Online baccarat for US players uses the same rules that American land-based casinos use. Whether you play baccarat online with live dealers or computer software, you’ll play Punto Banco with a house edge as low as 1.06%. Players must know enough to make the best bets, though.
Read our guide to US online baccarat casinos to learn the basic baccarat rules, tips for getting the optimal house edge, and how to sign up for real money online baccarat. Once finished, you’ll know how to play real money baccarat online, plus be familiar with the popular USA baccarat software providers.
Table of Contents
Online Baccarat Rules
In Baccarat, the game is played between two hands: the player’s hand and the banker’s hand. Each hand is dealt two cards, and the hand with a total value closest to 9 wins the round.
- Baccarat Betting: At the beginning of the game, players place their bets on either the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie.
- The Deal: Once the bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards to the player’s hand and two cards to the banker’s hand.
- How to Win: In baccarat, if either hand has a total value of 8 or 9 from the two cards dealt, this is considered a “natural” and the game ends. The hand with the natural wins the round, and bets are paid out accordingly.
- Third Card: If neither hand has a natural, a third card may be drawn based on a set of predetermined rules. These rules dictate whether the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or both hands will draw a third card.
- Baccarat Payouts: Once all cards have been drawn, the hand with the total value closest to 9 wins the round. If the player’s hand wins, bets on the player are paid out at even odds. If the banker’s hand wins, bets on the banker are paid out at even odds minus a commission fee. In the case of a tie, bets on a tie are paid out at higher odds, typically 8:1.
- The Next Hand: The game then starts again with players placing new bets for the next hand. The game continues until the predetermined number of rounds is played, or until a player decides to leave the game.
Baccarat Betting Tips: The House Edge
Players have three betting options in online baccarat: the Banker Bet, the Player Bet, and the Tie Bet.
- Banker Bet: This is a wager on the banker’s hand, which is also dealt from the shoe. If the banker’s hand has a higher total value than the player’s hand, the “Banker” bet wins. The payout for this bet is also 1:1, but there is a commission of 5% charged on winning bets because the banker bet has a slight statistical advantage over the player bet. Despite the commission, the house edge of this wager is only 1.06%.
- Player Bet: A bet on the player’s hand, which is dealt from the shoe. If the player’s hand has a higher total value than the banker’s hand, the “Player” bet wins. The payout for this bet is 1:1, meaning that the bet is doubled if the player wins. The house edge is 1.24%, which is the second-best in baccarat.
- Tie Bet: A bet that both the player’s and banker’s hands will have the same total value. This bet has the highest payout of the three options, at 8:1, but it also has the highest house edge (14.36%), making it a sucker bet. If both the player and banker have the same total value, the “Tie” bet wins, but if not, the bet is lost.
Online Baccarat Betting Options
| BET TYPE | HOUSE EDGE |
| Banker Bet | 1.06% |
| Player Bet | 1.24% |
| Tie Bet | 14.36% |
How to Play Baccarat Online
Players who have never played baccarat online should read through the guide below to learn know how to play baccarat online. Follow the instructions and you’ll be playing online baccarat in minutes.
- Sign up or Log In: Look for a trusted online casino that offers baccarat games. Once you find one, create an account by providing your details such as name, address, and email address. If you already have an account, simply log in.
- Make a Deposit: Once you have created an account, you will need to fund it to start playing baccarat. Navigate to the cashier section of the casino website and choose your preferred payment method to make a deposit. Most online casinos accept credit/debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, Bitcoin, and prepaid cards.
- Choose a Welcome Bonus: Many online casinos offer welcome bonuses to new players, such as a match bonus or free spins. If the casino offers a bonus that you’re interested in, make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before accepting it.
- Click on Baccarat: Once your account is funded, navigate to the casino’s table games menu and select online baccarat. Whichever type of device you use, the game should load in your browser or on your mobile device.
- Real Money Baccarat: Choose between playing for fun (using virtual chips in practice mode) or playing for real money. If you want to win real money, select the real money play option.
- Play Baccarat Live: Some online casinos offer live dealer baccarat games, which are more immersive and give you a more authentic casino experience. If the casino has live baccarat, select that option to play with baccarat live with a real dealer.
