A reliable Baccarat strategy is generally considered a falsehood among gamblers, but there are still some tricks you can deploy to your advantage when playing this exciting game. This article will help you understand what your chances of winning in Baccarat really are, and also how to make the correct decisions enabling you to increase your own likelihood of winning.
Common questions asked by those who are learning the game include: Why is Baccarat surrounded by an aura of prestige and elegance? What's with all the velvet? And, who exactly plays Baccarat? Well, those are good questions and puzzling to many experts. One of the most alluring aspects of Baccarat is the glitz and glamour that often accompanies it. Typically, the Baccarat tables in Vegas and AC casinos are roped-off affairs, with velvet partitions and beautiful women adorning the crowd and attending to the high-rolling participants. Solemn and serious, tuxedo-clad dealers add to the striking image of overt wealth and prestige.
Because of all this, one might expect Baccarat to be complicated and accessible only to the wealthy, but this is not the case. Baccarat is one of the easiest games to master due to the small number of strategic decisions needed throughout the game.
Although you may often hear people asserting that they have devised the 'perfect' strategy, Baccarat is essentially a game of chance and there is relatively little the player can do strategically to improve the odds. However, that does not mean that there is no point thinking about the game. There are several central things to remember when playing baccarat that will help you to make correct decisions and play more intelligently and, therefore, increase your chances of success.
Although Baccarat is a lot about chance, there are certain things you can do and know in order to improve the way you bet throughout a game of online baccarat. Read through the baccarat tips below to improve your chances of winning when you play online.
Use the scoreboard! You will undoubtedly see other players make use of the pencil and chart provided by most casinos, on which they keep track of previous hands and try to determine if there is a pattern. Usually, if they believe there is a pattern, they will change their betting in order to take advantage of a streak. This is erroneous and illogical. The casino encourages this because they know it has no bearing on the game. In Baccarat, as in most games, no hand can have influence on a following hand. Although you will see countless other players marking their score card, you should pay no heed to this. After all, would the casinos really provide everyone with something that would help the customers win more money?! No way!!
Never! Avoid it like the plague. No matter what you hear, the Tie is NOT a great option. Although the payout is considerably more than the player and banker bets, and therefore more enticing, it is not a good idea. The house edge on tie bets is at least 5%. Smart gamblers do not bet on the tie.
The house edge for a banker bet outcome is only 1.17%, while the edge for a player bet outcome is slightly more at 1.35%. Thus, you can see the attractiveness of the game. It should be remembered that most casinos will charge a 5% commission on winning banker bets. This simply illustrates for you which outcome is more probable, and therefore the best bet.
Universally not recommended by any gaming experts, the Tie bet outcome is seldom a winner. The payout odds are significantly higher (8:1, opposed to 2:1) which makes it irresistible for those who are looking for that quick buck, or who operate more on whims and hunches than mathematical deduction and logic. If you do choose to bet on the Tie, don't expect to win very often. If you choose to bet on the Tie and win, congratulations!
Looking at the numbers, the odds are always better if you bet on the banker. This Baccarat strategy would be unquestionably dull, and so you wouldn't want to be playing for very long. Remember, the house does have an edge, even though it is relatively small for Baccarat. This means that in the long run the house will win, undeniably. To minimize the house edge, it is advisable to bet on the banker. However, most people play Baccarat for its fun and whimsical nature.
An important thing to consider when choosing which game to play, the number of decks being used is often unwisely overlooked. Below, you will find the advantage of playing games with fewer numbers of decks being used. The number of decks used is displayed on the far left column, followed by the bet outcome in the middle, and finally the probability of these outcomes on the far right:
| Bet Outcome | Probability | |
| 1 DECK | Bank | 45.96% |
| Player | 44.68% | |
| Tie | 9.36% | |
| 4 DECKS | Bank | 45.88% |
| Player | 44.63% | |
| Tie | 9.49% | |
| 6 DECKS | Bank | 45.87% |
| Player | 44.63% | |
| Tie | 9.51% | |
| 8 DECKS | Bank | 45.86% |
| Player | 44.62% | |
| Tie | 9.52% |
Some tables use different numbers of decks. You can maximize returns by playing Baccarat with single decks which offer the best mathematical return (about 1% house edge) for the banker bet, representing the best return possible for any bets in any form of Baccarat. The margin is small but, as you know, Baccarat is often a high-stakes game, so every decimal point of an advantage you can gain will inevitably lead to more positive results and more money in your pocket!
A good rule of thumb if you want to increase your chances of winning at online baccarat is to practice first before wagering. Almost all online casinos offer the game in both the practice mode and the betting mode. It is always a good idea to practice your chosen game in free play mode as it gives you the chance to check out their software before you start playing for money.
There is no ultimate strategy that will see you winning over and over again without fail, but you can adopt some small changes to your game that will increase your chances. Read over strategy for baccarat tips outlined in this article.
It’s never a good idea to wager on a tie as the house edge is approximately 5%, depending on the online casino you’re playing at. If you feel like taking a one-off risk then go for it, but make sure it’s only once in a while.
You don’t always have to do anything when you are playing a game. If you want to bet on the player or for a tie that’s up to you. In fact, it will make the game more fun if you switch it up sometimes, just don’t go crazy.
You need to check the payment options at the online casino you’re playing at. Sometimes there are different deposit and withdrawal methods available, so do make sure that there is at least one deposit method and at least one withdrawal method that you can use.
If you are now comfortable with the baccarat rules and baccarat strategy, then take your pick from the online casinos featured in our toplist and start playing baccarat to win. If you want to learn more about the individual online casinos read our detailed online casino reviews written by our experts.