Rules of Baccarat

Baccarat is one of those casino games that you may have heard of or thought that it looked easy in passing but don’t really know that much about it. It’s a card game unlike any other that originated in France and can bring in high stakes.

Baccarat has a simple goal: get a total value of 9, or as close to it as possible. You get dealt up to three cards to do this. Cards 2 through 9 are face value. Aces are worth 1, and 10’s and face cards are worth 0. It’s a game of addition and subtraction. If the value of your hand exceeds 9, 10 is subtracted. Let’s say you get dealt a 3 and a 9. That has a value of 2 because 12-10=2. It’s best not to go over 9.

You stop at three cards in baccarat. If your first two cards have a combined value of 6 or higher, you can’t take a third card. A two-card hand with a value of 8 or 9 is called a natural hand. In this scenario, a player can’t draw a third card.

Up to 14 players can play a baccarat game. The dealer shuffles and puts the card in a shoe for players to take turns dealing from. A table may have up to three dealers. The middle one is the caller, announcing totals and determining who gets a third card. The two dealers on the ends of the table oversee wins and losses and how much the banker gets on losses.

The tricky part is that you have three options for betting. You can bet that your hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the hands will tie. There are rows for each bet on the table. Baccarat has a great house edge for players at only 1.4%.

Taking Advantage of Timed Welcome Bonuses

Some online casinos are drawing in new gamblers with timed welcome bonuses. Online gambling is a competitive industry and whoever finds the most creative way to draw people can come out the winner for their business. Most online casinos use a match bonus after joining that applies to your first deposit or first few deposits. They have hidden wagering requirements where you must play through to a certain amount and only apply to certain games. Timed welcome bonuses are easier.

With these bonuses, players get free play on one or more casino games with no deposit for a certain amount of time. The general duration is 60 minutes for timed welcome bonuses. The bonus may apply to any combination of slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, video poker, etc. When the time is up, you pocket the winnings. Sometimes, the money earned is deemed as credits. You may have to reach a certain goal of credits within 24 hours. If you meet the goal, you get whatever bonus amount they are offering. If you don’t meet it, any credits or money is lost. It is a good way to keep you excited and check out the different games at the online casino.

Timed welcome bonuses are usually free and provide plenty of extra entertainment to your gambling experience. Certain terms and conditions may apply so read the fine print carefully to check for wagering requirements. But they won’t be as strict as what you would find at many match bonuses or no-deposit bonuses.

Online Gambling Know How

Know how is practical knowledge of how to get something done and that’s exactly what the point of this post is—what it takes to be a successful Internet gambler. There are three main things you should know before joining an online casino.

First, you should know the games. If you want to stand a chance, you must understand the rules and strategies for each game before you start gambling. Know the house advantage of each game. Play for free to test the online casino before gambling with real money.

Slots are the most popular online casino game because they are easy and effective. The progressive jackpots get substantial and the themes and graphics draw the player in. Payouts range between 95-98%. Behind that, online poker is very popular due to the rise of televised poker events like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. The most popular form of poker because of T.V. is Texas Hold’em poker. It is common among the young crowd because it’s easy to play online and they aspire to be like those professionals they see on T.V. There are many different variations to poker and they all require a certain strategy. Video poker is another popular skill game that combines the rules of slots and 5-card poker. Blackjack is another skill game that is simple and exciting. The card game has basic rules but there are many different strategies involved. The last most popular table game is roulette. This is another simple game that is based more on luck than strategy. It’s easy once you understand the betting layout. The Internet casino graphics bring roulette to life just like a real casino. Aside from that there are many other table games online that you would normally find at a land-based casino like craps, baccarat, keno, etc.

The second thing you should know about an online casino before signing up is that it is licensed by a third party organization like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance). Do a little research into the site and make sure it is a reputable company. They may own other trusted online gambling sites. Make sure they have secure banking procedures and use trustworthy software like Microgaming, Realtime Gaming, Playtech, Cryptologic, Rival Gaming, Vegas Technology, etc.

The third know how to Internet gambling is knowing your limits. This is one of the most important parts of being a successful gambler. Set win and loss limits or a duration of time to play and stick to it. Even if you’re in the hole a little bit and think you can make a comeback and break even, stop playing and walk away. There’s a drive inside you that makes you want to keep playing but that drive can lead to more debt and addiction. Come back later with a clear head. Also, know that you’re bound to lose at some point if you keep winning. Don’t get greedy because the house still rules online.

Online Casino Tips for Beginners

Online casinos have all the bells and whistles of a brick and mortar casino, yet none of the distractions and waiting in line. So why not gamble online from the comfort of your home? All the most popular casino games like blackjack, roulette, poker, slot machines, baccarat, craps and more are available. You can practice for free without risking any money. And, you get free bonus money for signing up with an online casino. Sounds easy, right? Well, if you’re a beginner, it can get intimidating. Here are some tips to safeguard yourself.

Know your local laws. Make sure it is legal to gamble online where you live and that you are of legal age to do so. Learn the rules and strategies of each game before playing them. It doesn’t matter if you’ve played and won the game before. There is such a thing as beginner’s luck. Trust me when I say that you need strategy to win a game consistently. Make sure the online casino is licensed and find unbiased reviews of the online gambling site. A simple Internet search can help you find some quality reviews. If the online casino is licensed, your personal information is safe.

Next, see what kind of bonuses and promotions are currently being offered and look up the past ones, usually on the tournament page. There will be strings attached except for certain no-deposit bonuses so read the fine print. Some bonuses may only apply to specific games. While you’re doing that, test the streaming quality of the website. Can you play online or do you have to download their software? Try out some games if a free play option is available. Most online casinos offer that. Find out what they accept as payment options and check the deposit/withdrawal limits. Test the customer support with a simple question to see if it really is 24/7 and if they are courteous and respectful of your needs. Last but not least, remember that gambling is a source of entertainment. If you lose too much and it becomes stressful, it’s time to stop.

Choosing the Right Online Casino

Choosing the right online casino is like choosing a fine wine. It can look good on the outside, but once you get in and taste it, you could be unpleasantly surprised. There are a number of things to consider before signing up so get your pen and paper ready.

First, look at the selection of games available on the website. Do they suit your interests? If you like to play card games, you might not necessarily care that they have 100 different slot machines to play. Instead, look for a wide range of poker games. Test out the streaming quality of the website. Make sure it offers 24/7 customer service. Most websites offer this in case you encounter problems with software loading, payments or withdrawals. Shop around for the best welcome bonuses. Some get up to the thousands depending on how many deposit matches are available. Other types of bonuses may come on your birthday, holidays or participation in tournaments. Most online casino games offer better payouts than land-based casinos so check on those as well. Do they offer free play for practice as well as playing with real money? Are there classes offering free games and tutorials on how to play? These are especially important for beginners who need practice.

Above all else, make sure the online casino is a licensed operator. Check for symbols from third party auditors like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and TST (Technical Systems Testing). When you make payments and withdrawals, you can link up your bank account to the online casino. Be careful of identity theft by making sure your credit card and banking information is kept on a secured server. If you don’t find anything on the website that says it is licensed, it could be a fraud. Rogue online casinos have become a serious issue. Do an internet search on the casino and get some reviews on it. Some illegitimate casinos share content so copy a paragraph from the website and paste it into an internet search engine. If you find the exact same content on other websites, steer clear. Are the terms and conditions clear? Don’t fall prey to a hidden agenda on bonuses like wagering requirements.