Online Baccarat NZ — Top Baccarat Casinos in New Zealand

If you are looking for a high-end table game that is so simple that anyone can play it, online baccarat is your best option. Traditionally, baccarat was seen as a game that only the rich should play. However, with online baccarat becoming widely available to everyone, it became evident that the game's low house edge and straightforward rules made it perfect for gamblers on a tight budget too. So, baccarat will work great for both high-roller and low-stakes Kiwi players.

To enjoy all the perks of online baccarat, though, you will need to find a top-quality online casino. Only the best baccarat gambling sites in NZ have the baccarat games you crave and the betting limits you need. At Mr. Gamble, we feature exactly those top baccarat casino sites. Keep reading to learn more about playing baccarat online and locate online casinos that have the baccarat variants you desire!

Why Is Online Baccarat So Popular?

Online baccarat is a super popular table game with Kiwis. Even though casino games like roulette, blackjack and poker are undoubtedly gambling classics, when it comes to the number of hands played each day, baccarat probably trumps them all. The game is so widely spread that millions of gamblers play it day in, day out. Here's why:

• It has a rich history. Invented in the 1400s in Italy, baccarat has always been associated with the gambling elite and aristocracy. That glowing reputation has its perks, as all players want to be considered as part of the social elite.
• Simplicity. Baccarat is one of the easiest games to understand. This casino classic may be understood in minutes by a novice gambler. Calculating baccarat hand totals is simple because there are only three betting options: Banker, Player, or Tie.
• Beginners have the same chances of winning as seasoned pros. To win in baccarat online games, you need to get lucky. That means beginners and baccarat veterans have the same probability of winning.
• Low house edge. The house edge on the Banker bet is 1.06%, while on the Player bet, it is 1.24%. That casino margin ranks among the lowest house edges.

It is easy to see why playing online baccarat is all the rage among Kiwi players. If you are new to the game, you probably feel enticed to check it out too. We completely understand that.

How We Find and Rank the Best Online Baccarat Sites in New Zealand

Learning how to play baccarat is easy. However, finding top-notch online baccarat sites in New Zealand isn't. You need to analyse a wide variety of online casino factors, and even then, you can't be sure you've made the right choice. Locating the top online baccarat sites in NZ is best left to the experts, such as those at Mr. Gamble. Here's how we find online casinos with the best baccarat games in the industry:

Verify Licence

First, we check the online baccarat licence of a casino. It must be valid and issued by a renowned gambling authority. We also look at baccarat software providers. We check if they are licenced by reputable gambling supervisors, as that is crucial too.

Examine Baccarat Variants

With so many online baccarat game variants out there, it would be a pity if you missed out on some just because you were playing at an inferior online casino. Our top-rated baccarat online NZ casinos have a fantastic selection of live dealer baccarat games as well as Random Number Generator (RNG) baccarat titles.

Compare Bonuses

When you join a generous baccarat casino, you don't just benefit from an excellent selection of games. You also get enticing baccarat bonuses and promos. We go through hundreds of casinos and promotions to find bonuses with reasonable terms and conditions that are quite lucrative at the same time.

Rate and Approve the Best Baccarat Casinos

The last thing we do is feature the best baccarat casinos on our site. We rank them from best to decent and tell you everything you need to know about them in our informative reviews.

Comparing the Top 5 Best Sites to Play Baccarat Online

As a baccarat enthusiast, you have better things to do than compare online casinos, house edge percentages, and wagering requirements. You want to do one thing only — play the best baccarat casino games. We make that happen for you. At Mr. Gamble, we do all the heavy lifting and analyse all the crucial (and admittedly boring) elements of online casinos in NZ. All you need to do is pick the best one, place baccarat bets, and claim enticing bonuses.

1. 1

   

   Mr Bet

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   HighRoller Casino

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   Zotabet

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What Do You Need to Know about Baccarat?

When you play baccarat online in New Zealand, you bet which side of the table will get a better hand—the Player's side or the Banker's side. Of course, if both of them have the same card total, the winning outcome is the Tie bet. Needless to say, you can bet on that too. So when playing baccarat, you can bet on three possible outcomes: Player, Banker, and Tie.

And don't be confused by the Player and Banker names. You can bet on both. These are just the two outcomes that you can place your wagers on. You are not obliged to bet on the Player or try to beat the Banker in any way.

Moreover, when you are betting on the Banker, you benefit from a lower house edge of 1.06%. When you place a bet on the Player, though, the house edge is 1.24%. However, many casinos charge a commission of 5% on the Banker bet. So, things even out, more or less. The house edge for Tie bets is 14.4%.

It is also important to note that both the Player and the Banker outcomes pay even money. That means that if you stake $10 on the Banker bet and you win, you will get $10 in profits, minus the casino commission. As you can imagine, due to the low probability of coming to fruition, the Tie bet has the largest odds of 8-to-1. So, for a stake of $10, you will get a profit of $80.

