Best US baccarat casinos for real money & free play 2025

What is online baccarat?

What’s the goal of baccarat?

The most popular online baccarat variants

• Punto banco

  This is the most common version of online baccarat, and the one most people will associate with the game. Players (punto) bet against the banker (banco), and so the casino is financially involved in the game.Players are trying to get as close to nine as possible, and higher than the banker’s hand, without exceeding nine. Bets are taken on either the player or banker having the winning hand, or egalitie (tie).Eight decks of cards are used in this variant, with the player and the banker receiving two cards each. Players can take an additional card if their hand total is below five.
• Chemin de fer

  In this version players bet against each other, rather than the banker, and the casino stakes no money in the games. Instead, players take turns at being the banker, running anticlockwise round the table. There’s more financial risk to each player here as the banker takes on the bets of the other players.The game is played with six decks of cards, with one player and the banker receiving two cards each in each round. Again, players can take an additional card if their hand scores below five.
• Baccarat banque

  In this variant players bet against the banker, rather than each other. While different players can take the banker role on, the casino always has a stake in the game and players don’t take on additional financial risk as banker. The designated banker will be the player who makes the largest wager.Baccarat banque is played with three decks of cards. The player and banker receive two cards each, though in Deux Tableaux three two-card hands are dealt, with two for the player and one for the bank. Players can take an additional card if their hand is valued below four.
• Mini baccarat

  This is simply a smaller, faster paced version of the full game with no drawing or standing. Players are again betting on the player, banker or tie. The dealer has sole responsibility for shuffling the cards, and the game is played for lower stakes, which makes it more accessible for players.As per the full size game, a winning player hand pays out 1:1. A winning bet on the banker pays out 95:100 with a 5% house edge. Tie bets pay out 8:1.
• 3-card baccarat

  This is a faster paced game played with a single deck. The objective is to get the highest scoring hand (and not necessarily closest to nine). The player and banker get three cards each, with no option for additional cards.At some online casinos, 10 is deducted on scores above nine (others leave the high scores at two digits). A winning hand for the main bet will have the most face cards, with points being used to determine the score if the number of face cards is equal.
• European baccarat

  In this variant, players have the unique option to stand their hand or draw another card if the hand is valued at five. The banker is also able to draw a third card at any point. The banker is funded by the casino, so if one player covers the banker’s funds, the other players will not be able to bet in that round.As with most variants, a winning player or banker hand pays out 1:1, with 5% house edge on banker hand payouts. Tie bets pay out 8:1.
• Macao

  Similar to punto banco, in this game players are playing against the banker and aiming for a hand as close to nine in two-three cards. However, players only have the option to bet on the player hand winning, not the banker’s. Also, in Macao players go bust and exit the game if their score exceeds nine (in other variants any scores above nine will have 10 subtracted).The game is played with two decks of cards. Players take turns in the banker role, running clockwise round the table. A natural nine pays out 3:1, a natural eight pays 2:1. All other winning hands pay out 1:1.
• Dragon Tiger

  This is a simpler, two-card version of baccarat played similarly to punto banco. The player and banker (dragon and tiger) receive just one card each, with the aim of having the higher value card of the two. Players bet on which card wins, or on a tie. There are also additional side bets, for example on the likelihood of a suited tie.A winning bet pays out 1:1 with a 3.73% house edge. Tie bets pay out the usual 8:1, but be wary of the house edge on these bets, as it’s a very high 32.77%.

1. 1
   Find the best baccarat online casino and select your game
2. 2
   Place a bet on either the player or banker’s side
3. 3
   Two cards are dealt to both the player and the banker
4. 4
   If the sum of either hand is eight or nine, no more cards are dealt
5. 5
   If either hand equals 0-5, a third card is dealt
6. 6
   The winning is hand is the closest to nine

• Baccarat is played using a 6 or 8-deck shoe
• The cards 2-9 carry their face value
• Aces are equal to 1
• 10, J, Q, K are equal to 0
• Suits aren’t important in hand rankings
• If your score goes over nine, you drop the first digit

• Security & fairness: Your money and data should be in safe hands when gambling online. We check that casinos use security measures such as SSL encryption to keep your information safe, and also look out for valid licenses and evidence of third-party auditing to ensure games are fair.
• Casino bonuses: A casino bonus is a great way to increase your bankroll, and offers should be available at all good casinos where you play baccarat online. Many will also offer regular promotions and even a VIP club with special rewards for returning players.
• Quality games & software: At any quality online baccarat casino, we expect to see a high number of game variants and live dealer games. A varied selection of other table games, online slots, and live dealer options from the best casino software developers is also crucial for a top rating.
• Mobile options: Playing baccarat on the go should be easy, and with the huge popularity of mobile casino games it's important that casinos are optimized for smaller screens. Baccarat sites should run smoothly on all devices, and a casino app that players can download to their preferred device is a great bonus.
• Customer care: Addressing players' needs should be a top priority at any high-quality casino, and we expect to see top-notch customer service available to players around the world, via a range of means.
• Banking & payouts: Being able to manage your funds using your preferred banking method is a huge factor when choosing an online baccarat casino, so we like to see a good range of options available. It's also important that deposits and withdrawals are made quickly, without excessive processing times.

Martingale

Labouchere

1-3-2-6

1-3-2-4

One sided

Paroli

Fibonacci

d’Alembert

1. 1
   Bet $10 and lose
2. 2
   Bet $20 and lose
3. 3
   Bet $30 and win
4. 4
   Bet $20 and lose
5. 5
   Bet $30 and lose
6. 6
   Bet $40 and win

1. 1
   If you’re in a land-based casino, find a house edge below 5%: You want to know that, while you're honing your gaming skills, you are playing for the most you can get, rather than giving it all back to the casino in fees.
2. 2
   Don’t bet on a tie: Despite the high payout should you win, the tie wager stings you with an astronomical house edge of 14.44%. As it's so unlikely to actually happen, you're better off saving your money and betting on the player or the banker instead.
3. 3
   Try a betting strategy to mitigate some of your losses: The games will run long, so follow the patterns in the game and let your bets follow where it is headed.
4. 4
   Bet on the banker: With slightly higher odds of winning at 45.8% as opposed to a bet on the player of 44.6%, betting on the banker can pay off the most in the long run. If they go on a winning streak, keep betting on the banker until they lose.

Live dealer baccarat

• Baccarat is said to be one of the world’s oldest casino games, and was allegedly created by an Italian gambler named Felix Falguiere in the middle ages.
• Although its exact origins are unclear, the first written records of the game are from the 19th century, when it was especially popular with the French nobility.
• By the end of the 19th century, the game had found its way to the USA, as Europeans made their way across the Atlantic. But it wasn't until the 1950s that it gained popularity in casinos, with the variants Punto banco, Baccarat banque, and Chemin de fer being widely offered.
• Nowadays, you'll find many different variants available both in land casinos and online. Most online casinos will offer a selection of baccarat games, with live dealer baccarat often a popular choice for players.