Canada’s Best Online Baccarat Guide

real money baccarat guide for online casinos

We know you’ve got swag. Plenty, in fact. But if you’ve ever felt like your swagger could use a little fine-tuning, another feather in your cap,a little more strut like Jagger, then online Baccarat for real money is the game you’ve been waiting for. Here, I even wrapped it for you. (Bodog: generous and multitalented.)

Nothing screams confidence and sophistication more than online Baccarat for real money. Even without the three-piece suit. When you bet online Baccarat, you crank up the class a notch or two. Just for showing up. No cufflinks required.

Bet online Baccarat even more, and you’ll be channeling the great Bond himself.

Speaking of Bond: this masterpiece online Baccarat guide may not teach you how to shoot a gun with uncanny precision, nor is it primed to divulge the classified minutiae of international espionage. But it will teach you all you need to know about online Baccarat for real money. So if you’re ready to put your swag to the test, follow me. And about those other fancy skill sets – I may just know a guy who knows a guy, etc.

Let’s start with the beginning. Just to be extra useful.

1. How Baccarat Works

In regular table games, you want to be the winner. To state the bleeding obvious. But to bet with online Baccarat is different. In online Baccarat for real money, whether or not you win the round is irrelevant. And no, it’s not one of those “everyone gets a trophy” games. The only thing that matters is who you bet on at the start of the game. You have three choices:

  • Bet on the Banker
  • Bet on the Player
  • Bet on a Tie

The point of the game is to see which person gets the closest to a sum of 9. There are only three possible outcomes:

  • Banker gets closest to 9
  • Player gets closest to 9
  • Both the Player and the Banker have the same sum in their hands

You don’t have to make any other decision in the game but who to bet on. If whichever person you bet on was the closest to 9, you win your bet.

The way it works is like this:

  • Choose which person (or a tie) to bet online Baccarat by clicking in the respective circle
  • Click the chips on the bottom right to select your wager ($1, $5, $25, $100, or $500), and hit “Deal”
  • Two face-up cards will appear for both you and the Dealer
  • A third card may be drawn depending on the result. This is done automatically and you don’t have to make any actions.
  • The winner is determined automatically and you collect your chips if you won your bet.

Not much to it.

So how are the sums of the hands determined?

These are the card values:

  • 2-9: face value
  • 10, J, Q, K: worth 0
  • Ace: worth 1

If the total ends up being a two-digit number, like, say, 16, you drop the first digit (1). So now the total is simply 6.

After the cards are dealt, if either the Player or the Dealer have a sum of 8 or 9, that’s called a “Natural” and the game is finished. If it’s not a Natural, a third card may be drawn. And the third card is where the online Baccarat guide gets a bit tricky.

The main thing to remember is that the Player goes first:

  • If the Player has a score of 5 or below, a third card is drawn.
  • If they have a 6 or 7, no third card is drawn.

If the Player doesn’t draw a third card, it’s the Banker’s turn:

  • If the Banker has a score of 5 or below, a third card is drawn.
  • If the Player did get a third card, the Banker may get another one, depending on what the Player’s third card was.

This all happens within seconds, and you don’t need to take any action to see the game through.

Ok, let’s move on to your chances of winning when you bet online Baccarat.

Level up with Baccarat with our tips to win

2. Player Win Percentage

The first type of bet is on the Player. And it’s not a bad choice because your odds of winning are 44.62%, with a house edge of only 1.24%. It pays out even money, too at 1:1. So if you bet $25 and the Player wins, you get $50 ($25 for the prize + your original $25 bet). Overall, a solid choice.

3. Banker Win Percentage

This is the second, and undeniably the best choice to bet online Baccarat. The house edge for a bet on the Banker is only 1.06%. That includes a 5% commission paid to the house.

The payout for a bet on the Banker is also 1:1, minus the 5% commission. So if you bet $5 and win with the Banker, you get back $9.75 ($4.75 won plus your $5 wager).

That’s just slightly lower than a Player bet. But when you factor in your odds for a Banker bet at 45.8%, which is 1.8% higher than a Player bet, you can see why betting on the Banker is worth it. Marginally smaller payout, but slightly better odds.

4. Should you Play the Tie?

If there’s one thing any online Baccarat guide should tell you, it’s to never bet on a Tie. The reason is that compared to the other odds, it simply can’t compete.

There’s only a 9.53% chance of a Tie happening in a game, with a 14.36% house edge. And while the payout is the highest at 9:1, most would say it’s not worth the risk. You’ll be much safer and win more overall if you stick to the Player or Banker.

5. Baccarat Strategies

Now for the fun part. How can you dominate online Baccarat for real money?

Any good online Baccarat guide will tell you to bet on the Banker and avoid a Tie. The numbers speak for themselves, and that’s really the only strategy you need. There are, however, some things you could consider depending on your starting bankroll, and your goals for payday.

Are you:

  • A high-roller with a hefty bankroll you’re looking to double?
  • A low-stakes recreational player who’s looking to make some extra money for the weekend?
  • Or someone in between who’s not afraid to take some chances and see what they get?

Depending on your answer, try these methods to bet on Baccarat now:

High-Rollers: Go for the max bet ($500) and stick with Banker. You don’t want to risk that amount of money with anything but the best odds, and you can double your payday quite nicely.

Low-Stakes Players: Choose a smaller wager like $1 or $5. You have more opportunity to play around with small stakes, so feel free to alternate between the Player and the Banker since the odds are similar. Maybe even go for a Tie bet if you’re feeling risque because you won’t lose too much.

Middle Ground: If you’re the middle-type guy or gal, pick a reasonable wager, like $5, $25, or even $100, and play the Banker most of the time. If on occasion you feel like switching it up, go for the Player with similar odds. Avoid the evil tie at all costs. It’s not worth the risk.

Regardless of the type of bettor you are, always set aside a bankroll just for Baccarat. Risk only 2.5% of your bankroll, but never more than you’re ok with losing. Use practice mode first to get a feel for the game before whipping out your wallet.

And above all, button up that suit. Or not, whatever takes your fancy. Online Baccarat for real money will welcome you either way. And with this online Baccarat guide, you’ve got all the sophisticated tools to give Bond himself a run for his money. Just don’t start a fight with him. We definitely can’t help you there.