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No other game has become more synonymous with smooth operators than baccarat itself. This oft-referenced timeless classic has captured the hearts of James Bond fans and movie fanatics alike, and I’m here to give you some info about this card game of skill and chance.

Although often confused with blackjack, this game has a different set of rules and an entirely different gameplay experience. You’ll find this game at every online casino worth its salt – and I’ll give you the lowdown on exactly what makes a good baccarat casino online.

I’ll go through the currently available baccarat games as well, with highlights and lowlights of each software developer’s baccarat-making chops, and address gaming on the go as well as the newest online baccarat updates and news.

By the end of this article, you will not only know all the baccarat casino game basics, but you will also have the correct tools for finding the best baccarat online casino for this timeless card game. You can, of course, also choose to have a look at one of our other baccarat articles.

How to Spot the Best Place to Play Baccarat Online

When researching online casinos, you’ll quickly find that there are more online casinos than you can count. Settling down for some serious research time can deter even the most resolute of gambling fans sometimes, and that’s why I’ve done the work for you with my abovementioned top baccarat casino online sites.

But if you’d like to go beyond my casino tips and expand your gambling horizons, there are some things to keep in mind if you want to pick the best fit for you. Just like a driver choosing to purchase a car to fit her/his needs and skills perfectly, there’s more than meets the eye.

Casinos should also be chosen not only based on looks, but you’ll also need to look under the bonnet at all the security and safety features. If you are looking to try out a baccarat game for free to learn the ropes, have a go on our mini baccarat trainer.

Make Sure It Has the Best Baccarat Card Games

Fans of card games like blackjack are probably already familiar with baccarat – or may have even played a round or two. If you’re not one of these players, here’s a quick intro to available baccarat casino games.

There are several options out on the market – but all variants are fairly similar to each other. You’ll often spot this game also under ‘punto banco’, which may also sometimes be referred to as the ‘North American baccarat’.

Other related titles include Chemin-de-fer (chemmy) or baccarat en banque don’t regularly make appearances in online casinos, and neither do the likes of Mini Baccarat or Super Pan Nine. Private Baccarat is the name for offline games outside of casinos.

The classic baccarat/punto banco titles from Microgaming, Playtech and NetEnt appear in addition to High Limit Baccarat which takes wagers up to 1,000.

A newer version of classic baccarat from Playtech is even better-suited for high rollers, though – you can bet up to a whopping 5,000! Mini Baccarat from Play’n GO is a reduced version of this classic game.

Baccarat Gold from the casino software giant Microgaming is a high roller-adapted table with the option to play multiple hands at a time, in addition to rotation and peeking options. Layout-wise, this one ticks all the boxes for me in terms of functionality and authenticity.

You’ll find a variety of betting limits, depending not only on the game software developer but also on the casino. The high limit variants above represent the upper echelon of baccarat wagers, but the majority of online baccarat is well-suited for players with an average purchasing power.

Who Provides the Live Dealer Baccarat?

On top of the virtual casino games, there’s also something in store for those who prefer live gaming. If you prefer a bit more human contact – yet are too lazy to head down to a land-based casino – you should find a site with a high-quality streamed game suite where you can play baccarat online in a live rendition.

Playtech, Evolution Gaming and Extreme Live Gaming all offer their own version of the baccarat card game. Evolution’s highlights are Baccarat Squeeze, Control Squeeze and Speed Baccarat.

Depending on the casino, you’re looking at five-digit upper limits, with most Evolution variants table limits are around 10,000. If you’re after a superb live gaming experience, I’d advise you to look for the industry leader Evolution. Check the video below for a look at the different software providers who provide a live version of baccarat.

Playtech, however, doesn’t lag too far behind its competitor. You can play live Mini Baccarat, VIP, or even Progressive Baccarat. The table limits tend to be lower; nevertheless, since Playtech’s move to Riga, Latvia and the subsequent upgrade to the live streamed suites, I’d say you’re looking at a very pleasant gaming experience if you’re not after astronomically high table limits.

