A number of online casinos today also offer live dealer gambling. Here the games are not controlled by the Random Number Generator as it is in normal online casino software. The games are played out at real casino tables and the outcomes streamed by live video to the player’s computer. The common live dealer games are blackjack, roulette and baccarat. Whereas live dealer roulette and blackjack usually follow the standard variations of the online game, live dealer baccarat has been considerably spruced up as compared to online baccarat. This article discusses some innovative variants of live dealer baccarat.

Baccarat Pairs, or Lucky Pairs as it is sometimes called, is a simple live dealer baccarat variant. The innovations offered are two optional side bets. The player side bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the Player form a pair. Similarly the banker side bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the Banker are a pair. The bettor can wager on both side bets and they will pay out independently. The payout offered is 11 to 1. Some live dealer baccarat casinos have extended this concept with similar side bets in Baccarat Pairs. One bet pays out if either the Player or the Banker has a pair. Another pays out if both the Player and the Banker have a pair. The ultimate bet is that both the Player and the Banker should have a pair and the hand should end in a tie.

Games with progressive jackpots are popular at online casinos. Some live dealer casinos offer a baccarat variant titled Progressive Baccarat. The progressive jackpot is attached to a side bet. A portion of the side bet is allotted to the progressive jackpot and therefore the progressive jackpot amount increases with each side bet. As in Baccarat Pairs the outcome is determined by the first two cards dealt to the Banker and the Player. If the Player is dealt an ace and an eight of one suit and the Banker is dealt an ace and an eight of the same suit then the progressive jackpot is hit. Certain other outcomes result in fixed payouts. For example, if the Player is dealt an ace and an eight of one suit and the Banker is dealt an ace and an eight of a different suit then the payout is 10,000 to 1. The payout table lists the complete fixed payouts.

Dragon Bonus is one of the most exciting live dealer baccarat variants. The side bet payout does not depend directly on the dealt cards but on the margin of victory of the chosen hand. Therefore the first prerequisite is that the chosen hand should win. The largest payouts are for non-natural hands winning. If the margin is 9 points then the payout is 30 to 1. If the margin is 8 points then the payout is 10 to 1. If the margin is 7 points then the payout is 6 to 1. If the margin is 6 points then the payout is 4 to 1. If the margin is 5 points then the payout is 2 to 1. If the margin is 4 points then the payout is 1 to 1. Natural hand winners payout even money and natural hand ties push. In all other cases the side bet loses, even if the chosen hand wins.