- Clear the Wagering Requirement: If you accepted a bonus, you will need to clear the wagering requirement before you can withdraw your winnings. The wagering requirement is the number of times you need to play through the bonus amount before you can cash out. For example, if the wagering requirement is 20x and you received a $100 bonus, you will need to wager $2,000 before you can withdraw your winnings.
- Withdraw your Winnings: Once you have met the wagering requirement (if applicable), you can withdraw your winnings. Navigate to the cashier section of the casino website and choose your preferred withdrawal method. Most online casinos have a processing time of 24-48 hours, and some payment methods may take longer to process than others.
USA Online Baccarat Software Compared
| SOFTWARE PROVIDER | MIN BET | MAX BET | SIDE BeT |
| Betsoft Baccarat | $1 | $500 | No |
| RealTime Gaming Baccarat | $1 | $500 | No |
| Rival Gaming Baccarat | $1 | $250 | No |
| ViG Live Bacccarat | $5 | $5000 | Super 6, Dragon, Pairs |
| Fresh Deck Studios Live Baccarat | $1 | $12,500 | Dragon, Perfect Pair, Small/Big |
US Online Baccarat Software Reviews
- RealTime Gaming Online Baccarat: RTG offers traditional baccarat betting with wagers between $1 and $500. It is the classic Punto Banco rules with no side bets. RTG baccarat is found in more US online casinos than any other software.
- Betsoft Online Baccarat: Betsoft also offers traditional baccarat betting with min and max bets ranging from $1 to $500. The game is again Punto Banco with no side bets. If a site uses RTG and Betsoft, often you’ll have a choice between both companies’ games.
- Rival Gaming Online Baccarat: Rival Gaming’s baccarat has better graphics but a lower betting range. When you play at Rival online baccarat, bets range from $1 to $250. It also has no side bets.
- Visionary iGaming Live Baccarat: ViG is the most popular supplier of live dealer games to US online casinos. ViG’s live baccarat game has bet limits between $5 and $5000. It has a wide range of side bets, including Super 6 Baccarat, Dragon Tail, and Pairs.
- Fresh Deck Studios Live Baccarat: Fresh Deck baccarat is a smaller provider of live casino games than ViG. At sites like BetOnline and SportsBetting, you can choose between ViG and Fresh Game live dealers. This company’s live baccarat has wagers between $1 and $12,000, while offering the Dragon, Perfect Pair, and Small/Big side bets.
Baccarat Online Real Money FAQ
Can you play baccarat online for money?
Yes. Hundreds of online baccarat casinos operate daily in the United States. Sign up at an online casino, make a deposit using a credit card or crypto deposit, and start playing baccarat online for real money in a few minutes. While the process itself doesn’t take long, we recommend that players research US online casinos first and choose the best baccarat casinos online.
While you can find many casinos online that handle your gaming needs, a few stand out from the rest for fairness, fun, and safety. Since you’re playing in an unregulated environment, you won’t play with consumer protections. Find trusted online casinos and avoid scammers. As the old saying goes, measure twice and cut once.
Are online baccarat games rigged?
Not if you play at reputable online baccarat casinos. Players should research a casino’s history and reputation before making a deposit. Only deposit at online casinos with a longstanding reputation for fairness and safety. The vast bulk of online baccarat casinos are fair and honest.
It makes no sense to rig online baccarat games. Casinos online have the same house edge on games that land-based casinos do. If they play fair and treat their customers right, they’ll draw more players. Online baccarat game results are determined by random number generators that are audited by third-party groups like Technical Systems Testing (TST). Live baccarat games are streamed live to your computer in real-time, but you can replay the hands to assure fairness.
Reputations are made and unmade quickly online. If an online baccarat casino cheats, players notice after a time, and word spreads fast. While it doubtless has happened with rogue online casinos in the past, it would be insane to rig online baccarat games.
What are the best online casinos for USA players?
Our recommendations at the moment are Big Spin Casino, MyBookie Casino, or XBet Casino. All three have a version of online baccarat, Live Baccarat, and mobile baccarat. All three have bonuses that apply to real money craps, though the contribution rate is lower than it would be for online slots. Most importantly, all three have a reputation for fairness, safety, and security.