Live Baccarat

Complete Guide on Live Dealer Baccarat in 2024

Online Live Dealer Baccarat

Online live dealer baccarat, or simply live baccarat, is something every baccarat fan loves. The main thing you need to know here is that live baccarat is played with a live dealer, i.e., a professional human croupier, instead of software that awards cards at random.

The main appeal of live baccarat lies precisely in the fact that you get to play as if you are in a real casino dealing with real cards and chips. You get to play at a table occupied by other players while a human dealer leads the game. What’s more, you do it from the comfort of your home or on the go using your phone.

However, there are many other things a live baccarat player needs to know, and in this piece, we’ll attempt to cover all of them. By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to start playing live baccarat.

Benefits of Live Dealer Baccarat

Figuring out the appeal of live baccarat is easy, especially if you like playing live casino games. Here are the main benefits every potential live baccarat player needs to know:

  • You feel like you’re at a real casino.
  • Players can interact with human dealers, which contributes to the immersion. This also makes the game more fluid and enjoyable.
  • You can play the game on mobile, not only on a desktop computer or laptop.
  • There’s an option for you to chat with the players and the dealer.
  • You can use betting systems to help you earn more, which is not something you can easily do in a brick-and-mortar casino.
  • The game is played via high-quality video streaming, so you get to immerse yourself completely.
  • In many cases, you get a chance to choose your dealer. That way, you can pick an attractive man or woman from a wide selection of well-dressed dealers.

Popularity of Live Dealer Baccarat

The popularity of live baccarat is growing, just like the popularity of most live table games. Players love playing the game, and getting a chance to experience it with live dealers is a massive plus. What’s more, the game feels more real this way, because you get to talk to the other players and the dealer.

Mobile Live Dealer Baccarat

Live dealer baccarat is not only available on desktop and laptop computers. As long as you choose an excellent online casino with live baccarat, you’ll get to play the game on your phone, be it Android or iOS. You can also use tablets, as they are quite similar to smartphones, so every site that’s optimized for phones will be optimized for tablets as well.

The casinos we recommend all work well on any mobile device. What’s more, some casinos also offer dedicated apps so you can take advantage of a fully optimized baccarat interface as well as high-quality video.

Note that there are numerous benefits to playing live baccarat on your phone. It’s incredibly convenient, and you can play the game anywhere. You will only need a stable internet connection through Wi-Fi or your data plan. If you’re using your data, make sure to keep track of how much, as live baccarat can drain your data plan fast, especially if the video is in HD.

Baccarat Game Variations

Just like most popular casino games, baccarat comes in many variations. It’s an old game with a rich history, which has developed and expanded into different forms and sizes. The four main versions of baccarat are Baccarat Banque, Chemin de Fer, mini baccarat, and punto baccarat, but there are other versions as well.

Baccarat Banque

Check out the other players’ opinions about the casino you want to join. Read reviews written by casino and slot experts. Several reviews are available on our site.

Chemin de Fer

Chemin de Fer, or Chemmy, as many players call it, is most likely the original form of baccarat. This is a 6-deck version of baccarat, and it’s still fairly popular in some online casinos. Players get to deal the cards in this version, while the dealer only shuffles them. The cards are placed face down instead of up, which is the usual way cards are dealt in most baccarat games. Even though Chemin de Fer is exciting, it’s rarely played nowadays.

Mini Baccarat

Mini baccarat is precisely what its name suggests. Seven players play the game, instead of the usual eight, and there is only one croupier who is both the banker and the dealer. However, this type of baccarat’s main appeal is the low bet rates, making mini-baccarat incredibly popular.

Punto Baccarat

This is the Cuban version of the game, and it has the highest number of players, 14 of them. Also, six to eight card decks are used, and the croupier is the one who both shuffles and deals the cards.

Baccarat Squeeze

This popular version of baccarat is notable for the fact that the dealer squeezes the cards. This is done to the cards with the largest total wager, after which the other hands are revealed. The squeezing only adds to the excitement, while it doesn’t influence the outcome of the game.

Super 6

Super 6 is one of the many classic live baccarat variations, where only a handful of rules are changed. High-rollers and Asian players favor it, but it’s often found in American casinos as well.

2 to 1 Baccarat

This variation uses lower minimum bets than most other baccarat forms. Most of the rules are the same as in classic baccarat games, but there are a few differences. Most notably, there is no commission for winning banker bets, and winning a 3-card total of eight or nine pays 2 to 1 for both player and banker bets.

7 Up Baccarat

In this version, the player always starts with a seven, which means that the payouts are different. What’s more, players only receive one additional card, while the banker gets two cards. There are many other unique rules, but these are the main ones you need to know about for now.

How to Play Live Baccarat

There are only a handful of steps you need to follow to play live baccarat, and it will only take you a few minutes to get started:

  1. Create an account in a casino of your choosing.
    You can do this by visiting any casino’s official site, clicking the Sign Up button, and following the registration process. This usually involves you inputting several pieces of information like your name, email, address, etc.
  2. In the Cashier section, choose one of the available deposit methods.
    If there is a payment option you prefer, choose that one. Most casinos will allow you to choose between a credit or debit card, bank transfer, several e-wallets, or cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Then you can deposit the amount of money you want by following the instructions.
  3. Claim the bonus if it’s available.
    Make sure to check the bonus requirements before you deposit any money, as you’ll most likely have a minimum deposit amount set by the casino.
  4. Once you have the money, you can choose the exact live baccarat game you want to play.
    You can pick the exact table, betting limits, and game rules. In most cases, live baccarat won’t be available for free, so you’ll have to play with real money from the start.