How Does Online Baccarat Work?

The goal of baccarat is to bet on the side of the table that has a card total of nine or is close to nine. For instance, if the Banker has a total of seven and the Player has a total of nine, the Player wins. A total of 8 or 9 is also called a "Natural."

Here's what's very important: In baccarat, face cards are counted as zero. So if you get a king, a queen, or a ten, they are all zeros. Cards from 2 to 9, on the other hand, are counted at their face value, while the ace is 1. So, if you have a king and an 8, your total is 8. If you have a 5 and a 3, your total is also 8.

When you get two card combinations, such as 8 and 9, or 6 and 8, you first add the two numbers and then subtract 10 from the total. So, a hand of 8 and 9 is worth 7 (8+9-10). A hand of 6 and 8, in contrast, is worth 4 (6+8–10).

When Is a Third Card Drawn?

In online baccarat games, a hand can finish with two or three cards drawn. It all depends on the total the Player and Banker have.

• The Player gets a third card with a total of 0-5. A total of 6 or 7 means the Player stands, i.e., does not get an additional card. So, the third-card rule for the Player is pretty straightforward.
• The Banker draws a third card with a total of 0–5 when the Player stands. A total of 6 or 7 for the Banker means he stands too.

The only thing complicated about baccarat is how the Banker reacts to the third card of the Player. That's the trickiest part of the baccarat rules. Here's a brief breakdown of possible scenarios for the Banker:

• The Banker is totaling 2 or less; a third card is drawn.
• The Banker is totaling 3, and a third card is drawn (unless the Player gets an 8).
• The Banker is totaling 4; a 3rd card is drawn if the Player’s 3rd card is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• The Banker is totaling 5; a 3rd card is drawn when the Player’s 3rd card is 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• The Banker is totaling 6; a third card is drawn if the Player’s third card is 6 or 7.
• When the Banker has a total of 7, they stand.

As you can see, the third-card rule is quite complicated. However, fret not. All dealers will inform you of your options, and most casinos have tables that show what you need to do in these scenarios.

Baccarat Tips and Tricks

As we already mentioned, baccarat is all about luck. If you have it, you will win. If you don't, not even the best online baccarat strategy can help you. However, if you want to make betting more organised, here are some baccarat systems for you to consider:

• 1-3-2-4: With this betting system, you adjust your bet stakes for each subsequent bet when you win. In other words, you start with one unit. If you are successful, you stake 3 units. If that wager wins, you stake 2 units, and you continue following the system. When you lose, you return to your original stake.
• Martingale Baccarat Strategy: The Martingale approach is ideal for even money bets. With it, you double your bets until you win. So, if you have a hefty budget, you will always come out on top. However, if you are working on a tight budget, you might want to avoid this strategy.
• You can also use the Fibonacci system to bet on baccarat. It isn't as aggressive as Martingale but still lets you progressively increase your bet stakes. When you use this strategy, you start with 1 unit and continue following Fibonacci's sequence until you win. When you win, you go two steps back in the sequence and continue betting from there.

Neither of these baccarat strategies promises winnings. However, they can give you a sense of control over your destiny, and that, in turn, can result in greater confidence and smarter decisions at the baccarat table.

Baccarat Terminology

Because baccarat has several variants and has spread all over the world, it also comes with unique terminology that might be hard to comprehend if you are a beginner. We can help with that. Read on to learn the most important baccarat terms.

• Banco: Banker
• Banker: A side of the table you can bet on, i.e., the Banker wins.
• Commission: The percentage the casino charges on Banker bets. It is usually around 5%.
• Face Cards: Jacks, Queens, and Kings
• House edge: The advantage the casino has over the gambler
• La Petite: A natural with a total of 8
• Le Grande: A natural with a total of 9
• Natural: A card total of 8 or 9
• Player: A side of the table you can bet on, i.e., the Player wins
• Punto: Player
• Punto Banco: Another name for baccarat
• Run: A side bet feature that lets you bet on multiple hands
• Shoe: The box where the cards are held.
• Tie: The card totals of the Banker and the Player are the same.

As you can see, some baccarat terms descend from foreign languages, and some are slang words. However, fret not if you have problems with them. As soon as you start playing the game, you will learn baccarat terminology without even focusing on or thinking about it.

Special Versions of Baccarat Online

The online baccarat games you play at online casinos today are the most popular baccarat variants. There are some special versions as well. You might not be able to access them as easily as you find the standard baccarat for real money games you play today. That doesn't mean, though, that these special baccarat titles cannot be played at Internet casinos. Let's look at these alternative versions of the game and how they work.

Punto Banco

Punto Banco is hands-down the most popular baccarat variant. It is played with six decks of 52 cards. In Punto Banco, gamblers try to form a hand that totals nine or is as close to nine as possible. Punto Banco can be played with a maximum of seven players. They can bet on the Player (Punto) side of the table or the Bank (Banco). They can also bet on the Tie outcome.

