Baccarat is the simple but elegant casino game beloved of high rollers and James Bond wannabes everywhere. But how can you get started with baccarat, punto banco, or chemin de fer? Here you can discover how you can get started playing the best online baccarat games at NJ online casinos. Read on to learn how to play baccarat, the different baccarat bets and variations, and which New Jersey sits are best for baccarat.
Online baccarat at New Jersey casinos
Baccarat is a standard feature at online casinos in New Jersey, usually found in the table games section. All of the top sites offer baccarat. Whereas with blackjack you might see dozens of different titles available, the sites usually only have a small selection of baccarat games.
DraftKings Casino has one of the most robust selections of baccarat games with a dozen different titles plus three more live dealer baccarat games. Nearest to DraftKings are BetMGM Casino with seven baccarat games and Bally Casino with six, with both of those sites also featuring a single live dealer baccarat game.
Other top sites like Caesars Palace Online Casino, Hard Rock Bet Casino, BetRivers Casino, FanDuel Casino, and PlayStar Casino all have between 3-5 baccarat games, with each of those sites also featuring a single live dealer baccarat option.
Stakes tend to range from as low as $1 to as high as $5,000 or $10,000 a hand. DraftKings Casino even has some high limit baccarat for which the maximum bet allowed is $62,250. Meanwhile, Caesars Palace Online Casino has a variant where you can bet just $0.10 a hand.
Best baccarat online casinos
How to play baccarat
Baccarat has a history stretching back to the 15th century. Felix Falguiere generally receives credit as the father of modern baccarat after he devised a game based around the number zero (“baccara”). Early versions of the game moved through France and later the US, where it became popular in casinos. You can now play versions of baccarat at brick-and-mortar casinos across the US and online in New Jersey.
Baccarat is a deceptively simple game that you play with six to eight decks of cards in the shoe. You bet on which hand — the player or the banker — will have a total closest to nine. You can also bet on a tie.
Baccarat is essentially a chance-based game. That is to say, unlike blackjack where you can employ skill to make correct decisions about whether or not to draw cards, in baccarat the rules of the game determine how many cards are dealt. Even so, baccarat is one of the better casino games for players when it comes to its small house edge (more on that below).
Order of play
There is a strict order of play in a hand of baccarat. After a shuffle, two hands are dealt face down on the table. You can place chips on the hand that you think will win, or if playing online, you click and drag chips in order to place your wager.
Once all bets are in, the dealer will turn over the hands to reveal the winner. In physical casino settings, players will take turns being “the banker” and will be allowed to turn over cards themselves. At online casinos, however, this process falls to the computer or a dealer in live dealer games.
Comparing hand totals
You compare baccarat hands at the end of the betting. Aces are worth one point, cards 2 through 9 are each worth their number value in points, and the 10, jack, queen, and king are each worth zero points. If the two cards total more than nine, you subtract 10 points from that hand’s total. Here’s an example hand:
- Banker: A-7 (total of eight)
- Player: K-7 (total of seven)
The banker wins this hand with the most total points. Note that the king is worth zero, not 10.
Third-card rule
Depending on the total of the first two cards, each hand may receive a third card. The aim is still to get as close as possible to a total of nine. If the three cards exceed nine points, you again subtract 10 points from the total.
Player rule
The player’s hand receives a third card if it has a total of zero to five.
Banker rule
The banker’s hand will receive a third card if it totals zero to five and the player hasn’t yet received a third card. However, the banker will also receive a third card in some scenarios if the player has ALSO received a third card:
- Banker’s hand totals zero, one, or two: Banker gets a third card.
- Banker’s hand totals three: Banker gets a third card unless the player’s third card is an 8.
- Banker’s hand totals four: Banker gets a third card if the player’s third card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
- Banker’s hand totals five: Banker gets a third card if the player’s third card is a 4, 5, 6, or 7.
- Banker’s hand totals six: Banker gets a third card if the player’s third card is a 6 or 7.
Popular baccarat bets and payouts
Baccarat is a simple game to play. There are no complicated decisions to make such as in online poker, although that means there isn’t necessarily a skill element as in poker. All you need to do is place your bet, and the dealer or computer does the rest.
Player’s hand
- Payout: 1-to-1
- House edge: 1.24%
Betting on the player’s hand to win pays 1-to-1 or even money, but the game has a house edge of 1.24%. You can hit a “natural” with a hand of eight or nine right away. However, the banker will still have the chance to draw a third card if the player has eight or nine.
Banker’s hand
- Payout: 0.95-to-1
- House edge: 1.06%
The banker always has an advantage over the player. Why? Because the banker may get to draw a third card based on the player’s cards. That’s why the house edge for a banker win drops to 1.06% and why smart bettors always back the banker.
