The Complete Guide to Online Baccarat 2026

The origins of baccarat are unclear, with some dating it to the 19th century and others dating it as far back as the 15th century. It has been recorded as a popular game of the French aristocracy since the 19th century, with King Charles VIII helping spread it among the nobility. From France, the game made its way to England, where it was played by people of all classes. English writer Ian Fleming helped boost baccarat's popularity by making it the favorite game of the now-legendary fictional character, James Bond. There have been several evolutions of baccarat, but many different versions are available today at online casinos.

Like all casino games, baccarat has its own terminology that players must learn in order to truly excel at the game. Here is a short list of the most popular baccarat terms.

1. Banker: The dealer, also known as the croupier.
2. Bankroll: Your budget for playing baccarat.
3. Chemin de Fer: A popular baccarat variant in which the player is also the bank. Also known as “European Baccarat” or “Railroad.”
4. Commission: The fee that the casino charges on winning banker bets, typically about 5%.
5. Coup: A round of play.
6. Down card: The card that’s dealt face down (also known as the hole card).
7. Flat bet: Betting the same amount consistently over a long period.
8. La Grande: A natural 9, the best hand in baccarat.
9. La Petite: A natural baccarat that totals eight.
10. Mini-Baccarat: A faster version of baccarat played on a smaller table with lower betting limits.
11. Natural: When the first two cards dealt to the banker or player total 8 or 9.
12. Punto Banco: One of the most popular versions of baccarat.
13. Tie: A tie occurs when both the banker and the player have the same hand value.
14. Natural: A natural is when the first two cards dealt to the banker or player have a total value of 8 or 9.
15. Upcard: The card dealt face-up.

The goal of baccarat is to bet correctly on who will get a hand with a value of 9 or as close as possible — the player or the banker. One additional option is to bet on a tie — that the player and the banker will get hands of the same value. Cards 2-9 are worth their face value, 10-King are worth 0, and aces are worth 1. 

The player first places their bet, and then the hand is dealt — two cards for the player and two for the banker. If the dealt cards add up to more than 9, the dealer adds the two values together and drops the first digit. For example, a hand of 9 and 6, which totals 15, becomes a 5. In some cases, a third card is dealt. 

One of the more exciting aspects of baccarat is choosing a betting strategy. While ultimately, baccarat is a game of luck, there are certain betting strategies that are meant to maximize your winnings or at least minimize your losses.

Many gambling experts recommend not betting on a tie because the house has a big advantage for this type of bet. If you don’t bet on a tie, what’s left? A popular strategy is to always bet on the banker because the banker statistically wins more than the player. Even though the payout is 95% and not 100%, betting on the banker still has an advantage.

Then there are more advanced betting systems, including:

• Martingale: Double your bet after every loss.
• Reverse Martingale: Double your bet after every win.
• Fibonacci: For every bet you lose, increase your next bet to the next number in the Fibonacci sequence: 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987, etc. If you win, go back to betting your original bet.
• D’Alembert: Increase your bet by one unit after a loss.
• There are several other strategies, but the ones above are the most common.