Extreme Live gaming only offers one live baccarat option, but it’s a worthwhile variant if you’d like to switch it up a bit. Table limit-wise, this one is a happy medium between the other two providers’ products.

To check this live variant out, head to Mr Green. And even if you don’t necessarily want to play live casino games, consider whether a casino does offer this option. A good gambling site will offer one of these three big names – so take it as a sign of quality.

Is It Optimised for Mobile?

Thanks to developments in Flash and HTML5, playing mobile baccarat is also as easy as ever. Simply log in to your chosen casino while on your smartphone or tablet, and play baccarat online in-browser. Alternatively, some casinos do offer downloadable apps dedicated to each type of device.

If you do indeed spend a considerable amount of time gaming on the go, I’d suggest you add having a good mobile app to your checklist for finding the right baccarat casino. To learn more about this and decide which type of mobile gambling app is better for you, check out my guide to mobile casino gaming.

Bonus Conditions Are the Alpha and the Omega

Though it’s nice to play at a casino with a plethora of games, what you should really pay close attention to when picking a casino are the terms and conditions of the bonus offer(s) you’re thinking of accepting.

There are several wagering requirements-related strings attached, no matter which site you look at – it’s just that some are better and some are worse for baccarat players.

To get something out of the welcome bonus, make sure you play at a casino with at least a 10% contribution towards the wagering requirement, and that this requirement (i.e. number of playthroughs) isn’t ridiculously high. If you want some extra play cash in form of a bonus, you have to reach for one that’s actually attainable.

Don’t play at a casino where baccarat doesn’t count at all towards the turnover, or where you’ll have to wager your deposit and the bonus 60 times before you can claim any money won.

My top baccarat picks all surpass the 10% mark, with 20% being a common contribution percentage. The winner above, however, excels in giving you more – 50% of your baccarat wagers go towards you fulfilling the bonus requirements. The required playthroughs are 45x – which is slightly above average, but not tragic.

The Best Baccarat Casino Game Payouts

One thing that makes baccarat so attractive is the potential high payouts associated with this game. However, since there are different types of outcomes, the payouts also vary. Perfect pairs can pay up to 25 to 1, while the lowest payout on big bets have a 0.54 to 1 payout.

In terms of RTPs, there is also a range to consider. For instance, the Playtech baccarat variants have the lowest RTP of 82.93%, while the highest possible is 98.94%.

Always check the game at hand for the specifics. Even though these are theoretical numbers, assuming you’d play for a very long duration, the RTPs are a good general indicator of your potential to take some of your wagered cash back with you.

What you do within the game, however, will determine your own outcome. If you want to make the best of it, perhaps explore some baccarat playing strategies and approaches.

Software Providers

As with craps or sic bo, there’s no need for excessive reinterpretations of this game formula, and that’s why you won’t find many baccarat hybrids out there.

In addition to the already named providers Microgaming, NetEnt and Playtech, you will find products from Play’n GO – for example the Mini Baccarat. Less often, you might encounter a baccarat game from the developers Bovada of 1×2 Gaming as well.

Both churn out fine products (though not very common in my top casino reviews), but you’ll be just as well entertained with the baccarat/punto banco products currently offered en masse.

Live players are well provided for with at least two live streaming platforms, and I would hope that Extreme Live Gaming follows suit and expands their live baccarat catalogue further.

The Advantages of Choosing to Play Baccarat Online

I don’t have to repeat the ways in which online gambling in general trumps going to the old brick-and-mortar joint. And when it comes to baccarat card games online, you’ll also be better off.

Yes, the atmosphere will be different and, most likely, no one will bring you free drinks while you play, but you’ll have the chance to try out different types of this game under one virtual roof with incredible ease, whether jumping from one software provider to another, or trying out VIP or ‘Gold’ variants of the game in lieu of visiting a separate high roller room.

