Live Baccarat

Live baccarat is one of the most popular live dealer games around the world. It is experiencing an upsurge as one of the most popular casino games. Live Baccarat involves elegance and complexities but is a very popular game as it is simple to learn. On this page, we will provide you with the best online casinos that offer Live Baccarat in Canada excluding Ontario.

Top Live Baccarat Casinos in Canada

THESE OFFERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR WAGER IN ONTARIO

  1. $4,000 + 300 Free Spins in welcome package
    9.6 /10
  2. Sign up to claim up to 350% welcome bonus + 250 free spins
    9.5 /10
  3. 10% weekly cashback
    9.4 /10
  4. 300% deposit match
    9.2 /10
  5. 200% up to $4000 + 100 Spins
    8.9 /10
  6. 100% up to $99 + 50 Free spins
    8.6 /10
  7. 100% Welcome Package Bonus Up To €2500 + 100 Free Spins
    8.5 /10
  8. Welcome Bonus Up To €3,000 + 50 Free Spins
    7.5 /10
  9. First Deposit bonus 100% up to $1,000 and 50 extra spins
    7.4 /10
  10. Get 100% up to $1,000
    7.4 /10
  11. $7000 Welcome Bonus Plus 120 Free Spins
    6.8 /10

History of Baccarat

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Baccarat was widely played and was a popular game in the 19th C among the French nobility. Before casino gambling was legalized in 1907, baccarat was played in a private gaming room. Now one of the largest gambling games in the world, baccarat traces its history to France and Italy.

What started to be a popular game in Europe has expanded its fame in Asia in the last 30 years. And today it has also conquered the United States. 

This game is very popular among Asian gamblers. Baccarat is claimed to account for up to 90% of Macau’s income, which is astonishing. Baccarat is now offered in a variety of land-based and online casinos, and a great number of gamblers like it. It’s also one of the simplest casino games to adapt to a virtual and live version, which is why it’s so popular at online casinos.

Baccarat Regulations

When compared to casino games such as Texas Hold ‘Em, live Baccarat is a straightforward game to learn and play. It can be played with six or eight decks of cards. The Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand are dealt by the croupier. These hands have nothing to do with the players; rather, before they are dealt, gamblers place bets on which hand will be higher than the other. There’s also the option of betting on a tie, which means both hands will wind up with the same value.

Winning a Player or Banker bet pays 1:1, while a tie bet pays 9:1, though this can vary depending on the game. If there is a tie, both the Player and the Banker bets are returned. Although some software providers have abandoned this practice, the house normally takes a commission of up to 5% on all winning Banker bets.

How To Play Baccarat

The card values are predetermined. Face cards and 10s are valued at 0 and an Ace counts as 1. Cards 2 through 9 have the value shown on the card, however, face cards and 10s are valued at 0 and an Ace counts as 1. If the value of any hand exceeds 9, just the rightmost number is evaluated. For example, a hand of 4 and 5 is worth 9, a hand of 3 and 7 is worth 0, and a hand of 8 and 9 is worth 7.

baccarat table 2

Baccarat is a game whereby the croupier gathers in money with a flexible sculling oar, then rakes it home. If I could have borrowed his oar I would have stayed.

Mark Twain

If the Player’s hand has a value of 6 or above, they must stand and not draw any further cards. If they have a hand of 5 or less, they must draw an additional card. On the Banker’s side, if the Banker is dealt 7 or more cards, it must stand without receiving any more. If the banker’s score is 0, 1, or 2, it must draw an additional card. If the Banker’s initial score is 3, 4, 5, or 6, the Player’s hand determines whether or not the Banker draws further.

Playing Live Baccarat

Before even starting to play baccarat, learning how to play and finding out more about this game, including some tricks in order to get a higher chance to win, is very important. Know about the basics and start winning like a pro. In baccarat, three potential outcomes are possible, and these are the banker win, the player win, or a tie. The dealer is the banker in this gambling game, and they are the ones who do most of the work. Card values would be: ace is equivalent to 1; 10, jack, queen, and king are equal to 0; and 2 to 9 are face value. 

