How to Play Ontario Online Baccarat|GOLD99

Players log into a virtual gaming table that typically seats seven, and there are places in front of them to place their bets. Two hands of cards are dealt: one to the Player and one to the Banker. Bettors must predict whether the player’s or banker’s hand total will be closest to nine, or they can bet on a tie.

The beauty of baccarat is guesswork – which hand will win?

Some players keep track of previous hands, looking for one pattern to be more favorable than another.

It’s a more engaging way to pick a winner and helps create a sense of excitement. Maybe a pattern shows the dealer is about to hit after the player has won a few in a row. Some players consider this a serious strategy, but remember it’s still just a best guess.

Trade|GOLD99

Baccarat differs from other card games in that face cards and 10s have a value of zero. A has a value of 1. All other cards are face value.

Another difference is that the bettors do not deal the cards themselves. After the betting is complete, both the Player and Banker receive a pair of cards. The dealer first turns over the player’s cards and announces their value. If the number is between 6 and 9, the player will stand or draw no more cards.

If the player or banker’s hand totals eight or nine, it automatically wins. However, if both hands have the same value, they are a draw. Players who bet on a tie (9.6% of long shots) will be paid 8 to 1, while all other bets will be returned to the player as a tie.

Add up cards|GOLD99

Learning how to play baccarat becomes a lot more fun once you understand the value of the cards you uncover.

If the total is 10 or more, simply subtract the value of the first digit to get the actual total.

For example, the sum of 9 and 7 is 16, so subtracting 1 gives 6.

Draw a third card|GOLD99

Either the player or the banker—or both—sometimes draws an extra card, but never more than three in total. If the player’s hand totals five or fewer cards, a third card is dealt. The dealer takes the third card in more detail.

If the sum of the first two cards is 0, 1 or 2, the dealer will draw a third card.

If the player’s third card is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 9, the banker also draws another card, and if the player’s third card is an 8, the banker stands.

The hand closest to nine is the winner. In the event of a tie between the Player and Banker, all bets on those hands are refunded and all bets on the tie are paid.

Baccarat Odds|GOLD99

A winning bet on a player’s hand pays 1 to 1 even money. Winning bets on the banker hand also pay out even money, minus the 5% commission, which is the main source of baccarat casino profits. For example, betting $10 on the dealer nets you $9.50.

The odds of a tie are 8 to 1, but this happens only 9.6% of the time. This makes it a negative expectation bet, best suited for adventurous players. Betting on a tie can lose more money than it makes over time.

One of the advantages of baccarat is that the house edge or house edge is the lowest of all table games. The banker has a 1.06% edge and the player has a 1.24% edge. The math shows that the banker has a slightly higher chance of winning (45.8%) than the player (44.6%).

The difference between the two is a 9.6% chance of a tie. If you remove the tie from the equation, the banker wins 51% of the time, which is why betting on the banker is more common. But the edge is so small that there is no apparent benefit to betting only on the banker.

Keep it small and start small|GOLD99

The idea is to have fun, enjoy the game and hope to win. Losing – especially a huge loss relative to the player’s stake – is not fun.

If the game is punishing, it can quickly dampen your enthusiasm for baccarat, or any casino game for that matter. Start small with the goal of doubling it. It doesn’t hurt to win if you double your bet – you can always come back later to try more.

The same goes for losses. If you decide to play $25 and lose, you probably don’t want to put your hands in your pockets anymore. Better go for a hike and try again another day.

Baccarat is permanent, especially online, and you can play anytime you want. never ending. You just sit in or out. Remember when you want to try your luck on a losing game.

is a Toronto-based freelance writer writing casino content for NorthStar Bets. He is also a freelance writer for The Star. NorthStar Bets is owned by NordStar Capital, which also owns Star’s parent company, Torstar.