What Is Live Speed Baccarat?

Baccarat is already one of the fastest games in live dealer casinos. You’ll typically see between 75 and 90 hands per hour with this game.

But would you believe that live baccarat can go even faster than this!? Live speed baccarat delivers an even quicker experience than the regular version.

If you’ve ever been interested in faster baccarat action, then you’ll want to check out the following guide. It covers more on the basics of live speed baccarat along with if it’s ultimately worth playing.

Who Offers Live Speed Baccarat?

Evolution Gaming is currently the only software provider that offers live speed baccarat. They may even own a patent on this game type.

Evolution is known as the premier live-dealer gaming provider. That said, you can find speed baccarat and their other games at many casinos.

Unfortunately, most Americans can’t play at Evolution casinos. This developer only operates in regulated markets, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

If you do live in a state/country that’s served by Evolution Gaming, then you’ll likely find live speed baccarat at an online casino.

The Difference between Speed Baccarat & Other Live Versions

According to Evolution Gaming, the average live baccarat round lasts for 48 seconds. This time includes the point from when the dealer first draws cards to when they scoop up the cards and begin a new round.

You may already find 48 seconds per hand to be a rather quick pace. However, live baccarat gets even faster.

The speed version features rounds that only last for 27 seconds. This means that the speed variation moves approximately 60% faster than standard baccarat.

At this pace, you’re looking at over 120 hands per hour. You may even feel like the games are faster than this when considering how little time you have to make decisions.

Once a dealer begins drawing cards from the shoe, you have just 13 seconds to place bets. Once the 13 seconds are up, the dealer starts revealing card values and all betting action is off.

You can see that live speed baccarat is definitely unique due to its quick pace. However, it offers even more than meets the eye.

Not only can you play the speed version but also open a separate regular live baccarat table on the side. You do this by selecting “add table” on the screen and re-visiting the lobby.

Once here, you simply open another baccarat table or even another type of game. You’ll then see both tables on your smartphone/computer screen at the same time.

Similar to Regular Live Baccarat in Many Ways

Speed baccarat sounds like an exotic variation. The reality, though, is that it’s not much different than the traditional live version.


The scoring and basic rules are all the same.

• Aces count as 1.
• Face cards count as 0.
• 2-9 are worth their numerical value.
• The side that gets closest to 9 wins.
• The croupier deals a shoe until reaching the cut card.

If you’ve played baccarat anywhere else before, then you’ll experience little-to-no trouble adjusting to this game. You just need to be ready for quicker play.

Regular & Side Bets

Like any baccarat game, the speed version features three regular bets. These wagers include:

• Banker hand – Pays even money (minus a 5% commission on wins)
• Player hand – Pays even money
• Both hands tying – Pays 8:1

In addition to these main bets, speed baccarat also offers various side wagers. These side bets include:

• Either Pair – You win a 5:1 payout if the dealer or player has any kind of pair.
• Perfect Pair (Single) – You win 25:1 if the dealer’s or player’s two cards are of identical rank and value (e.g. two jacks or diamonds).
• Perfect Pair (Both) – You win 200:1 if the dealer’s and player’s two cards are of identical rank and value.

Customize the Table to Your Liking

You may find that the regular table settings aren’t to your preference in live speed baccarat. If so, you can change the settings through the camera button.

This lets you change the view, which involves making the dealer’s window smaller. Meanwhile, the betting options will appear larger.

This setup is preferable for when you frequently change bets and don’t like struggling to see the buttons. Of course, you can go back to the old view at any time.

Chat with the Dealer

A key reason why live-dealer gaming is popular in the first place is the player-dealer interaction. You can actually communicate with the dealer through a chat box.

Not surprisingly, live speed baccarat also gives you this option. You can send the croupier a message at any time during the game. The dealer can choose to respond based on the relevance of your question/comment.

The only downside, though, is that speed baccarat doesn’t give you as much time to chat. Hands move at such a quick pace that you may only have time to make the occasional comment here and there.