The gameplay is, generally, quicker, especially with virtual variants. You control when to deal, and can take your time to make the next move as you see fit. The RNG software carries zero doubts, so there is no reason not to play at one of my top-ranked online casinos, which all have fairness testing measures in place.

Playing Baccarat Offline

Baccarat is a great casino game to play at home for inexperienced players, but it’s also one of the preferred games for the big high rollers to play at their favorite casino or online. When baccarat is played at home or outside a casino, the rules can be a bit different.

In some high-stakes private games, the player acting as the Banker must announce how big his bank is – and a Player can then announce how much of the bank he wants to challenge. If the Player announces ‘Banko’ he is challenging the entire announced amount, which also removes other players from the game.

One great baccarat gambling stories features American multi-millionaire John W Gates in a private game as the Banker. He announced that his bank went up to US$1 million, which was challenged in its entirety when one of the other baccarat gamblers announced ‘Banko’.

There was a special house rule where the banker deals three hands cards of two cards. One of the hands belongs to the Banker but the Player can choose to play any, or both hands (‘a cheval’).

If the Player chooses to play both hands, he will have to win both to win the baccarat game. If he wins one and loses the other it’s a tie. A tie is exactly what happened, so Gates’ bankroll was safe, but the big play earned him the title of Mr. Bet-a-Million.

Why Isn’t Baccarat More Popular in the West?

It’s always curious to track back the developments in a game’s rise to fame or any related fluctuations in popularity. With this card game, however, it’s not quite clear why baccarat or punto banco seems to be quite popular in Asia or in the Americas, yet European audiences do not show the same love as with blackjack, for instance.

Despite one Scotsman’s affection for the game, as any James Bond fan would recognise, online baccarat often occupies only the margins of a casino’s table game repertoire. There is a perception of baccarat as somewhat elitist given that in many casinos up and down the country, it is played in secluded areas giving it an allure that is somewhat intimidating.

Of course, this is nonsense as it is one of easiest games you can play. There is no reason to turn your gaze away from this fantastic game of chance. There’s nothing better than being ahead of the curve, especially since you’ve got an abundance of top-notch virtual and live baccarat products to choose from!

The Future of Baccarat and News

It’s hard to tell where online baccarat is headed, except for (perhaps) growing popularity as players online get familiar with the live variants of this game. Virtual reality gaming might be another route, but I’d say this is more likely to come up in the Asian gambling market first where baccarat remains one of the most heralded casino games.

This popularity has seemingly migrated to the west where Las Vegas casinos are reporting Baccarat earnings surpassing even that of blackjack in recent years. With regards to mobile gaming, reformatting some existing games could also be in the books, as to ease the nature of gameplay for those who prefer gaming on handheld devices.

As live gaming continues to become the norm, I predict a steady growth of baccarat play in online casinos in the years to come. Now could be the perfect time for you to enter the fold and learn more about the game. You can keep an eye out for any updates about this game through my dedicated casino news channel which you can see below.

Final Words and Further Info

Baccarat is a terrific card game which has got a small yet loyal following. There’s no wondering why. The rules are easy to grasp, and the payouts can be generous if you play right. That’s why online casinos turn to this game time and time over – as you can see in the small gathering of baccarat games currently on offer.

My top three casino sites will serve you well in providing the right place to play, all with necessary licensing and fairness testing in place, in addition to excellent customer service, a wealth of other games, and rewarding bonuses. Still to pick up some steam, here’s to hoping that more players discover the thrill of playing baccarat in the coming years.

The only drawback that you may have to face when it comes to online baccarat is that there aren’t that many different variants to choose from. Certainly, when compared to slot games, you may find yourself disappointed.

The reasons behind this are two-fold: firstly, while an exciting and enjoyable game, it is not yet as widespread or popular as some other casino games, so providers have spent less time developing vast numbers of baccarat games.

Secondly, the game’s beauty lies in its simplicity – keeping to the basics and letting the game shine for itself means that the automated baccarat games out there are quality products worth playing.