Online Baccarat Games Ireland

Guide to the Best Baccarat Casino Games

Baccarat has been around since the early 19th century, yet many believe its origins stretch as far back as the 15th century. Throughout that time, many different game variations have spawned, both offline and online.

Until recently, your only option to play this casino classic was to do so in person. Yet, with the rise of online gambling, casino bettors worldwide now have a new avenue to try their luck. That’s right – you can now recreate James Bond’s casino successes from the comfort and convenience of your sofa. Or, at least, you can try to. 

Online vs Offline Baccarat

Nowadays, you can bet the Banker at land-based casinos or take your pick from dozens of variants and baccarat games online. The choice is yours! Both offline and online baccarat games boast their own unique advantages, but the best variation for you will depend on your personal preferences. 

Aside from its obvious added convenience, you’ll typically find more baccarat game variations online. You can grab a generous online casino welcome bonus on your 1st deposit or any other baccarat-oriented offer to boost your bankroll, work on your baccarat betting strategies while playing for free or with bonus funds, and gamble on the go via your mobile device. When you play baccarat games online, you also eliminate the time spent waiting for other players. 

However, does anything truly beat the buzz of betting in a brick-and-mortar casino? No, not really. The atmosphere, social environment, and other amenities of land-based gambling venues are next to none. 

Live Dealer Baccarat vs Online Baccarat

While nothing truly compares to the thrill of playing a live game of baccarat in person, live dealer baccarat certainly comes the closest. Streamed from remote live studios, live casino games bring you the excitement of brick-and-mortar gambling from the convenience of your desktop or mobile device. You can chat with other players and interact with professional human dealers while placing your bets, effectively recreating the social aspect of land-based casinos. 

There is no clear winner in the argument of live dealer baccarat vs online baccarat. Yet, all you high rollers may appreciate the increased bet limits and higher maximum bets to play live baccarat games. On the other hand, virtual online games are great for practicing your baccarat gameplay and betting systems before spending your real money bankroll. The simple gameplay and relatively low minimum stake may also be perfect for bettors on a budget.

Baccarat Rules

We’ve already mentioned that baccarat is an incredibly simple game to understand, but exactly how do you play baccarat games and win? Well, in each baccarat game, you have three options – Player, Banker, or Tie. Your primary objective is to correctly predict the outcome of each baccarat round, with the hand that gets the closest to “9” winning.

After placing your bets, the dealer will deal two sets of two cards, one for the Bank and one for the player. If either has a hand total of 8 or 9, no extra cards are dealt – this is known as a “Stand”. However, if the player has a 5 or less, they can receive a third card (or “Hit”). The Banker can now decide what to do with their hand. For example, they draw a third card if the Banker has 2 or fewer. Similarly, if they have 3, they can draw a third card, but not if the player has 8. 

Remember, if the total of your hand is a two-digit number, you must discard the first digit. For example, if you have 7 and 8, you would have a total of 5 (not 15). In baccarat games, cards 2-9 have their face value, while Aces have a value of 1 and all 10’s and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have no value. 

Baccarat Rule Variations

Depending on the baccarat game variant you wish to play, you may encounter some slight rule changes. For example, while most baccarat casino games are played with 6-8 decks of cards, some feature notable fewer decks. Similarly, it’s vital to remember that in some baccarat games, your croupier may take a 5% commission from every winning bet placed on the Banker.

Other offline and online casino baccarat games come with side bets, which can make your gameplay much more exciting. For instance, Panda 8 and Dragon 7 bets are featured on several games, with the latter involving you wagering on the Banker winning with a hand totalling 7 made up of three cards. Panda 8 side bets let you bet on the player winning the round with a total of 8 over three cards.

Baccarat Game Types

Like many other classic casino table games, baccarat comes in many different shapes and sizes. Some of the most popular baccarat game variations include Punto Banco, Baccarat Banque, and Chemin De Fer, the latter being agent 007’s favourite game. Yet, you’ll likely come across variants like Three Card Baccarat and Super Pan 9 in the world’s most dazzling land-based casinos and games like Mini Baccarat when you play baccarat games online. 