Nevertheless, you can still enjoy the same social interaction through speed baccarat as with any other live variation.

Pros of Live Speed Baccarat

Speed baccarat offers a few distinct advantages that make it worth considering. Here are the biggest benefits to playing this game.

No Time Wasted

With 48-second rounds on average, live baccarat definitely features some downtime. You may find yourself waiting 15-20 seconds after making a decision.

Of course, this is still less downtime than most live casino games, like blackjack and roulette. But you may not personally want to waste any time.

Live speed baccarat greatly reduces the waiting. You may not even experience any downtime at all during some hands.

This is especially true if you need to change your bet type or how much you’re wagering. By the time you make changes, the croupier will be ready to deal the hand.

Action Packed Entertainment

Speed baccarat is one of the most action-packed games in the casino. It constantly sees you playing hands and making decisions.

In a way, speed baccarat is like the slots of live dealer casinos. It gives you an opportunity to play many hands in a relatively short time period.

If for some reason the speed version doesn’t satisfy your appetite, you can get even more action by adding an extra table.

Evolution gives you the ability to open a regular live baccarat table while these speed version is going on. You can quickly make decisions on the speed table and play the traditional version with any additional time you have left.

Place Side Bets

Live speed baccarat already stands out due to its fast hands. However, it provides even more entertainment through the form of side bets.

As covered before, you can place several different side wagers. These bets provide an opportunity to turn small wagers into big money.

Of course, the side bets are completely optional. You can place them whenever you feel like it or just stick with the basic wagers.

Cons of Live Speed Baccarat

This game isn’t perfect in every respect. Here are some additional considerations you should think about before playing speed baccarat.

More Exposure to the House Edge

Baccarat features one of the lowest house edges in the casino. You’ll only be facing a 1.06% house advantage as long as you place the banker bet every time.

Nevertheless, you’re still facing a house edge. The more that you’re exposed to the casino’s advantage, the more chances you have of losing money.

Luckily, live speed baccarat doesn’t force you to risk much to play. Therefore, you can minimize expected losses by placing smaller bets.

Even still, you’ll be facing around 60% more decisions per hour. These extra decisions increase the chance that you’ll lose more money.

May Be Too Fast

Faster isn’t always better when it comes to gaming. You might find yourself longing for regular live baccarat after playing the speed variant.

First off, you must make decisions a lot quicker. This becomes problematic when you switch wagers and bet sizes often.

You also have less time to simply enjoy the game. When you’re going through a winning streak in live speed baccarat, you don’t get much time to revel in the moment.

Less Time to Chat with the Dealer

Social interaction is one of the biggest parts of live gaming. If you couldn’t chat with the dealer, then you’d have less incentive to play in live casinos.

Of course, the chat function is still available in speed baccarat. The problem, though, is that you won’t have as much time to use it.

When you do communicate with the dealer, you may feel rushed. This experience isn’t what many players envision when logging onto a live-dealer casino.

Is This Game Worth Playing?

Live speed baccarat is definitely a personal preference. You’re either going to love or hate the quick-paced action.

Before playing the speed version, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you get bored waiting during live baccarat hands?
• Are you a gambler who loves fast-paced action?
• Do you have a large enough bankroll to take on more losses?
• Are you willing to sacrifice some of the social element for more hands?

Assuming you answer yes to some or all of these questions, then you’ll probably appreciate speed baccarat.

On the other hand, you might be somebody who likes relaxing and savoring each hand. In this case, live speed baccarat probably isn’t for you.

Conclusion

Speed baccarat is a fun-and-exciting way to enjoy a classic live-dealer game. It ramps up the action by reducing your decision-making time.

This game is perfect if you enjoy live gambling, yet are looking for something fresh. You may even come to enjoy speed baccarat over the main variation.

Just be aware, though, that you’ll see more hands per hour. I suggest starting with a larger bankroll than normal to combat the increased exposure to the house edge. Provided you’re comfortable with the extra risk, then you should appreciate live speed baccarat.