Updated Updated: August 6, 2023

Play Baccarat Online with Real Money and Free in NZ

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Updated Updated: August 6, 2023

Nowadays, New Zealand players can access a wide range of online baccarat games both for free and with real money stakes as well. In this guide we will be looking at the game from top to bottom, explaining everything that you need to know about this fun and simple casino game. We’ll blow all the myths away and show you that baccarat is a game you really must try out for yourself.

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Online baccarat overview

baccarat live dealer

Baccarat is perfect for small-stake players and the easy gameplay rules also lend itself well to beginners and casual casino players.

Let’s get to the basics of baccarat and get an understanding of what the game is all about first. The rules are simple and there is very little strategy involved and this leaves very little to remember when playing. The only decisions that come down to the player are all involved before the cards are dealt and this is based on where to place the bets.

Once the cards are dealt, the rest of the game is pretty much automated and in the hands of the banker and the game rules. The three main bets are a player, a banker, and a tie. These are all the options you need to worry about. We’ll take a closer look at these betting options later on and explain to you why you only need to remember two of these bets when playing anyway, which makes the game even more simple.

Types of online baccarat games

Live Baccarat: An online baccarat game that is played with professional dealers in a live casino atmosphere via HD streams.

RNG Baccarat: An online baccarat game that is played against the computer with an RNG (random number generator).

Styles of RNG baccarat

Usually, if an online casino in NZ offers live baccarat they offer RNG baccarat too.

  1. Punto Banco: A North American version where the banker leads with two sets of cards that players then bet on, it’s not so common at online casinos.

  2. Super Pan 9: All players take three cards face down and will be offered an extra card before placing their bet. The usual game rules then play out to determine the outcome.

  3. Chemin De Fer: Often only available at offline casinos in New Zealand as each player takes a turn of being the banker.

  4. Baccarat Gold: Specific game rules that dictate when a player and banker get to hit and stand, this keeps the betting round as balanced as possible.

Play online baccarat for real money at NZ casinos

Once you’ve fully understood the gaming rules and the strategies based around the baccarat game, you’ll be ready and confident to deposit and play with your NZDs.

The plus point here is that you also get to claim the various signup bonus deals around New Zealand, this not only boosts your bankroll but also gives you the chance to win extra prizes from free bonus money.

Not to forget to mention that the live baccarat games also become available to real money players, your online baccarat world is fully opened up as soon as you register and make a deposit.

Pros
  • Claim big casino bonuses to boost your bankroll
  • Earn loyalty points to claim even more bonuses
  • Win real cash money prizes
  • Play baccarat online live dealer games
Cons
  • The bonus money comes with various T&Cs
  • Risk of losing your own money
  • Faster games with time limits

The best NZ sites to play online baccarat with real money

We selected these three online casinos in NZ for you to play baccarat online with real money. These offer a nice welcome bonus and also online live baccarat to play with a real dealer. If you would like more choices, take a look at the entire list of online casinos with NZ Dollars.

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Play baccarat online free games

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If you’re new to baccarat then we suggest that you hunt down the free baccarat games first. This will give you a taste of the game and how the rules work before you put down real money.

Playing free games also brings other advantages such as risk-free gaming, and the positive note here is that there are several online NZ casino sites out there that offer these free casino games.

Pros
  • No need to sign up for casino accounts
  • Zero risks to your own money
  • Unlimited time to practice the game
  • 24/7 casual entertainment
Cons
  • No access to bonus offers and deals
  • No chance to win real cash prizes
  • Minimal styles of baccarat available

Play baccarat online live with real money

Baccarat is a common game played by live dealer fans and it offers you that ultimate immersive experience that has made live casinos so popular across New Zealand.

Top live casino developers such as Evolution Gaming and NetEnt create some of the very best in live dealer casino games.

The beauty of live baccarat is that you can watch the dealer shuffle and deal the cards, helping to bring the realness and legitimacy of the game to anyone who might doubt the online RNG games.

You should be made aware that due to the live dealer requirement, the baccarat dealers are not always available so you will need to find out when the tables become open in New Zealand.

Each casino will offer specific times when live baccarat is available. You can find out more once you sign up and become a full member.

baccarat different games

You can play live dealer baccarat for NZD at LeoVegas Casino – they offer 35 various tables!

Baccarat table designs

You will come across three different baccarat casino online table designs but the one important note to remember here is that the gameplay and rules are all the same, no matter which table design you play.

The main difference between them comes down to the upper and lower betting limits available, the number of players allowed on the table, and how the cards are dealt out.

