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Evolution Gaming has taken the classic casino game of baccarat that we all know and love and reinvented it for live casino, incorporating exciting new features like RNG multipliers to up the winning potential. Check out our detailed review covering gameplay, top tips, and unique features.
by Evolution Gaming
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, but for Evolution Gaming’s Lightning series, it keeps striking again and again. Following on from big hits such as Lightning Roulette, the company unveiled Lightning Baccarat at ICE 2020.
Building on the same principles of other live casino games in the Lightning series, this baccarat variant combines traditional elements of the popular Asian card game with the “Lightning” multiplier bonus.
This makes the overall gameplay much more fast-paced, as players can take advantage of multipliers and Lucky Numbers with the hoping of bagging the maximum $500,000 jackpot! Keep reading to learn how to play this electrifying live casino game.
Live casino game | Info |
---|---|
Name | Lightning Baccarat |
Release date | 2020 |
Software developer | Evolution Gaming |
Game type | Baccarat |
RTP | 98.76% |
Hit Frequency | N/A |
Volatility | Medium |
Min/max bet | $1 - $500 |
Max win | 262,144x / $500,000 |
If you want to be successful at playing Lightning Baccarat, you’ll first need to understand the basic rules of baccarat. Fortunately, it’s a very simple game to learn.
The game begins with the player (you) and the banker (dealer) each receiving two cards. The aim of the game is to predict whose hand will be closest to nine. You can also bet on a tie, which pays out more, but is less likely to happen.
Cards two to nine are worth their face value, while 10s and face cards are worth zero points, and an ace is worth one point. The most straightforward outcome of baccarat is that the higher hand value will win.
However, if the value is more than 10, only the last digit counts. For example, if the hand adds up to 15, its value is five. If either card has a value of eight or nine, this is called a “natural” and no more cards are drawn. Finally, if neither card has a natural and the value is less than eight, the “third-card rule” applies, which means the player and the banker can draw another card.
The only exception to this is if the banker already has an eight or nine, in which case they win outright – which is why the banker’s hand always has the slight advantage.
What distinguishes Lightning Baccarat from the standard version of the game is the multiplier, which is applied to up to five cards that are randomly selected. The multiplier will be 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 8x your stake.
Here's a quick step-by-step guide on how to play Lightning Baccarat at a live casino:
Evolution Gaming has ramped up the excitement of traditional baccarat with unique features, multipliers, and side bets in Lightning Baccarat:
The multiplier comes into play during the Lightning Round, which occurs after you place your bet and before the dealer deals the cards. Be aware that you will be charged a 20% fee on your initial stake for this round.
During the round, a random number generator (RNG) will select one to five random cards from a standard 52-card deck. These are known as “Lightning Cards”, and they give you an instant multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 8x your stake if you get the same card in your hand and win the round.
Your payouts are all multiplied regardless of how many Lightning Cards you may get, so if you’re lucky, your total winnings could be multiplied by as much as 262,144x. To get the largest payout in this game, you need to successfully bet on a tie with six matching Lightning Cards.
The Lightning Round isn’t the only exciting feature of this game. You can also make side bets on the player pair and banker pair, which pay out if either the player or the banker has two cards of the same value.
The Lightning Baccarat return to player (RTP) is 98.76%, the same as regular baccarat, but there are some trade-offs to keep in mind. You will enjoy the full payout rate if you play the game without getting any Lightning Cards. However, the RTP will drop once the 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 8x multipliers come into play. Also, you will have to pay 20% of your bet to cover this.
If you bet on the banker or the player, the maximum possible payout is 512x your stake. The tie bet has one of the worst RTPs (5:1 compared to the standard 8:1or 9:1, depending on the casino), but it can pay out up to 262,144x (capped at $500,000) with multipliers.
Here’s a breakdown of the different betting options and corresponding payouts in Lightning Baccarat versus standout baccarat:
Scroll right to view more of table items.
Bet | Lightning Baccarat payout | Standard baccarat payout |
---|---|---|
Player | 1:1 | 1:1 |
Banker | 1:1 (5% commission taken on winnings) | 1:1 |
Tie | 5:1 | 8:1/9:1 |
Pair | 9:1 | 11:1 |
Lightning Baccarat has a relatively narrow betting spread that allows you to wager from $1 up to $500 on every round. If you have a small budget, the $1 minimum bet may be too high. Meanwhile, if you want to stake large amounts, the $500 maximum bet may not be large enough.
There is no magic baccarat strategy that will result in wins. As it is a game of chance, you always need some luck on your side. However, we can share some tips that will help you manage your bankroll more effectively:
If you want to play live Lightning Baccarat on your iOS or Android device, you have two choices. The first is to visit your chosen online casino through your mobile browser. All our top-rated casinos are mobile-friendly, and seamlessly adapt to different screen sizes and devices.
The second is to download a casino app to your device. Some of the benefits of using an app include faster performance, stable connectivity, and bespoke features such as push notifications and alerts for new games and bonuses.
Since launching in 2006, Evolution Gaming has garnered a reputation as the leading provider of live casino games. Today, the award-winning studio has a diverse portfolio, ranging from live baccarat, live blackjack, and live roulette to game shows and live sports games.
To keep up with the competition, the provider also releases new live casino titles every month. Along with live casino games, Evolution also has a great collection of slots and table games.
It’s said that good things come in threes, and that is certainly the case with Evolution’s Lightning Baccarat, the third addition to the developer’s trail-blazing Lightning series. The live casino game offers a thrilling new take on classic baccarat , with generous multipliers that can massively increase your potential winnings.
Furthermore, you can expect amazing production quality, with an elegant Art Deco set design and professional human dealers. Of course, there are some drawbacks, for instance the 20% fee added to your stake, and the lower RTP as a result. Overall, if you’re a fan of baccarat and looking for something more exciting and even greater winning potential, Lightning Baccarat is one to try.
Evolution Gaming has a varied portfolio of casino games. Check out some of its other popular titles available in Canada below:
You can find Lightning Baccarat at many of the most most popular casino sites in Canada. Our expert team has done the hard work and reviewed and rated casinos to make it easy for you to find the best operators.
Lightning Baccarat is a live casino game that combines the standard rules of baccarat with RNG multipliers and live table action.
Yes, Lightning Baccarat is streamed live by Evolution Gaming from its studio in Latvia. All the action you see happens in real-time through streaming technology.
Of course, it’s great fun! Fans of traditional baccarat will no doubt appreciate this unique spin on the classic card game, not to mention the chance to win even bigger payouts thanks to the Lightning Round with multipliers.
The Lightning Baccarat RTP is 98.76%, which matches standard baccarat. However, when you get the multiplier Lightning Cards, the RTP drops to a variable number. Check out our payouts table to learn more.
If you bet on tie with a full multiplier and max bet, you can win up to 262,144x your stake, capped at a max win of $500,000.
No, there is currently no Lightning Baccarat free play, which is standard for live casino games. Developers don’t offer their live games in demo mode as they need to cover the costs of paying for a studio, professional dealers, and streaming technology.
By pure luck! As in all casino games, Lightning Baccarat has random outcomes, and there is no way for you or anyone else to influence the result. However, you can apply some Lightning Baccarat strategies to extend your bankroll and make better decisions.
It’s a game of luck. We would love to tell you there are things you can learn that guarantee wins, but that’s not the case. You can learn skills that help you make the best bets in specific situations. Check out our strategy section to find out more.