That 0.95-to-1 payout on a winning bet on the banker’s hand reflects an even money payout minus a 5% commission that goes to the house. However, some online casinos offer “no commission baccarat,” which operates without this rule.
Tie
- Payout: 8-to-1
- House edge: 14.36%
You can also bet on the player and banker hands being equal — a tie. Winning a tie bet typically pays 8-to-1, which means the house enjoys a significant edge of more than 14% on these bets. In some games the payout might be 9-to-1, and if that’s the case the edge drops down to just 4.84%.
Either way, the house generally likes it if you gamble on the hand finishing in a tie, which is statistically much less likely to happen than for either the player or banker to win.
Understanding the baccarat house edge
As in all online casino games, there is a house edge built into baccarat. That statistical advantage comes from the difference between your chances of winning and the payouts you earn for doing so. For example, you double your money when you successfully make a 1-to-1 bet on the player’s hand. However, the odds are slightly better that the banker’s hand will come out on top, so you aren’t exactly betting on a perfect 50-50 coin flip. That’s how the house ends up with that small edge (1.24%). That’s also why the site often charges that commission and doesn’t payout a full 1-to-1 when you bet on the banker’s hand, only technically paying 0.95-to-1 in order to keep a small house edge (1.06%).
When betting on a tie, you’re hoping something occurring that in terms of probabilities only happens about 1 in 10 times (actually a little less). But if it does, you only get a payout of 8-to-1, which is why that house edge is so much higher (14.36%).
You might be interested also to know that the number of decks used in a baccarat game affects the probabilities, too. The percentages above refer to an eight-deck game, although if there are fewer decks the game odds change slightly which in turn has a small effect on the house edge. That said, these differences are quite small. Most online baccarat games are programmed to replicate using an eight-deck “shoe.”
Baccarat side bets
Some baccarat games make things interesting with the addition of side bets. This is especially common when you play online at sites where such side bets are often offered. These are extra wagers purely based on the cards in one or both hands.
Here are some examples of baccarat side bets:
- Player pair/banker pair: Win 8 times your stake if the player or banker hand receives a pair.
- Either pair: This bet is on any two cards from either hand forming a pair. Either pair bet pays 5-to-1.
- Perfect pair: This online baccarat side bet pays a whopping 25-to-1 if the player’s or banker’s first two cards make a suited pair.
- Dragon bonus baccarat: This is a variant packed with side bets. You can make wagers on the player or banker winning by four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine, or hitting a natural win (being dealt eight or nine total). Win up to 30-to-1 if the banker or player wins by nine.
- Big/small: The small bet pays 3-to-2 if either hand totals four. The big bet wins if either hand totals five or six.
Understanding the baccarat roadmap
At land-based or online casinos, you can track previous results. Of course, every hand is distinct, and casinos use shufflers to guarantee a fair deal. However, that doesn’t stop superstitious players from finding patterns in the previous results.
You can track a full “roadmap” of results online when you open a baccarat table. The bead plate displays recent winners (Player = P; Banker = B). You can also gauge a bigger range of results on the big road and small road. Results are grouped together to show trends. A new column starts whenever the winner changes. Tracking results this way can be fun and even intellectually interesting, although don’t fall victim to the “gambler’s fallacy” and forget that each deal is an independent event wholly unaffected by what happened before.
Free and real money baccarat at NJ online casinos
You can try online baccarat at all the best New Jersey online casinos. Play baccarat online for free in demo mode and get a feel for the rules. Then, if you feel comfortable with the gameplay, you can bet using some real money if you wish.
- Step 1: Choose a baccarat game from the casino lobby.
- Step 2: Select demo play or real money to load the game in a browser window.
- Step 3: Place your bets by selecting a chip size and clicking on the betting areas. You can also clear your bets, undo the previous bet or repeat your last bet. You’ll also have a statistics/history area where you can view previous results.
- Step 4: Hit the “Deal” button to receive cards. The computer will deal out third cards if necessary. The online casino will pay any winnings at the end of the hand.
Online baccarat variants
Most NJ online casinos contain at least one baccarat variant. Some even have several, letting you choose between classic baccarat or other variants, including those featuring side bets. When playing in New Jersey, you’ll find some fun baccarat games like:
- Baccarat squeeze: In baccarat squeeze, you get to slowly peel your cards up to increase the drama. Baccarat squeeze replicates the popular baccarat games you’ll find in Macau where players can peek at their cards before revealing them to the table.
- No commission baccarat: The downside to regular baccarat is the 5% commission the casino takes on a winning banker bet. No commission baccarat, however, removes that commission from the game.