Midi baccarat

midi baccarat table

Mini baccarat

mini baccarat table

Punto Banco

punto banco baccarat

Top baccarat strategies

Due to the game offering close to even odds, you have a few options to consider when it comes to strategies.

It’s best that you at least try one of the following betting ideas when you next play baccarat online:

  • Single Trend: A simple strategy that asks you to stick to one bet throughout your session.
  • Switch Combat: Switch the betting option from banker to player on each hand.
  • Breaking Up Double Downs: Return to a single bet when you hit a double-down winner.

Expert top tips

Following some of the following top tips from our casino experts will give your next baccarat session a boost and hopefully, you’ll see a lot more wins coming your way:

  1. Stay away from the tie bet as this comes with an extremely higher house edge percentage.
    Take the banker and player bets, these offer 1.06% while the tie bet offers 14.4%, a huge increase as you can see.

  2. The banker bet will win slightly over 50% of the time so always make the banker option as your first bet at the baccarat table.
    You don’t actually realise the full edge because of the 5% commission taken by the house, but the banker bet is the best option in the game.

  3. Stick with the banker bet until it loses for the best possible chance of a winning streak.
    Although winning streaks show no sign of continued wins, the slight edge on the banker bet should always be followed for your best opportunity to pick up a win.

  4. Watch out for the mini-baccarat game due to the fast-paced rate at which the betting rounds are played.
    You can quickly burn through your bankroll if you are not careful, so try to stick to the traditional baccarat game if possible.

Online baccarat game rules

How to play baccarat online

If you’re familiar with blackjack then baccarat is often considered a very similar game.

Your goal in blackjack online is to get as close as possible to 21, in baccarat, the idea is the same but the important number to get close to is nine.

The one major difference between blackjack and baccarat is that whenever your hand comes to over 21, you instantly lose. However, this is not necessarily the case in baccarat because of the way the card values and rules work.

Baccarat card betting process

To begin with, you’ll be given two cards and you can determine the score using the following card values:

  • Face cards and 10s are counted as 0 points
  • All other cards come with their own face values

If your card score value is greater than 10 then a small mathematical equation is required, you simply take the second digit of the total score. So, if you are holding two 7s then this would give you a total of 14, your baccarat score would then be 4.

The next stage will depend on your card score and the banker will look at the player’s cards to determine the next move, which might include the important baccarat 3rd card rule.

  • If you hand totals 8 or 9 then no more cards are dealt as this is known as a Natural
  • If your hand totals 6 or 7 then no more cards are dealt
  • All other hand totals will result in the player receiving another card

The third stage is now moved over to the banker and these rules might seem a little more complicated, but remember, these are automatic and you don’t need to remember any of these moves:

  • If the banker’s total is 6, the banker draws when the player’s hand is 6 or 7, else they stand
  • If the banker’s total is 5, they will then draw on the players total if they hold 4 through 7, else they stand
  • If the banker’s total is 4, they will then draw on the player’s total if they hold 2 through 7
  • If the banker’s total is 3, they will only stand if the player’s total comes to 8
  • The banker will then calculate who has the winning hand and then you will be credited with any winnings if you did win.

Types of bets

Betting on baccarat is super simple and you only need to remember the three main betting options of player, banker, and tie.

Here are those bets and the related baccarat odds as well:

Bet NameBet ExplanationOdds
PlayerBet on the player’s hand1-1
BankerBet on the banker’s hand0.95-1
TieBet on the tie8-1 or 9-1

FAQ

Yes, you will find multiple options for playing baccarat free games and Royal Panda Casino is the site we recommend. You can test out betting stakes and betting options and learn how the game works before you play for real money.

The best online casinos in New Zealand for baccarat are listed above but our favourite casino for baccarat is currently Royal Panda Casino. Here you can play baccarat online free games as well as live dealer games and play for real money options as well.

Most baccarat games are played with a total of eight decks although other versions with six decks are available as well at various online NZ casinos. You can use an online baccarat house edge calculator to work out the different odds when playing each of these six-deck and eight-deck games.

There is no guarantee to win every game of baccarat but there are ways to keep that famous low house edge down. By following our top tips and always staying clear of the Tie bet, you will give yourself the best possible chances of winning.

Yes, baccarat can be beaten but not 100% of the time. The low house edge on the player and banker bets does give you a good chance of beating the game from time to time. However, as mentioned before, no casino game is completely beatable. Stick to the expert tips and keep that house edge as low as possible.

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