Let’s take a look at baccarat’s most popular game types below. 
 

• Punto Banco: Perhaps the most famous baccarat card game, Punto Banco is almost identical to the standard baccarat casino game. Yet this version offers faster (and arguably more straightforward) gameplay. Similarly, you play directly against the Banker, with the dealer handling all aspects of the game after players make their bets.
• Baccarat Banque: This online casino baccarat game type puts a unique spin on the original, auctioning off the role of the Banker. Players can pick to become the Banker after winning. Similarly, this baccarat card game is played with only three decks of cards compared to the standard 6-8.
• Chemin De Fer: Often known as Chemmy, this baccarat game is similar to Punto Banco but adds in some twists and turns. For instance, players can choose the Banker and get to decide whether the player or bank should draw a third card (if tied under 8).

Top Rated Baccarat Games

Playing baccarat online opens up a world of gameplay opportunities. With tons of baccarat game online variations available, you’ll have no problem finding the perfect game for you. Some of the top-rated baccarat games at our recommended online casinos include:

• Baccarat Pro: With smooth animations that flow seamlessly on desktops and mobiles, this eight-deck baccarat game comes from the brilliant minds at NetEnt. Baccarat Pro boasts RNG-powered gameplay that lets you take your baccarat gaming session to the next level.
• Baccarat Gold: Despite launching in 2012, Microgaming’s Baccarat Gold sports beautiful visuals and stunning graphics. This baccarat game online uses eight decks and incorporates “rotate” and “squeeze”, features typically found on land-based baccarat tables. Ultimately, this makes the baccarat game a real standout.
• Mini Baccarat: This Play’n GO game released in 2013 offers thrilling gameplay with 6 decks. Its respectable RTP, Bead Road scorecard, and Fast Play setting make Mini Baccarat an excellent online casino baccarat game option. Similarly, its €1 minimum stake is ideal for bettors on a budget. Although, high rollers may be better off betting elsewhere.
• Lightning Baccarat: Evolution Gaming’s live casino Lightning Baccarat is a unique take on the casino classic. The game features RNG-based Lightning Card multipliers in every round, with each having a random payout multiplier applied of 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 8x!

Online Baccarat Software Providers

With the great potential of online baccarat, it makes sense that tons of industry-leading software developers have jumped on the baccarat gaming bandwagon. When playing your cards right at our highest-ranking online casino sites, you’ll find games from some of the best names on the market, including: 

• Evolution Gaming: The King of live casino gaming, Evolution Gaming, boasts some of the best live baccarat games in the business. Top Evolution Gaming baccarat games include Speed Baccarat, Live Baccarat Squeeze, and Salon Privé. 
• Microgaming: Since re-branding to Games Global, Microgaming sports one of the best table game collections around. With top baccarat games including Baccarat Gold and High Limit Baccarat, you can expect immersive gameplay and top-quality visuals with Microgaming.
• Playtech: As one of the world’s largest suppliers of Ireland online casino game options, it’s no surprise that Playtech provides several thrilling online baccarat games, with top titles including Prestige Baccarat Squeeze and Premium Baccarat.

Baccarat Odds

You might have assumed that the player and banker would have an equal chance of winning, payout out at 1:1 each. Yet, this is not the case. The odds for the player’s hand winning a baccarat game are 44.63%, while the odds for the Banker’s hand winning is 45.87%. In the unlikely case of a Tie, you’ll be looking at odds of 9.53%.

Baccarat Strategy

Even though baccarat is a game of chance, there are a few nifty systems and strategies you can use to slightly improve your odds and make your bankroll last a little longer.  

The Labouchere System

You may already know the Labouchere system as the Split Martingale, the American Progression, or the Cancellation System. Initially introduced by French roulette player Henry Labouchere, this complex betting strategy involves increasing your stake after every lost bet. 

As a negative progression system, you start by creating a sequence, such as 1-2-3-4. You then wager the amount equal to the total of the first and last number on the list, or €5 in our case (1+4). If you lose, add the amount lost to the end of the sequence, meaning the new series would be 1-2-3-4-5, and your next wager would be $6 (1+5). If you win, cross out the two numbers you used to wager. So, our new system would end up looking like 2-3-4. 

