Best Casinos to Play Baccarat in Ireland

If you’re looking for the best baccarat online casinos Ireland, you’re in the right place. I hand-picked the most reputable brands, so you can choose any of these platforms and enjoy playing various baccarat games online.

Guide to Online Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the most beloved casino games. One of the reasons why players like baccarat so much lies in the fact that it’s actually a pretty simple card game. Some resources say baccarat was invented in the 15th century in Italy, while others report it originates from 19th-century France. Regardless of where it came from and who invented it, baccarat has “conquered” the world and is now one of the casino staples globally.

Today, all the best game providers offer various online baccarat games. The selection ranges from 3-card baccarat and Punto Banco to unique live dealer variations with multipliers and original side bets. Although you’ll find multiple versions of this card game at Irish online casinos, they still share similar rules. I’ll explain to you all things baccarat in my detailed guide below.

Baccarat Rules and Gameplay

Baccarat is a game of chance, usually played with multiple 52-card decks. The cards are shuffled together and dealt from a dealing box, also known as a “shoe”. In this game, you must predict which of the two hands — the Banker or the Player — will have the value closest to 9. Still, there is a third betting option, a Tie. As you can see, baccarat is a straightforward card game with three bets: the Player, the Banker, and a Tie. However, no matter how simple baccarat seems, you should learn the rules and understand the card values. I’ll help you with this. The cards have specific values in baccarat compared to other card games. Here’s how to calculate the results:

• Cards 2–9 are worth the same face value (2 to 9)
• Face cards (K, Q, J) and 10s are equal to 0
• Aces have a value of 1

You calculate the total of each hand by adding the values of both cards. For example, 2+0 = 2.

But here’s a catch. If the total value is 9+, the first number is removed. So, if your hand has a value of 10, it will be worth 0. Here are more examples: 9+9 = 18; when the first digit is removed, the score is 8.

The best thing in baccarat is a “natural” 8 or 9. If the cards you received from the deck total 8 or 9, you win — unless the Banker has the same value, which is a Tie. If there are no natural wins, and the hands have specific values, the Player gets another card first. This is the third card rule I’ll explain later.

How to Play Baccarat Online Ireland

Now that you’ve learned the rules, it’s time to zero in on the flow of the game. Follow my step-by-step guide to quickly learn how to play online baccarat for real money. You must place a bet before a dealer hands out the cards. Choose one of three betting options:

Banker, Player, or Tie.

• When you select one of the outcomes, the croupier will deal two cards — two for the Player and two for the Banker.
• The cards are presented face up so you can see their values.
• The dealer calculates the scores and, if necessary, draws a third card.
• The hand whose score is closest to 9, or equals 9, wins. If both hands have the same total value, this is a tie.
• You keep your chips if there’s a tie and you didn’t wager on this outcome.

Baccarat House Edge

Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games because of its player-friendly house edge. Actually, the baccarat house edge is one of the lowest, which makes this game very appealing. Here’s a list with payouts and house edge percentages to help you decide where to place your chips.

Banker: The house edge for this bet type is 1.06%. This hand pays 95% or 0.95:1 since the casino takes a 5% commission.

Player: The Player hand has a 1.24% house edge and pays even money, or 1:1.

Tie: Finally, a tie is the best betting option in terms of payouts, but it has a high house edge — 14.36%. This is due to how rarely this result occurs in the game. Still, if it happens and you put your stakes on it, the win pays 8:1.

Third Card Rule in Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the simplest card games. Still, it has one minor “complication” — a third card rule. Although this is the most complex part of the game, it’s nothing you can’t master, especially after reading my short guide.

As the name implies, the third card rule determines when to draw the card and when not. Rule 1: If the Player’s hand is worth 0–5, it gets a third card to close the round.

Rule 2: If the Player’s hand is worth 6 or 7, it doesn’t receive an additional card.

Rule 3: When the Player’s cards total 6 or 7, the Banker draws the third card if its total is 0–5.

Rule 4: If the Player gets a third card, the Banker will either stand or draw depending on the Player’s hand result.

