Live Baccarat Online

A game which has grown considerably in recent years, live baccarat is gradually expanding its popularity among the masses, having once been recognised as a game for the elite of society, while it is particularly favoured by the Chinese. Packed with excitement and numerous possibilities, you can certainly make a case for why it is starting to become more and more sought after.

How to play live baccarat

Playing baccarat live is as much the same as playing roulette live or poker live for example; first and foremost, etiquette is very much at the centre of what you can and can’t do, however, there are also a set of rules.

In this game, as the player, you have to bet on the hand that you think will win, which will be the hand which has a grand total that is closest to the number nine. When all bets are placed, the player and the banker’s hands are dealt their initial two cards and to win, your bet must be on the hand that comes closest to a total of nine, however it cannot exceed this.

Should the player or the banker’s hand on the first deal total either eight or nine, this is what you call a ‘natural hand’, and if the opposing hand has a lower value point, then it is the ‘natural hand’ that wins and consequently no further cards are drawn.

If none of the hands have a natural hand then more cards are dealt. As opposed to live blackjack, it isn’t possible to ‘bust’ on a hand in this game because when the sum of the cards exceeds a value that is greater than nine, then the second digit becomes the value of the hand.

For example, if your hand totals 16, then you simply discard the first digit, so you ultimately you have a six. If you have a 10 because your two cards are a six and a four, you drop the one to get a total of zero - this hand is called ‘baccarat’, which is the worst hand that a player can get in the game.

In baccarat, the player always has their hand dealt first and stands either on a total of six or seven, however, if the banker then has a total of seven, it is this hand that wins. For more in-depth info check out our how to play baccarat guide.

Advantages of playing the live version of baccarat online

Playing this with a live baccarat dealer has a number of advantages associated with it and it is often the case, some people prefer it this way.

Without a doubt, there is much more excitement when it comes to playing this game, which usually has something to do with the adrenaline of being in an almost real environment.

Also when you play baccarat live, the bets are usually larger, which means there is a greater chance of winning a larger amount, which is often due to the fact that there is more suspense in a live game.

Types of baccarat that can be played live

Such was the ever growing demand of baccarat over the years, that different versions of the game have been invented, all of which have more or less the same foundation as the original version, though with a number of different nuances which help to set them apart from each other. The baccarat game continues to evolve as more and more people become fans of not just online casino, but the table game itself.

Baccarat: This follows the rules of the original game and is still arguably the most popular version of the game for now.

Baccarat Squeeze: A version of the game which refers to the cards being dealt face down. When you squeeze the cards usually, it means that you bend them in a particular kind of way, and as such, that part of the card becomes visible for all to see. What you can do here is lift it from the bottom edge of the card or tap it to rotate it and turn up the long edge of the card. Also, there is the possibility to squeeze the card from the corner, which then shows another angle.

Baccarat Control Squeeze: The main game rules and payouts in this variant are the same as the baccarat squeeze, however, there are some small, yet innovative differences. The key one is the fact that it offers players the chance to peel back overlay masks of the card which reveals the real value of the card.

Speed Baccarat: This follows the rules of normal baccarat in which the hand that has the value closest to nine wins. However, this version of the game is only available to play in an online casino featuring this game for real money where you will get live baccarat results and a live dealer baccarat specialist. This is sometimes available either in 2D or 3D mode.

A glossary of Baccarat Terms

Action: This is a generic term often used to describe the fact that there is an amount of money being gambled. Someone might ask ‘do you have any action on this game?’ and this is what they mean.

Banco: Translated, this is the Spanish word for ‘banker’, though it is also used to describe the player who has the shoe and is dealing the cards.

Banco Prime: This refers to the privilege that the player to the right of the banker or dealer has to match the stake that has been wagered by the bank if more than one player has called ‘banco’.

Banker Bet: This is one of three options in terms of bets that you can choose in baccarat. It is one of the possibilities on which you can bet though it does not represent the person who deals the card from the shoes or for that matter, the house. Carrying a payout of 1:1, there is a five percent commission, which is then subsequently taken away from the winning bets.

There is the view in some circles that the banker bet is the best bet to give in terms of its odds which stand at 45.843 percent, compared to those of 44.615 percent for the player bet.

Banque: A term which describes two tables being joined together. The banker is positioned in the middle and plays with one bet against two-player bets; one at each table. This is popular mainly in casinos around Europe, though American casinos barely feature it. The term ‘banque’ literally translates to ‘zero in the bank’.

Bankroll: This is the amount of money that a player has intended to gamble and has weighed up the risks of losing it all.

Burning: A play which refers to discarding the top three cards after dealing for a new game, before commencing.

Bonuses for players who take part in the live version of baccarat

Live Baccarat Progressive Bonus: These are on offer as rewards if you play over a certain period of time and regularly come close to correct predictions.

Live Baccarat No Deposit Bonus: In generic online casino terms, this can be awarded for just creating an account, though some also offer players them for certain games, either as a one-off promotion to try and increase participation in that particular game, or to players who have played that game over a specific duration.

Playing certain games, such as baccarat can also help to increase your VIP points, especially if you play for over a sustained period. These VIP points can help you to progress to the next level which unlocks certain benefits, such as being able to participate in higher stakes games or tournaments.

Conclusion

This game is one of the most exciting and challenging online table games that you can find in online casino and is known as a ‘thinkers game’. Over the last few years, more and more people have started to line the baccarat tables in places such as Las Vegas, where this game was once not as popular.

It now though, is as in demand as live roulette and it isn’t uncommon to find a baccarat live casino such as PlayUK.com which is particularly popular for this game. While the game of live baccarat is exciting and potentially very rewarding, you should also be aware that this is not always the case.

Being aware of responsible gaming will ensure that you don’t wager more than you can afford. We are licensed and regulated by the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission), which means that we have to follow certain terms, conditions and policies, with ensuring players gamble responsibly, being one of them.

Overall, PlayUK.com is considered a flagship when it comes to this game and is particularly easy for beginners to get used to the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

In case we have missed anything and you still have questions about what we do, we have preempted some and endeavoured to answer them as accurately and succinctly as possible!

Due to being licensed by the UKGC, we have to be fair with everything that we do and operate accordingly. While there are no guarantees with live dealer baccarat with regards to winning, this is the same with any kind of gambling activity.

There is no right or wrong answer to this because it all depends on how much money you stake on each game and also how the cards fall.

Live baccarat online free play isn’t possible, due to the fact that you will be playing it live, so have to stake something. However, you can get used to the game, by choosing to play the demo version.

Yes! Our tablet and mobile versions of the game are just as good and include all of the main features that you get via desktop. With every online casino now very well optimised for mobile, in line with industry demand, a lot of players now enjoy playing via a tablet or mobile, while on the move.

At PlayUK.com, players can also enjoy live versions of blackjack and roulette in addition to baccarat, built on the highly reliable and sophisticated NetEnt platform, which is just as good as every other out there and is even regarded better than Evolution Gaming.