The game begins with the dealer dealing out the cards, two each for the banker and the player, and these cards would be face up. Whoever has the total that is closest to 9 is the winner. If, for example, you placed your bet on the player’s hand and it was the one closest to 9, the bet you made doubles which means that there would be more winnings. However, if you placed your bet on the banker’s hand, you will get 95% of what you bet if it wins. But if the cards dealt are more than 9, you will need to add those two together and then drop the first number to get your values.

More Tips for Success in Live Baccarat

live baccarat card dealer

In the event that either the banker or the player is dealt a total of 9 or 8, both of them stand. But if the player gets a total of 5 or under, the player then will get another card. If not, the player stands. When the player stands, the banker then hits a 5 or under the total.

If there is a tie, the payout will be 8 to 1. For the players to be able to track their scores, there will be sheets on the table that they can use. Knowing both the players’ and the banker’s rules can help to understand the game more.

If the player’s initial total is 0 to 5, they need to draw a third card. But if their initial total is a 6 or a 7, they must stand. As for the banker’s rule, when the player stands, they will consider their own hand and would follow the same rule as the players such that they will draw a third card when they get a total of 0 to 5 and if they get a 6 or 7, they must stand. When the player draws a third card, though, the banker will act based on more complex rules.

Variants of Live Baccarat

Baccarat is a popular game that is very much played at casinos both live and online, check CasinoFriday and Leo Vegas casino. This is a comparing card game that is between a banker and a player, and it comes in three variants which are baccarat Banque, punto banco, and baccarat chemin de fer.

Punto Banco

Punto Banco is one of the oldest and most popular variations of baccarat, and it’s also the one you’ll find most often in Live Casinos. People also refer to it as Baccarat, and it is the game that most people think of when they think of the genre. Punto Banco is the most basic of all the variations, which contributes to its appeal. Many an online casino will provide a Punto Banco table, albeit there are minor variances between the various versions. Tables for up to 14 players are available at some casinos, which is the traditional way of doing things.

Punto banco has moved on to become a house-banked game during the 1940s in Havana. This variant has also paved the way for the makings of the modern baccarat. Chemin de fer, on the other hand, is a two-person game. Both baccarat Banque and chemin de fer allow the players to decide on their choices where the odds favour the bank that has a house edge that is not less than 1%.

However, because this game can theoretically handle an endless number of players, you may come across tables that resemble roulette tables, where there is no player limit and several people can play at the same time. While Baccarat has traditionally been a wealthy man’s game, today’s live dealer baccarat tables include a wide range of betting limits, starting at a few cents and rising to hundreds of dollars. It caters to both high rollers and low rollers while maintaining the same level of fun and excitement.

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat is a variation of this game that may be found in some live casinos. While not as popular as traditional baccarat, this variant is extremely popular and has a sizable player community. This is a smaller-scale variation of baccarat, with lower betting limits and a smaller table, as the name implies. Mini Baccarat follows the identical principles as regular Baccarat, with the exception of the visuals.

The Choice is Yours

Whichever variant you are playing, the main goal of baccarat is to get a total that is closer to 9 than the other hand. If in case you get a total of more than 9, the first digit is disregarded. For example, your cards are a 6 and a 7, your total then will be 13, so you drop 1, and you get a value of 3.

In this game, a player’s only decision is to choose which hand to bet on and how much they want to wage. Everything else will be done by the dealer. There is always that fixed set of rules that dealers should follow. And those would decide whether there is a third card to draw or not.

Baccarat gives the players an opportunity to win huge amounts of money at the expense of the casino, which is why this game is considered to be a dangerous gambling game for a casino.

Just as how quickly a casino can possibly earn millions of money is also how fast it can lose those amounts because a bet on a single hand can go as high as around $550,000 CAD.

The minimums can be really high in high-limit areas, but since it is now more accessible, it is also available on the regular floor of the casino, where the minimums would be much lower.