Rule 5: If the Player’s first two cards total 8 or 9, this is called a natural win. But, if the Banker also gets a natural, this is a tie. The only exception is if one hand has natural 8 and the other natural 9 — in this case, natural 9 beats natural 8.

Online Baccarat Side Bets

When baccarat became one of the online casino games, developers did their best to make it even more engaging. So, they introduced several side bets. Although side bets give you more choices and potentially increase your winnings, they are also more risky.

Here are the most common side bets at the best online baccarat games:

Dragon Bonus: You’re betting on a natural win (8 or 9) by the Banker or Player.

Pairs Side Bet: You bet on an outcome where either the Banker’s or Player’s opening hand makes a pair — the same numbers or the same suit.

Perfect Pair: If both hands make a pair (same numbers and same suit), this is a Perfect Pair side bet.

Baccarat Variants at Irish Online Casinos

Irish online casinos offer two types of baccarat: RNG baccarat and live dealer baccarat. Some players choose RNG-powered baccarat, a single-player virtual game where you play alone against the computer. However, many Irish players prefer real-life casino action, meaning they more often go for live baccarat versions from A-list software providers. I present to you the most engaging baccarat games with all their strengths.

Baccarat Professional Series – NetEnt

Baccarat Pro is a standard RNG baccarat with no side bets. Still, Baccarat Pro has three versions: Standard, Low Limit, and High Limit Baccarat Pro. Beginners should pick the Low Limit game, which offers low bet amounts — ideal for learning the game without losing too much money. Seasoned players can choose either Standard or High Limit Baccarat Pro. The latter allows higher wagers, suitable for high rollers. Finally, if you like tie bets, you’ll be happy to learn NetEnt’s baccarat Tie bet pays 9:1 instead of the standard 8:1.

Peek Baccarat – Evolution

Many Evolution casinos in Ireland offer Peek Baccarat. As the name suggests, you can “peek” and see the cards before they are revealed. This unique feature lets you change your decision after betting time is over. Although Peek Baccarat follows the same rules as regular baccarat games, the unique “peek” option allows you to increase your bets. Still, if you want to benefit from peeking, you’ll have to pay a 20% fee. You can see 1–3 cards before the final decision.

XXXtreme Lightning Baccarat – Evolution

This is another addition to Evolution’s world-famous lightning series and an updated version of Lightning Baccarat. The game includes more Lightning Cards and bigger multipliers, with the highest possible multiplier of 2,850,000x for a Tie bet with 6 Lightning Cards.

In the Lightning Round, 4–8 cards are picked randomly as Lightning Cards, with multipliers ranging from 2x–10x. If your hand includes one Lightning Card, your winnings will be multiplied.

If your winning hand has more than one special card, the winnings multiply again. The maximum multiplier for regular bets is 1,000x. XXXtreme Lightning Baccarat has two side bets: Player and Banker Pair.

Golden Wealth Baccarat – Evolution

This game features Golden Cards with potential multipliers of 2x, 3x, 5x, or 8x. Before each round, five Golden Cards are selected and placed in a glowing pot. The magic cards are highlighted in the interface, and if your winning hand has one of them, your winnings are multiplied accordingly. To get your Golden Card, you must pay a 20% Golden Fee. The maximum possible multiplier in this version is 262,144x.

Prosperity Tree Baccarat – Evolution

This Evolution live baccarat introduces Prosperity Cards. Each round features eight special cards with 2x and 3x multipliers falling from the tree during the Prosperity Round. The maximum possible multiplier in Prosperity Tree Baccarat is 27x for standard bets and 3,645x for a Tie bet. The game has two side bets, Player Pair and Banker Pair, which pay 10–90:1.

Online Baccarat Strategy & Tips

A great thing about baccarat is that it’s a game of luck. In other words, you don’t need a strategy. Still, I want to share a few tips with you. Hopefully, they’ll help you optimise your gameplay for better chances to win.

• Bet on the Banker since this hand wins more often.
• Skip Tie bets — they are rare and have a high house edge.
• Always keep an eye on your bankroll. Set a budget and stick to it.
• If the casino has an attractive bonus with fair wagering, use it.
• Always check the side bets and their payouts and house edge.