In this article, we’ll compare two variants: Always 9 Baccarat and Always 8 Baccarat. Read on to learn how they stack up against each other and which one is more worth your time and money.
How Do These Games Work?
As their names might have tipped you off, both games work with the same basic rules. The first card on the Banker side has a fixed value, meaning it always starts with an 8 or 9. The rest of the rules remain the same. Both the Player and the Banker receive two cards, with the side closest to or equal to 9 by the end being the winning hand.
Aces are worth one point, while cards 2-9 are worth their numerical values. Meanwhile, 10s and face cards don’t give you any points. The points are added together to form your hand value. If the sum exceeds 10, the first digit is dropped. For example, drawing a 7 or 9 will result in a hand value of 6, not 16.
Players can predict whether the Player or Banker side will win or that the round will end in a Tie. The latter wins if both Player and Banker hold hands of equal value after all the cards are drawn. Due to the structure of these games, the Player bet pays better than its Banker counterpart. However, the Banker wager is more likely to win as it always starts with a strong card.
Where to Play These Games
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The Differences Between Always 9 and Always 8 Baccarat
The only difference between these Evolution releases is what permanent card is present on the Banker side. However, this seemingly minor change can have a notable impact on the payouts and RTP.
Since Always 9 Baccarat starts you off with a higher-value card in the Banker spot and offers better payouts, its RTP exceeds that of its competitor. If you wager on the Banker bet, you get an RTP of 98.43%, slightly better than Always 8 Baccarat’s 98.29%. The same is true with the Player bet, which is 98.26% in Always 9 versus 98.02% in Always 8.
The situation with payouts is somewhat mixed between the two releases. The Player bet pays more in Always 9 Baccarat, awarding 1.65:1 when won instead of 1.48:1. However, Always 8 Baccarat has a slight advantage in Banker bets, granting a 0.62:1 versus 0.56:1.
The Tie and side bets are the same across both versions. They have the same RTP and payouts, so they’re equally enjoyable in both versions.
Which Game Should You Play?
Between the two games, Always 9 Baccarat is the clear winner. With their gameplay and bonuses being practically identical, it all comes down to which title has better payouts and RTP. The difference isn’t massive, though, so if you prefer Always 8 Baccarat, choosing it isn’t a big sacrifice.
Both games are widely available in a lot of live casinos, so you won’t have a hard time finding and playing these releases. We recommend checking them out in one of our recommended online casinos.
