Live dealer baccarat is offered at a number of major online casinos. Baccarat has traditionally been a high roller’s game, but the advent of online gambling has made the game accessible to players of all bankrolls. Even better, live dealer baccarat brings the live experience right to your home thanks to live streaming video.
Numerous gambling sites have started offering live dealer games as a part of their overall strategy for attracting new players. The idea behind live dealer gambling is to give players the most realistic gambling experience possible. Webcams, streaming video and real dealers all come together to give players the opportunity to play physical gambling games over the internet.
Just like the name says, live dealer baccarat tables utilize human dealers and real card tables to run the games in front of your eyes. This is as close to real gambling as it gets without leaving the house.
You don’t need a webcam or anything else to play the game. Just visit the casino website and choose the “live dealer” category. Select “baccarat” after that and you’ll be taken to a page that shows you a live stream of the baccarat table. You choose your bet types and amounts by clicking buttons on your screen like normal. The dealer will see your choices and place your bets accordingly.
Live dealer baccarat tables are not two-way things. There is no webcam directed at you when you play – you get to remain anonymous while you play. You can still chat with the dealers, but you’re not required to have a webcam and play face-to-face. I think this is a pretty good setup because it’s fun to watch the dealer, but it’s also fun to stay comfortable not have to worry about other people watching you play from your home.
After you place your wagers, the dealer will run through the game like normal. So if you choose to place a wager on “banker,” the dealer will place a marker on the designated area on the table. After the other players have placed their wagers, the dealer will deal the cards just like normal. If your bet wins, the dealer will note it and your account will be credited instantly.
Where to Play
One thing I’ve noticed about live dealer games is that they tend to be found at all-in-one gambling sites that combine sports betting, casino games and other types of betting. Sites such as 5Dimes.eu and Bet365.com are two examples of these all-in-one gambling sites.
Pure casinos such as Lucky Red and Sun Palace stick to regular casino games for the most part. So the best casinos to play live dealer baccarat are those that are attached to sportsbooks. I have two recommendations in particular:
- For USA players: 5Dimes Casino
- For non-US players: Bet365 Casino
These aren’t the only casinos to play the game, but they are my favorites. I know both of them very well and they treat players right. The main thing I look for in real money casinos is a strong reputation. I like to know my money is safe and that I’ll get paid if I win big.
Both of these casinos offer live dealer baccarat for real money 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The dealers work in shifts just like they do at a real casino. You can log in any time from your computer or laptop and play with real people. It’s not quite the same as standing at a real casino, but it sure is convenient.
Playing for Real Money
One thing to know about all live dealer games is that you can only play them for real money. I don’t know of a single place on the internet that will let you play live dealer games with fake chips. Each dealer can only handle a certain number of players, so they have to reserve the seats for real money bettors. Plus, the casino has to pay a wage to each dealer.
If you’re one of those people who are skeptical about playing real money games online, live dealer games are a good place to start. Even though you’re not actually there, you can at least watch the dealers work. The dealers deal the games in real time and you can verify this by watching the cards and the outcomes of your wagers.
Every time you choose a bet in baccarat at a live dealer casino, the dealer moves real chips around to note your bet. At the conclusion of each hand, the dealer credits each player with the appropriate wager. Your winnings are paid out in real time just like regular online games.
It may also be helpful to know that the strategy for baccarat remains the same whether you play at a live dealer casino or a regular gambling site. Bet on the banker as often as you can and avoid the tie bet at all costs. The house advantage of baccarat is the same at both types of casinos.
Sample Video
Below is a video that I captured at the JustBet.cx casino. It’s a short video, but shows what you can expect. The quality isn’t the greatest but that’s my fault. The video feed looks great when you’re actually logged in and playing.
Note: I have since stopped recommending JustBet.cx to USA players so this video isn’t exactly the same as what you’ll get at the other sites I recommend. However, there’s not a huge difference from one casino to the next. This is pretty much what you can expect at any live dealer site.
Notice the TV off to the side? I was wondering about that at first too. I’m pretty sure that’s a live news channel placed so that you can tell the actions are truly happening in real time. Clever idea.
Pros and Cons
There are a couple of pros and cons to playing live dealer baccarat for real money online. The pros should be pretty obvious: you get to interact with real people and you can watch the games unfold with your own eyes. With live dealer games, you do not have to put your faith in random number generators and auto-dealing software.
The biggest downside is that the games move a little slower. The dealer has to take the time to deal the cards and handle the wagers for each player at the table. Regular online baccarat games move a lot faster because the software instantly shuffles the cards and pays out the bets.
Overall though, I’d say that the pros outweigh the cons. Yes the game does move a little slower, but you get a more realistic casino experience. Additionally, you tend to spend less money per hour because the game moves slower. Even if you wager the minimum every hand, you’ll get the same treatment from the dealers. It’s nice experience no matter how much you bet.
When you’re ready to give live dealer baccarat a try, just visit any of the above casinos to get started. You will be asked to download the software because live dealer games are not offered in the no-download version of those casinos. After you download the casino, just sign up for an account and make a deposit.