Rules of Live Dealer Baccarat

In general, live baccarat is very easy to play. It’s a simple yet exciting table game with only a few rules you need to learn, and you can quickly start playing.

There are only three options to bet on, not counting the side bets, which vary depending on the exact version. You can bet on a banker win, a player win, or a tie.

The croupier deals two hands, for the banker and the player. Each of them gets two cards, and once the bets are placed, the dealer reveals the cards. The winning hand is the one that’s closest to nine. Note that cards have different values in baccarat than in other card games. Here’s a simple table showing the values:

Card

  • Ace
  • 10, Jack, Queen, King
  • 2-9

Value

  • 1
  • 0
  • Face value

Strategy and Tips for Live Baccarat

Unfortunately, there is practically no strategy that can be applied to baccarat. This is because baccarat is entirely based on luck, and the bets are placed before you can see the cards in play.

However, you should still bet on either the banker or the player, mostly favoring the banker. That’s because the house edge on the banker is only 1.06%, while it’s 1.24% on the player. Naturally, you shouldn’t always bet on the banker as the difference in the house edge is relatively small.

The house edge on a tie is 14.36%, so it’s quite clear why you need to avoid betting on a tie.

In the end, you should always choose a version of baccarat with fewer decks, as the odds are more in your favor with fewer cards in play.

Side Bets in Baccarat

Side bets are additional bets many live baccarat variations have in addition to the regular three bets you can always place. Most are placed at the start before the cards are dealt, and they typically have fixed odds that are rarely favorable but can yield a lot of money if you win. 

There are many side bets in the world of live baccarat, but here are the most common and popular ones:

  1. All red/all black
    Bet on the player’s hand containing only red or black cards. The payout for the all-red bet is 22:1 and 24:1 for the all-black bet.
  2. Big and small/ 4-5-6
    You’re betting on the combined value of both the banker’s and player’s cards. Payout is 3:2 if there are four cards in total and 2:1 if there are five or six cards.
  3. Dragon 7
    Bet on the banker to get a value of seven with three cards. The payout here is 40:1.
  4. Bellagio match
    Bet on the player’s or banker’s hand containing three of a kind if the third card is dealt. The payout rate is 75:1 for the player’s hand and 68:1 for the banker’s.
  5. Royal match
    The player needs to get a King and a Queen in the opening round for you to win the bet. The payout is 30:1, but if the cards of two different suits, the payout is 75:1.
  6. Lucky bonus/Super 6
    The banker needs to win with a value of six. In most cases, the payout is 12:1.
  7. Double 8
    To win this bet, both the player and the banker need to have a value of eight. The payout is typically 15:1.
  8. Panda 8
    The player needs to get a value of eight with three cards for you to win this bet. The payout is 25:1.

Live Dealer Casino

Live baccarat is always played in a live dealer casino, usually a section of an online casino. What’s more, live casinos always come from licensed software providers, usually notable names in the industry. 

Online casino operators always make sure that the live dealer section is prominently displayed on the site and easy to find. As long as the casino is good, this section will contain many baccarat variations for you to choose from, but you’ll also get to select the bet size and even the dealers themselves.

Player Options in Live Baccarat

Every baccarat game contains a lot more than the video feed on the game’s main screen. It shows you important things like your current bet, hand history, betting ships you can place, and your current balance. Most games will have a button allowing you to place the same bet again, and you’ll have a full table of all available bets and side bets so you can easily make a choice.

There is also live chat embedded in the main screen so that you can chat at all times.

You will also be able to change the settings, like turning off the video, adjusting the video quality, changing the sound, and more.

Why Players Like Baccarat

Players like live baccarat for a wide range of reasons:

  • They like to find patterns in the game. Unfortunately, there aren’t any, as the game is entirely based on luck. However, with the knowledge you can gain from this guide and careful betting, you can increase your winning chances. 
  • They like the rewarding betting system. There are only three bets, but you know exactly what you can gain from each and how likely it is. Plus, numerous side bets add excitement and variety to the game. 
  • Baccarat is a high-speed game, and most players love that. This is especially true for live baccarat.
  • Everyone loves the low house edge. Yes, the house edge is much higher on a tie bet, but betting on the player and banker is often incredibly lucrative. 
  • Players love how fair the game is. This is true for all baccarat games, but it’s undeniable in live baccarat, as players can see what the dealer is doing. Plus, the dealer uses real cards, so you can always be sure that everything is fair and random.

Advantages of Live Dealer Baccarat vs. Online Baccarat

There are numerous advantages over regular online baccarat and practically no disadvantages:

  • You play with real players, so you’re never alone. 
  • A real dealer handles the cards making everything seem much fairer.
  • Every dealer has a different personality, which can completely change the gaming experience. 
  • You can always chat with the people in the game.
  • Live baccarat feels like the real thing, unlike classic online baccarat. 
  • There is no reliance on random number generators as real cards are used.

Bottom Line

All in all, online live dealer baccarat is a perfect card game for many casino lovers. It’s a game that will always transport you into a new setting, one that’s akin to a real casino.

Everything you need to know about the game and its variations is right inside this piece, and by reading it all, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to begin your live baccarat adventure!