What once was an elegant game in Europe has gotten a new style in Asia. And it has become more accessible, especially to gamblers in Canada since then. It is no surprise for big-time players to try their hand at this game. Because this live casino game can certainly offer them the opportunity to earn much more.

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Baccarat Roadmaps

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People will try to find a pattern in how often each hand wins because the purpose of baccarat and live baccarat is to forecast the winning hand. Your online casino will offer charts that automatically track the winning hands and their order of occurrence. A roadmap is usually in the form of a rectangular grid. The grid’s height is typically 6 rows, while the width is normally 12 columns, however, this varies by casino.

Because the display just tracks the history of the present shoe, the dealer will switch the shoes every now and then. The Banker’s hand, the Player’s hand, and Ties each have their own distinct symbol that is used to record the history of the game. It may appear complicated at first, but with a little thought, you’ll be able to wrap your mind around it in no time. The style of the roadmaps will vary depending on the baccarat variant, but the premise will remain the same.

Odds and House Edge

Baccarat has one of the lowest house edges of any casino game. When you bet on the Player, the casino has a 1.24% advantage, and when you bet on the Banker, the casino has a 1.04% advantage. Winnings on either of these games will be paid out 1:1. When betting on a tie, the house enjoys a massive 14.36% advantage. To make up for that, a winning tie bet pays out 8:1 or 9:1 depending on the table’s rules.

Although some software providers have included many side bets, these are the traditional betting possibilities. These differ amongst providers’ products, however, some have become standard. You should anticipate coming across two types of side bets: Big and Small. These wagers, which were first introduced on Playtech’s live games, allow players to wager on the total value of the hands. If the value of the Banker’s and Player’s hands equals four, you’ll get a 3:2 payment if you bet small. When the number is five or six instead, the Big bet pays 0.54:1.

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Either Pair Bet

If the first two cards of either the Banker or the Player make a pair, you’ll get a 5:1 payment on an Either Pair bet. With a 14% chance of happening, this is a very unlikely scenario. A Perfect Pair bet is one in which the initial two cards on both hands create a pair of the same suit to win. This has a 3% chance of happening and pays 25:1 in casinos that use Playtech software. A single perfect pair pays 25:1 on Evolution Gaming software, while two perfect pairs pay 250:1. You can also wager on whether the Banker or the Player will form a pair with their first two cards. If you win, you’ll get an 11:1 payout. Each of these wagers can be made separately from the others. You can bet on any of them, one at a time or all at once.

Terminology for Playing Live Baccarat

Baccarat as a game has been around for hundreds of years in casinos all over the world, from Las Vegas to Macau. It is obvious that this is a very popular game with a large fan base. In fact, baccarat tables have spawned an entire society. Players are frequently speaking in jargon, which is frequently difficult to understand for non-players. If you’ve ever found yourself in a similar situation, review some of the most commonly used baccarat words mentioned below.

  • Shooter – the bank.
  • Shuffle Up – used to refer to the early shuffling of the cards by the live dealer.
  • Skill – An inside joke used to indicate that a player has a good run.
  • Standoff – When both, the player and the bank are tied.
  • Table of Play rules according to which the participants in the game can receive a third card.
  • Tie – One of the three possible bets. If a hand ends a tie, both the player and the banker get their money back. If you wager on a tie and you win, you will be paid 8:1 or 9:1. However, tie bets have a house edge of more than 14%.
  • Upcard – A card face up.

You can play live baccarat at some of the live baccarat casinos listed on this page. Most live casino sites will also offer other live games, you’ll find that you can play live blackjack, poker, and other live casino games.

Live Baccarat FAQ

Here are the most common questions about Live Baccarat in Canada.

About the Author

Nate Bailey

Nate Bailey has worked in online gaming since 2017 starting off in a customer support role and working his way up to a VIP account manager at one of the biggest sports betting sites in Europe. He also spent two years at one of the leading casino affiliate sites as an Operational team leader where he managed a team of six people.

Nate focuses on the sports betting side of the company and ensures that we are up to date on all Canadian and American sports. Although, he does have a soft spot for Manchester United and other soccer (football) teams.