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Baccarat and Mini Baccarat

In both Baccarat and Mini Baccarat, two cards are dealt to the banker and player. The person closest to nine wins. In cases where the value of the player's cards exceeds nine, the first digit of the total is dropped. This means if the player has cards valued at 8 and 9 which totals 17, the 1 is dropped and the value becomes seven. If the value of the cards is less than five, a third card is dealt. 

Bets are placed on one of three options, a banker win, a player win or a tie. Payouts will vary depending on the results. In the standard Baccarat game, the dealer will receive the player cards and return them face up, announcing the totals. If the banker needs a card, the dealer will give this and repeat the process with the one who holds the cards. In Mini Baccarat, dealers play both hands without any input from others at the table, which is why the speed of Mini Baccarat is usually twice that of a standard Baccarat game.

Differences between Baccarat and Mini Baccarat

Baccarat

The standard version of Baccarat is played using eight decks of cards. All players can take turns to be the banker and the shoe is passed around in a clockwise direction, just like in poker or dice. The table usually allows for 14 players and three dealers to play. The middle dealer will be responsible for the cards and the two dealers sitting on the left and the right are responsible for paying winnings and collecting losing bets. 

The wagers in standard Baccarat are usually made by high-rollers and the game is taken very seriously. Players often follow the black-tie dress code which includes tuxedos and the game is hosted in an area cordoned off from the main casino floor. 

Mini Baccarat

The main difference between standard Baccarat and Mini Baccarat is that the dealer is the only banker with Mini Baccarat and they only have six decks of cards placed in the shoe, which stays with the dealer. Mini Baccarat usually has smaller bets placed in the game with a maximum of seven to nine players at one table.  There are usually several tables open on the main casino floor. Mini Baccarat also has a lower house edge than the standard game.

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What Are the Rules?

Whether you are playing with your friends or wagering on baccarat in an online casino, you must understand the gameplay. The good news? – it’s a simple guessing game. You choose which hand will win (banker vs. player), and you are good to go. Can it get any simpler? Sure, it can! 

The winning hand is simply the one with the highest points out of a possible 9 points. If the points go over 10, you ignore the first digit, e.g., 15 becomes 5. The payouts for the banker and player remain the same (payout of 1 to 1). If the banker wins, you pay a 5% commission on the winnings. Tie bets pay off anything from 8 to 1 or 9 to 1.

You should also note that different sites feature different baccarat versions. Examples include banque, punto banco, chemin de fer, mini-baccarat, live casino baccarat, and EZ baccarat. 888 Casino, for example, offers live baccarat where you can immerse yourself into the live playing experience. Familiarize yourself with the game versions on different sites and their rules.

Winning Strategies

Mastering the rules is unavoidable if you are playing for money. Otherwise, you end up sinking your money into a hole and getting a low return on your investment. But luck alone might not suffice when wagering for cash, which is where strategies come into the picture:

One-Sided

You can bet on the player, banker, or a tie. Often, people gravitate towards the banker and the player. But what if you stuck with one option? That’s the premise of this strategy: you choose a side and stick with it until you lose three times.

1-3-2-4

Wondering how you can increase your wagers as you play? Here’s an idea. It enables you to reduce your exposure to losses and maximize your profits.

Paroli

How about positive progression? Each time you win, you increase your stake in 1, 2, and 4 steps before restarting your wagering from 1. Quite an easy strategy that works for other games as well.

These are the few systems you can rely on to increase your winning chances. Of course, keep in mind that they are merely guides to using your bankroll and shouldn’t be considered an exact roadmap.

Site Selection

Some sites will allow you to try your hand at baccarat for free, enabling you to learn the rules without losing your money. Plus, you can take your betting strategy out for a spin and see how you like it. Once you’re ready to start playing for money, choose a site that excels in:

• Security: Online transactions come saddled with safety considerations. Always ensure that the casino provider you choose has measures in place to protect your data.
• Quality software: Look at the gameplay provided and whether you can enjoy it on your phone and desktop. Also, consider the live gaming option and see how feasible this is on the site. As your gaming gets better, you’ll want to work with a provider who can match these increased needs.
• Promotions: The site should offer generous welcome and continuing offers to you as a new player and even when you’ve been on the site for a while. If there’s a loyalty program, then all the better.

Watch your bankroll. As much as you can play baccarat with low stakes, the simplicity of the game can have you spending more than you initially set out to do. Always bet money you can afford to lose and watch your gaming habits to gauge if you’re becoming a problem gambler. All the best!

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