Online Baccarat for Real Money in South African Online Casinos

Baccarat is undoubtedly one of the oldest gambling games still played to date, with a rich history that dates as far back as 300 years ago. The mention of baccarat can be traced back to France, as early as the 17th century. The association between the game and high rollers probably stems from the fact that the game was played mainly by the French nobles. Commoners preferred playing other games, which were, in most cases, outlawed. However, the connection between baccarat and the nobles is entirely outdated and is not the case today.

With easy access to online casino games, the days when certain games were reserved exclusively for a specific group of people are long gone. You can play baccarat online from hundreds of casino platforms. The beauty of online baccarat is that the game has multiple variations, and you can play them at pocket-friendly prices. You don’t have to set exorbitant bankrolls or spend big on betting to enjoy the game. For as little as $1, you can have a fulfilling gaming experience.

If you don’t have money to spend or are unsure about the game rules, you can decide to play the game in demo mode. This way, you familiarise yourself with the rules and other features before switching to real money play. Online casinos with baccarat games also offer you live dealer platforms where you can play with real dealers, just as at the brick-and-mortar casinos. Thanks to optimised mobile platforms, you can take the live dealer games with you wherever you go. 

Baccarat is a straightforward game to play, with only three types of bets available for you to make. Compared to roulette and blackjack, which offer several bet options, it’s easy to see why many people like the simplification of the game. Furthermore, as you will see shortly, you don’t have to make many decisions when playing the game.

Any baccarat online casino game starts with you placing your bet. You have three options to wager on; either the Banker’s or the Player’s hand will have the most points. You can also bet that both will have equal points, which will result in a Tie.

Once the bets have been placed, two cards are dealt – face up. The total value of these cards is then determined to see which hand has the highest points. Unlike blackjack, the number of points a hand must have to win is 9 and not more. Whichever hand has the highest points wins the round. 

Hand values in online baccarat

Cards 2-9 retain their face values. King, Queen, Jack, and 10 are all worth 0. An Ace in baccarat is worth 1. Therefore, when a hand is dealt a 2 and 5, the value is 7. If a hand is dealt a 7 and 9, the value is not 16, but 6. In baccarat, only the second figure is what counts. Don’t stress, though; the RNG software or dealer will do the math for you. You should only focus on placing smart bets. 

There are scenarios where the first four cards dealt to both the player’s and banker’s hands are not enough to determine the game’s outcome. In such a scenario, a third card is dealt, following the third card rule. Here is a quick summary of the third card rule in online baccarat.

The player’s hand will only draw a third card if it has a total between 0 and 5 unless the banker’s hand has an 8 or 9 for a natural win. Furthermore, a third card should be dealt to the banker if the player’s hand is 6 or 7 points and the banker’s hand has a total between 0 and 5. 

If the player’s hand is dealt a third card, then the banker’s third card rule comes into play. They are as follows:

• If the player draws an Ace, face card, 10 or 9 as the third card, the banker will draw if the total points are 0-3 and stay if the score is between 4-7
• If the third card for the player is an 8, the banker is expected to draw on a 0-2 score and stay if the total score is 3-7
• If the player’s third card is a 7 or 6, the banker hand must draw if the score is 0-6 and stay for a score of 7
• If the player’s third card is a 4 or 5, the banker hand must draw if the score is 0-5 and stay for a score of 7 or 6
• If the player’s third card is a 2 or 3, the banker will be dealt a card if the score is 0-4 and stay if the score is 7, 6 or 5.

Sounds complicated, right? Well, the beauty of baccarat is that all this is done by the dealer or the RNG software. Once you’ve placed your bet, all you need to do is to wait for the outcome and see if you’ve won money. 

One of the beauties of playing baccarat games online is the relatively low house edge it offers. This is especially true for the player and banker bets, which come with an edge of 1.36% and 1.06%, respectively. You can always go for the Tie bet if you are a thrill seeker. This one has a 14.4% house edge, making it one of the riskiest bets to place, not only in baccarat but in the online casino industry.

It, therefore, means when it comes to betting, you have a better chance of winning a hand when you wager on the banker’s hand. It gives you a 45.85% chance compared to 44.62% for the player’s hand. The chance that the outcome will end in a tie is 9.53%.

When you decide to play live baccarat online, you will discover a fantastic way of enjoying the game as if you are at a brick-and-mortar casino. Only this time, you won’t be leaving the house. Simply log into your online casino account and sit at one of the baccarat tables, where a real human dealer will serve you. Cards will be dealt to you in real time, and you will have the chance to communicate with the dealer through the chat feature.

It gets better. Using the same live chat feature, you can communicate with other players from around the world who are seated with you at the table. This works and functions just like your regular messaging applications. To ensure it delivers a cutting-edge experience, any online casino baccarat site in South Africa will partner with renowned software providers in the industry. You should be able to play games from Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Ezugi, Authentic Gaming, and many more. These software providers work round the clock to develop the games that you will be playing.

Can you play live baccarat games for free? Unfortunately, no. Live baccarat can only be accessed through real money mode. If you are unsure of the game’s rules, you can always try the game through the RNG version. You can enjoy all the game’s features, including following the same rules and placing the same bets. The only exception is you won’t be able to win any money. Once you feel comfortable, you can switch to real money play through the live dealer games. 

Online casino baccarat in South Africa is popular because it’s easy to learn and requires no strategy to play. You don’t need to study sophisticated techniques since it is primarily a game that relies on chance. Furthermore, with the online version, you no longer need to make long, tedious trips to land-based casinos to play the game. Simply use your smartphone to play tens of baccarat games online. The best online baccarat casino sites will mix RNG-based and live dealer games to accommodate all sorts of players. Just ensure you sign up in a legitimate and regulated online casino. It is why you should conduct background research on the site to ensure it is licensed, regulated, and has a stellar reputation for offering bonuses and running promotions with fair T&Cs.