Baccarat Rules

Baccarat is one of the easiest card games you can expect to play at any online casino in 2025, which is great news. But if you're new to it and so you are prepared when you play at any premier South African casinos, refer to the following baccarat rules:

How to Play Baccarat

The objective of baccarat is to bet on a 'side' whose cards have a total point value closest to 9. There are three sides to choose from: the 'Player', the 'House' or a 'Tie'.

It is important to understand that all betting in Baccarat takes place before the first card is dealt. Once the cards are dealt, you have no further input or control over the outcome of the hand.

Baccarat Card Values

In baccarat cards are valued as follows: Picture cards and 10 cards count as 0, 2 to 9 cards keep their value and aces count as 1. At no point during the game can the card count ever be higher than 9.

For instance, if you are dealt two 9s, the point value is taken as 8, not 18. 9 and 6 is taken as 5, not 15. You get the idea.

How to Play Baccarat

The dealer deals two cards face up for the player and two cards face up for the house. If the cards total 9 or 8 for one or both of the sides, then the hand is over and the bets are paid out according to the bets placed. An 8 or 9 is known as a 'natural' in baccarat.

For example, if you bet on the house and the house points total 9, you will be paid out. If you bet on the house and both sides are tied at 9, you will lose your bet.

However, what if after the initial cards have been dealt, there is no natural and no tie? In this case, the baccarat dealer can deal one more card to each side as long as the following rules and conditions are met:

If the total of the initial player hand is 6 or over, an extra card cannot be dealt. If the total is 5 or under, an extra card can be dealt. If the total of the initial house hand is 7 or over, an extra card cannot be dealt. If the total is 2, 1 or 0, an extra card can be dealt.

Baccarat Winning Hands

In baccarat, should the house cards add up to 3, and the player's 3rd card is anything except 8, the house will be dealt an extra card. If the house's baccarat cards add up to 4, and the player's 3rd card is anything except 9,8,1 or 0, the house will be dealt an extra card.

If the house cards add up to 5, and the player's 3rd card is a 7,6,5 or 4, the house will be dealt an extra card. Finally, If the house cards add up to 6, and the player's 3rd card is a 7 or 6, the house will be dealt an extra card.

In terms of online baccarat betting and payouts, a winner house hand pays 1:1, a winner player's hand pays 1:1 and a winner tie pays 8:1.

Minimum and maximum bets in baccarat will differ depending on the online casino and the particular baccarat game you are playing.