zero-commission baccarat can sometimes be a more expensive prospect than playing regular baccarat with a standard 5% commission and normal house edges. So, don’t jump into a low- or zero-commission game without investigating further.
While here, why not also check out A Millennial Guide to Online Casino Games?
Baccarat FAQ #9 – I’m not a high roller. Can I still play baccarat?
Gamblers sometimes worry that baccarat is a game which is out of their reach. Few other games in the casino are as readily associated with high rollers as baccarat.
But no, baccarat does not always require massive stakes and a big bankroll to back them up. In fact, affordable baccarat for gamblers with modest bankrolls has become a great deal more common in recent years as the game has become more popular and as online gambling has grown.
Online, you also do not need to be self-conscious. You will not be surrounded by rich gamblers who are dressed to the nines. You can just focus on playing baccarat and having fun.
Baccarat FAQ #10 – Does progressive betting on baccarat work?
Questions like “Does Martingale work for baccarat?” and “Does Fibonacci work for baccarat?” and (insert progressive system here) work for baccarat?” are a dime a dozen.
Well, if you want to go through your dimes quickly, then sure, they’ll work for that. But you will find that they do not work for anything else.
There are two reasons for this is the case. The first is that you are trying to use a system to manipulate a game of complete chance. That will not work, because you cannot manipulate chance.
The second reason is that altering your stake sizes does not increase or decrease the likeliness of an event happening involving the cards. This would also be the case if you were playing a game where skill was involved.
The only game where altering your stake sizes might have an impact on the outcome would be poker, and only because your decision to raise your stakes might have a psychological impact on the other players, altering their choices.
That is simply not applicable with baccarat, blackjack, roulette, or other games which are dealt and played according to specific house rules.
So why do people use progressive betting systems for baccarat and other games? The reason is that, in theory, if you can weather the losses, eventually, when you win, it will more than make up for them.
Some people do have the large bankrolls and the patience that they need to make this happen, and they come out on top some of the time. But many people do not have that kind of cash or endurance. So, they lose more and more money, and may run out of it much quicker than they anticipate. This can lead to devastatingly large losses.
Baccarat FAQ #11 – Where are the best online baccarat games?
To find the most exciting baccarat games with the lowest commissions and house edges, take a look at our online casino reviews.
Keep Learning About Baccarat for the Best Gambling Experience
We have gone over a number of frequently asked questions about the game of baccarat. You should feel much better informed than you were at the start of the article.
But there’s always more to learn. So, continue exploring our website to find out all you can about baccarat. And remember, when in doubt, just keep betting on the banker.
And by all means, if you think of any questions that were not answered here, let us know so that we can add them to the list!
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