- Speed baccarat: Some baccarat online casinos now offer speed baccarat, too. Increase your game volume and play hands that take less than a minute to complete. It’s the perfect way to squeeze in more games and clear a deposit bonus faster.
- First person baccarat: A version of online baccarat that like first person blackjack allows you to move virtually through a baccarat room, choose a table (among several featuring different variants), and “sit down” to play.
Live dealer casino baccarat
Online casinos in New Jersey offer a wealth of live dealer baccarat games that let you take on a human croupier via webcam. The trained dealer will handle all the action and use automatic shufflers to ensure a fair deal. You place bets in the usual way via your keyboard, but special cameras will pick up the card values and display them on the screen.
Developers such as Evolution Gaming provide a range of exciting live baccarat games to play. Lightning Baccarat is a slick online casino game that combines traditional gameplay and HD graphics. At the start of the game, certain cards receive a unique prize value. If that card appears during a hand, you’ll receive a payout boost.
You can also play live baccarat squeeze at many New Jersey casinos. The game uses multiple camera angles to give you a view of the cards. The suspense factor increases as you “squeeze” the cards and reveal them slowly one by one.
Benefits of playing baccarat online
Baccarat or punto banco is available at all good brick-and-mortar casinos in New Jersey and Las Vegas. However, you can also test baccarat games online. Here are some of the pluses of playing online baccarat.
Demo games for free
Demo play is a point in favor of online casinos. Unlike physical casinos, you often can try games with play-money credits and learn the rules. Get accustomed to the betting structures and try out some strategies.
Play for real money at small stakes
Online casinos in New Jersey offer a variety of baccarat games for real stakes. You don’t need to break the bank playing baccarat online for real money, either. Play games from just $0.50 to $1 a hand or jump onto the VIP tables for $500 a game. Often, the minimum baccarat stakes will be a lot lower than those at your nearest Atlantic City casino.
Claim a welcome bonus
You can often claim an online casino promo as a new casino customer. You may need to provide a casino bonus code or just opt in. Baccarat may be eligible to help you meet any playthrough requirements on online casino no-deposit bonuses and other offers. It has a low house edge, though, so even if they count, baccarat bets often contribute less than 100% toward meeting the requirement. Casino customer service is there via live chat or email to answer questions or issues when it comes to bonuses and using the on baccarat.
Best baccarat strategy and tips
Baccarat is an easy game to play, but a few tips could help your bankroll go further:
- Bet on the banker hand: It’s simple baccarat strategy to avoid the tie bet. However, you should also shy away from betting on the player’s hand. While the banker bet may carry a 5% commission, it has a lower house edge than the player and wins more in the long term.
- Avoid the side bets: Side bets make online baccarat very appealing. However, the house edge on a banker pair or perfect pair makes the bet a poor long-term prospect.
- Sign up at multiple casinos: Most NJ casinos offer some sort of baccarat. However, not all baccarat games are the same. It can be a good idea to join multiple baccarat casinos online so you can try different variations and benefit from multiple welcome bonuses and promotions.
Baccarat at online casinos
Baccarat isn’t just for James Bond. In 2024, you can try baccarat online at many New Jersey casinos. It’s easy to play, and you can choose your own stakes. Plus, you can opt for a promotion like a reload bonus or a rewards program. You may also be able to try baccarat for free in demo mode and see if you can channel your inner 007.
Baccarat FAQ
What is the best bet to make in baccarat?
The best baccarat bet is on the banker’s hand. It offers the lowest house edge and is statistically most likely to win in the long term.
What is the house edge in baccarat?
The baccarat house edge varies slightly from game to game. In general, a bet on the banker’s hand has a house edge of 1.06%, one of the lowest of all casino games.
Can I play baccarat for free at online casinos in New Jersey?
You often can, yes. Many online casinos let you try out baccarat for free. Just select the demo play option in the casino lobby.
Is baccarat all luck or is there any skill involved?
For the most part, baccarat is an entirely chance-based game in which you can’t really use skill or special knowledge (like in poker or blackjack) to affect your results. You can make informed decisions about which bets to make, such as understanding that betting on a tie is a bigger gamble that gives the house a larger edge and thus choosing less risky bets. Be smart when managing your bankroll as well, of course, and always practice responsible gambling when you play baccarat.
Can I clear a welcome bonus by playing baccarat?
It depends on the online casino. Some will allow baccarat games to contribute toward meeting a playthrough requirement, but others exclude baccarat from the games you can play to clear the requirement. You might find also that baccarat only contributes a small percentage to the requirement (e.g., 10% or 20%) versus slots or games with higher house edges that contribute the full amount. Check with the casino beforehand, and also check at what rate your baccarat wagers will contribute.