When it comes to the number of cards that will be dealt, for Punto, if the total is between 0 and 5, a third card is drawn. For Banco, a table is consulted, as the third-card rule is slightly more complicated. For instance, 0, 1, and 2 totals always get a third card. However, totals of five, for example, are only dealt a third card when the Player has a total of 4, 5, 6, or 7.

Baccarat Banque

Unlike other versions of the game, three decks of cards are used for Baccarat Banque. What makes this version unique is that the player with the biggest bet is a Banker and continues to be in that role until the full shoe is played or the player has spent all his money. In the online casino version of Baccarat Banque, of course, the Banker role is only symbolic, as the casino has that role.

Another thing that makes this baccarat variant unique is that it is played on two tables joined together where 10–16 players can be seated. Lastly, the total stake size of all players' wagers cannot exceed the bet stake placed by the Banker. This makes the game ideal for high-stakes players. However, bet sizes can be altered and adjusted, so budget players can enjoy the fun too.

Chemin de Fer

Chemin de Fer is another baccarat variant, but it is played mostly in South America and in some European casinos. It means "Iron Road." Up to 12 players can be accommodated on a Chemin de Fer table. As with the standard version of baccarat, the object of the game is to get to a total of nine or as close to nine as possible. Like the other versions of baccarat, two or three cards can be dealt in one hand, depending on the total you have.

What makes Chemin de Fer different is that instead of betting against the house, gamblers play and bet against each other. The perk of this game was and is that you could place a bet without having to go through the Banker, as players wager between themselves.

Mini Baccarat

Mini baccarat is one of the most popular baccarat games that you can play online. As the name implies, Mini baccarat is a downsized version of the standard game. You can wager on either the Player, the Banker, or the Tie bet. Ten decks of cards are used for this version of baccarat, and the standard rules apply.

As with all baccarat versions, you need to read the mini baccarat rule book carefully to know when a third card is drawn. On the Player side, the rules are more straightforward - a total of 0–5 always draws. If the Player gets 6 or 7, he stands. A total of 8 or 9 is considered a Natural, and the Player stands. 

For the Banker, the rules are more complicated, and a mini baccarat table usually needs to be consulted. For instance, a third card will always be drawn for the Banker when the Player stands on 6 or 7 and the Banker totals from 0-5. The Banker will stand on 6, 7, 8, and 9 in this situation.

Live Baccarat

Playing at the best online baccarat casinos is a one-of-a-kind experience. However, despite the wide range of baccarat games available, if you want to experience world-class Las Vegas or Macau gambling, nothing beats live dealer baccarat.

As the name suggests, in live dealer baccarat, you play on the same table with other baccarat players. A croupier conducts each baccarat hand, and, as with other baccarat variations, you can bet on a multitude of main-game wagers and side bets.

All baccarat live dealer games are streamed in real-time from state-of-the-art studios that look and sound like brick-and-mortar casinos.

Lastly, the choice of live casino baccarat games is top-notch too. You don't bet only on the standard Live Baccarat title. You can also place wagers on:

• Live Baccarat Squeeze
• Speed Baccarat
• No Commission Baccarat
• Lightning Baccarat
• Multi-Camera Baccarat

These baccarat variations all operate on the same rules but come with their own unique twists.

For instance, in the squeeze versions, you enjoy the suspense of the ritual of squeezing, where the dealer's skills in slowly revealing the card are vital to the casino experience. On the other hand, Lightning Baccarat combines the main game with an RNG-based "lightning" multiplier to boost your winnings several times over.

Play Baccarat for Free vs. Real Money

At the best online casinos we feature, you can enjoy a baccarat game for free or for real money. Some players prefer the former, while the majority of New Zealand gamblers go for real-money baccarat games. So, which is better for you? Let's find out!

Free Baccarat

• You can play demo versions of baccarat without spending your own funds ✔️
• A free baccarat game will never provide the excitement of casino gambling ❌
• You cannot withdraw what you win as real money ❌
• Not all casinos offer free baccarat games ❌
• By practising with the free baccarat games, you can get used to the rules of the game ✔️

Real Money Baccarat

• You spend your money on real-money games and risk losing them ❌
• Players experience the thrill of the best baccarat tables ✔️
• You can collect your payouts and benefit from real money winnings ✔️
• All the best casinos in NZ offer real-money baccarat games ✔️
• Kiwi players can take advantage of baccarat game bonuses ✔️

Pick a Quality Casino and Play Baccarat Online Like a Pro!

Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games at online gambling sites in NZ. Now you know why. All you need to do next is choose a top baccarat site and enjoy all the perks of baccarat, from a fantastic range of betting options and side bets to the best casino bonuses.

At Mr. Gamble, we analyse baccarat casinos and give you the best baccarat gambling sites on a silver platter. You can pick the one you fancy in a heartbeat and spend the time you saved searching for baccarat casinos playing the popular game. Immerse yourself in the thrilling baccarat world with Mr. Gamble!

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