The famous game of baccarat first became popular in Napoleonic-era France, when the nobility played Baccarat Banque against each other in private gaming rooms.
Modern-day baccarat isn't quite so exclusive, with the more modern Chemin de Fer and Punto Banco found alongside the original version in public casinos around the world.
The internet era has made baccarat even more accessible to curious players.
Note: Now, of course, you don't even need to visit a physical casino to play, you can just register at an online casino for baccarat online play. Better still, you can play baccarat online free at Casino Meter.
On this page, you'll find a selection of free baccarat games for you to try out without dipping into your bank balance. We'll help you track down the best ones for you, as well as tell you a little more about one of the all-time classic online casino games.
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A brief overview of free baccarat games
Baccarat online play is very similar to the real-life games you'll find in a live casino. The main idea is the same: you bet which hand will be closer to a total of nine – the player's (punto) or the banker's (banco) – or if it will be a tie.
We work this out by adding the value of the cards in each hand. Aces are worth one point, 10/J/Q/K are zero, while all remaining cards hold their face value.
Note: If the hand goes above nine, then we just subtract 10 from the total to give a new score, rather than go 'bust' like in blackjack.
A successful bet on either of the banker or player hands pays out a ratio of 1:1 meaning you get $10 back if you stake $5. Many versions of the game deduct a 5% commission if it's the banker, though, meaning you'd get $9.75 in this example.
By far the biggest winning potential in baccarat is betting on the tie, which carries odds of 8/1. Here, your $5 stake would give you $45, but this is, of course, much riskier.
To get used to these rules, we recommend that you give the free baccarat games on this page a try before you wager any money. This will show you the ropes and will reduce your chances of losing when it comes to playing for real.
Or you could just continue playing for fun, of course. Many of the games on this list are entertaining enough to play for the sheer pleasure of it, and in the next section we'll show you how to find the best ones.
How to find the best free baccarat online games
If you don't want to waste your time on bang-average baccarat games, then you can check out what your fellow players think by checking out how many 'likes' each game has in their title screen.
The more 'thumbs-up' you see, the more highly it's rated by the online playing community.
You can improve the chances of being happy with the games you find by narrowing the selection down to certain game providers.
If you love Red Tiger Gaming's content, for example, then you can go to 'Advanced filters' and tick their box in the 'Game provider' section. You can pick as many as you want.
Perhaps you'd like to include other free casino games in your search, in which case you can choose them within the 'Casino games' filter. While this will dilute your baccarat search with more games, it's a way to find more free casino games from our database.
How to play baccarat online for free
So, let's say you have your filtered collection of baccarat games in front of you: how do you start playing?
The answer's simple. Just hover your mouse over the game and click 'Play for free'.
When you do this, you'll go to an information page where you'll find out key info about the game, such as its RTP (Return to Player), which formats you can play it on and which online casinos it's available at.
Note: Remember to always do your research before committing to an online casino and go with the best-rated casino possible if you do decide to play for money and read the review that comes with it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it worth using a baccarat strategy?
Baccarat, especially Punto Banco, is mainly a game of chance, so any strategy that claims to win you money is a hoax.
That said, there are a few simple rules you can follow that will give you a better chance of winning, including never betting on the tie (the money paid out hardly ever reflects the true odds of winning), and avoiding side bets which rarely offer you value for money.
In fact, betting on the banker is statistically the smartest move, as it has the best RTP.
Also, whether playing for money or for fun, it's always smart to practice good gaming habits so that it'll be second nature to you.
While there are no effective baccarat strategies, you can keep some principles (other than the safe gambling rules) in mind as you play.
If you want our advice, the best strategy you can use is to follow safe gambling principles. Doing sensible things like setting a loss limit and never playing with borrowed money is the best way to avoid losing money – it might be your best chance of winning some, too.
How can I play mobile baccarat?
Mobile baccarat is readily available these days. When you click 'Play for free' on any game, you'll see if it's mobile-supported on the second information page. If it is, you can then play for free.
To play mobile baccarat for money, go to our list of online casinos and select 'Mobile-friendly' from the popular filters and 'Baccarat' from the 'Casino Games' list. You'll then have all the sites that offer baccarat on the go.
Are there any other free casino games I can play other than baccarat?
Yes. Casino Meter offers thousands of free casino games from across the iGaming spectrum.
Go to the 'Casino games' filter on this page and take your pick: you'll be able to include slots, video poker, and even the likes of keno and craps to your search.
Can I win money playing baccarat online for free?
No. Although both versions have exactly the same rules, design, and Random Number Generator (RNG), you can only win money when you stake money on baccarat.
That said, you have a chance of a small cash prize using a no deposit bonus. To see those available for baccarat games, go to our list of no deposit bonuses and choose 'Baccarat' from the 'Casino games' filter.