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The Ultimate Guide to Live Baccarat Online

Baccarat has always been a favourite casino game, owing to its simplicity of play and the chances to win big. For that reason, it became a popular fixture when casinos began offering their games online. The live-dealer model of play has primarily become an excellent way to bring the card-comparing game to casino enthusiasts.

That said, it is essential that new players, or those who are used to playing in land-based casinos, understand many things, before embracing live online baccarat. This article is tailored for just that purpose; to give a comprehensive explanation of live online baccarat, so gamblers can enjoy playing and stand a chance of winning big.

What is Live Baccarat Online?

Live Baccarat online is a version of the popular game of baccarat which brings a virtual experience to players playing online. The players playing the game from their home PCs, or on their mobile phones while on the go, are able to see the dealer (croupier) conducting the game, as if they were actually inside the casino.

This is made possible by using a live video stream which uses an internet connection. The player initiates the live session by clicking on a button within the casinos' website and choosing the baccarat option. Once that is done, a video of the dealer in his stand becomes live, and players can begin playing. Betting is on the usual hands of 'player’ and 'banker,' so players don't exactly play against the house.

How to Win at Live Baccarat Online

The objective of live online baccarat is similar to that of the actual game. Players look to bet on the hand whose sum of cards is nine or closest (8) without going over. Players can also bet on a tie, which is extremely rare to occur, although it carries the best odds.

If the hand a player is betting on (the player or the banker) brings a return of nine, that player wins. Players are dealt two cards face up from a shoe, containing up to eight cards shuffled together. Each number card carries its actual value (2 to 9), the ace has a value of one, while face cards have a value of zero.

If the sum of cards is greater than nine, then the last digit of the sum is considered. Therefore, a hand with cards 9 and 8 (sum 17) is regarded as a 7.

Live Baccarat Online Strategy

Live online baccarat is in all ways a game of chance; there is almost no way of growing your playing skills. This is because the game virtually plays itself. Players play against the other hand, rather than against other players or the house. Once you have placed your stake, you have no control over how the game rolls.

However, some people believe that it is a game of sequence. The best strategy is to understand the odds and house edge carried by each bet.

  • Avoid the tie: The house has a 14% house edge, a particularly unattractive factor for bettors looking for money.
  • The banker: The hand gives a higher return, but the house has an edge of 1.1% and collects a 5% commission.
  • The player: This hand gives the house a 1.1% edge and is considered the safest bet.

Live Baccarat Bonus Canada

Bonuses are always a fun promotion at the best live casinos, whether online or on land. Baccarat bonuses help players to get used to the game without spending their money, and they could win you real money too. There are various bonuses one can look out for in live baccarat casinos.

Welcome Bonus

Also referred to as the sign-up bonus, this is the money or free bets given when a player creates an account in a live casino. Always check to ascertain baccarat is among the games you can play with a sign-up bonus; some houses restrict bonuses to specific games.

A welcome bonus can be divided into two; deposit and no-deposit bonus. In the former, your first (one or several deposits) is boosted by a certain percentage. The latter offers a fixed bonus just for signing up.

Progressive Bonuses

These are offered as rewards for playing for a specified duration, betting a certain amount of money, coming close to a correct prediction etc.

Live Baccarat No Deposit Bonus Canada

As mentioned above, a no deposit bonus is awarded for just creating an account with the casino. No-deposit bonuses often come with terms which may annoy you if not known beforehand. Besides being restricted to particular games, no-deposit bonuses usually carry a wagering requirement.

What this means, is that you will need to bet a certain amount of actual deposits to be able to withdraw bonus winnings. If you are awarded a £5 bonus with a 50X wagering requirement, for instance, you will need to bet £250 of your deposits to trigger bonus winnings.

Live Baccarat Dealers

Live online baccarat is dealt by just one dealer. In a land-based casino, the dealer can handle a table of up to seven players. In the live online version, however, there can be an unlimited number of players. The dealer is assisted by gaming software to collect the bets of all players.

He, therefore, does not need to know more than just the rules of the game. The dealer shuffles the eight decks of the cards without including jokers and places them in a shoe. He then deals out the cards for each hand starting with the player. If the game ends in the first round, the dealer announces the winning hand and payouts are made. If not, the round continues with more cards drawn.

Live Baccarat Game Providers

The live online Baccarat which players access is usually as a result of a partnership between the casinos and software developers. These developers are also referred to as game providers. They are traditionally firms which have brought together teams of experienced creators, with a wealth accumulated over several years in the coding industry.

Most developers do not offer playing platforms. Instead, they create games and sell to the casinos. One developer may provide the same game to several different casinos. Developers create the entire platform, from the playing model to payments and interaction. They work with fixed game rules such as the house edge for each hand in baccarat, and some flexible regulations which may be adjusted for specific casinos.

NetEnt Live Baccarat

NetEnt is one of the most trusted gaming software providers in the world. It not only provides an extensive array of games but also creates games which offer players a lovely experience. The company focuses on interactivity and has been at the forefront of adopting mobile-friendly casino games.

With the complexity of games they have handled, live baccarat must have been one of the easiest creations for NetEnt. They left nothing to chance though: NetEnt baccarat games pay attention even to details as tiny as the number clarity on cards.

Evolution Live Baccarat

Evolution Gaming has been in the market for over a decade, having first opened its doors in 2006. That might not sound like a very long time, but it has been around for the entire period that online and live gaming has been evolving.

The company has worked with numerous casinos and is an especially liked, live online baccarat provider. They have produced several versions of the game, including the cards-down option and the newest Baccarat Live Squeeze.

Evolution has already bagged two Casino Content Supplier Awards this early in 2019. They received the gong at the EGR Nordics Awards and the Global Gaming Awards London. The company is described as one of the future, and it is only likely that they will be working wonders again in coming times.

How to Play Live Baccarat Online in Canada

There is no shortage of places, and ways, to play live baccarat online in Canada. Canada has always been a popular gaming place, so the advent of online and live gaming was a seed which landed in already fertile ground.

There are both land-based and online casinos offering live baccarat in Canada. The Gambling Commission allows people to play with both local and foreign-based gaming companies. Companies which may be restricted for one reason or another, do not have their websites available in Canada.

To play live online baccarat in Canada, all one needs is an account, a betting purse and you are good to go. Just pick one of the many available online casinos like Casumo or LeoVegas, create an account, make a deposit and click the live dealer option and baccarat underneath it.

Summary

There is no going back on the modern model of casino gaming now. The internet has revolutionised how we play, bringing in a hoard of new players, making it easier for old-timers, and abolishing geographical boundaries in the process. It has also provided numerous ways in which gaming can evolve; the latest among them being live dealing.

Baccarat, one of the easiest casino games to play, has especially benefitted from the new evolution. Enthusiasts can now enjoy live online baccarat anywhere and at any time. This does not seem to be the end of the development, however. With developments such as VR, the scene is definitely going to change even further.