The Paroli System

Often referred to as the Reverse Martingale system, the Paroli strategy dates back to 16^th century Italy. This positive betting system implies that you should double your stake every time you win until you encounter a loss, with the primary objective being to gain 3 consecutive wins. 

For example, say you start by betting €5 on your baccarat game, and you win. You then double your bet to €10. If you win again, double your wager again to €20. You continue like this until you lose, in which you return to your original stake, which is €5 in our case.

The Fibonacci Strategy

The Fibonacci baccarat betting system is based on the famous numerical sequence, where the following number in the progression is determined by the sum of the previous two numbers. According to this strategy, the amount you should wager after a loss is dictated by the subsequent sequence: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc. This cycle continues until you encounter a win.

For example, if you start with a €1 bet and lose, you follow the system and wager the next number, which would be €2. You continue up the sequence betting the following number until you win a round when you should revert to your original €1 bet. 

Online Baccarat Tips

So, now you know the best baccarat games available at the best Irish online casino sites and some of the most popular baccarat game strategies, it’s time to turn your knowledge into cold hard cash. Before you register and start playing at one of our recommended baccarat casinos, we recommend checking out the advice below. With our tried and tested tips, you have all the tools at your disposal to stretch your bankroll and boost your odds of winning.  

Set a Win/Loss Limit

Remember, the house always has an advantage when you play baccarat games online. Therefore, gambling responsibly and setting win and loss limits can help your bankroll last longer. We recommend only wagering funds you can afford to lose and sticking to your budget. 

Bet on the Banker

Compared to the player bet RTP of 98.76%, the banker bet boasts a 98.94% RTP. As the Banker has a slightly better house edge than the player, your chances of winning are marginally higher when you bet on the bank. 

Avoid All-In Bets

All-in bets are particularly risky in baccarat – you can burn through your real money funds in a single stake! Instead, we recommend spreading your wagers over multiple rounds and making wise betting decisions to help your gameplay last longer.  

Baccarat RTP

You may have encountered the term Return To Player (RTP) before, but what does it actually mean? The phrase refers to the average amount you can expect to win in the long run when playing casino games. For example, the RTP of baccarat depends on the wager you wish to place. For banker bets, you’re looking at a 98.94% RTP. When betting on the player, the RTP is 98.76%. Due to their increased risk, Tie bets come with a 85.64% RTP. 

It’s essential to remember that the RTP is calculated over hundreds and thousands of rounds, so an RTP of 98% doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll always get back 98p for every €1 wagered. You may find yourself on a losing streak or hit the jackpot and make a significant profit. At the end of the day, baccarat is the ultimate game of luck, so you cannot guarantee wins or losses. Yet, paying attention to the RTP may help very slightly increase your betting odds. 

Baccarat on Mobile and Baccarat Apps

Have you ever wanted to take the thrill of baccarat games with you on the move? Thanks to mobile casinos and baccarat apps, you can! Whether you own an iOS, Android, or Windows Phone device, you can place your bets straight from your smartphone or tablet’s mobile browser. Nowadays, most baccarat game casino sites are built with HTML5 technology, meaning they’re responsive and optimised for mobile devices.

You get most of the same baccarat games and all the same account settings and bonuses with the convenience of gaming on the go. Plus, most mobile sites and gambling apps boast straightforward navigation, meaning you can start playing in just a few taps.

Best Free Baccarat Games

You simply can’t beat the excitement of playing baccarat games online for real money. After all, with such a low house edge, the casino classic is one of the world’s most popular gambling games. However, the advantages of playing baccarat for free are unmistakable.

Aside from letting you experience the thrill of betting with no added risk to your bankroll, free baccarat games are perfect for practicing betting systems and strategies. Sure, you can’t win real money while playing baccarat games in a demo mode, and live dealer baccarat games are not available for free play. Yet, by honing in on your skills while playing for free, you’ll be more prepared the next time you want to play for real money.