Tailoring The Best Baccarat Strategy
Baccarat is easily one of the most popular casino games ever. There are three main reasons why this is the case. The first one is that it is quite simple and easy to learn. The second one is that it comes with a surprisingly low house edge. The third reason is that it is one of James Bond’s favourite games, being that is featured in pretty much every single one of the classic Bond movies from the ’60s onwards. This is why finding the best Baccarat strategy, i.e. learning how to play, is absolutely crucial if you wish to master 007’s favourite casino game.
Consequently, we decided to create a detailed casino guide on everything you need to know to find the Baccarat strategy that suits you the most. From the basic rules of Baccarat to the house edge, strategies, payouts, and tips, this article is all about helping you master the game of Baccarat and with that, drastically increase your chance of winning each time that you play.
Baccarat Strategy – Rules
As we already said, the game of Baccarat is easy to learn, meaning that it has quite simple and straightforward rules. The first thing you need to know is that this card game can be played with either six, seven, or eight standard/French-suited decks of 52 cards. The main objective of the game is to correctly guess whether the game will end up in a tie, or which one of the two hands will win the round.
The value of the winning hand is the total sum of the cards, and we only take into account the digit that is on the furthest right. For example, if you have a hand that consists of 10 and 3, it will be worth 3 points. On the other hand, if you have 4 and 6, the same will be worth 10 points, being that it will be the stronger hand.
This is because, in Baccarat, all cards between 2 and 9 have their own value, i.e. the number that is depicted on the cards. When it comes to 10, Jack, Queen, and King, on the other hand, are all worth 0 points, except for the Ace which comes with a value of 1 point.
Dealing Rules
Now that we covered the basic rules of Baccarat, let’s have a look at the dealing rules of the game. The game of Baccarat begins with the croupier dealing two regular and two additional cards from the deck. Now, depending on the hand you are dealt, you can expect the following:
- If your total is 5 or less you will be dealt a third card.
- If your total is 6 or 7 the dealer won’t deal you an extra card.
- The house will receive an additional card if it gets 5 or less, and it will stand if it gets 6 or 7.
- If the total of the house is 0, 1, or 2 from the first two standard cards, the dealer will add a third card regardless of your hand.
- If the total of the house is 3 and your third card is not an 8, the house will receive an additional card.
- When the total of the house is 4 and your third card is between 2 and 7, the house will receive an additional card.
- When the total of the house is 5 and your third card is between 4 and 7 another card will be drawn.
- If the total of the house is 6 and your third hand is 6 or 7 the house will be given an additional card.
- If the total of the house is 7 from the two standard cards, the hand will stand.
Baccarat Strategy – Odds
Baccarat is a game that comes with a relatively low house edge when compared to other casino games. One of the things you need to remember is that the house edge in this game will depend on both the betting options and the number of decks. When you play with eight decks, the Banker enjoys a slight advantage, being that his house edge is 1.06%, and yours will be 1.24%, regardless of the 5% (five-percent) commission that you pay on wins.
The “Tie” option in Baccarat comes with a 14.4% house edge for the house for an 8:1 payout, and 4.85% for a payout of 9:1. Whenever a Tie happens, the bets of both the player and the banker will be considered a “push”, and the players will receive their wagers back.
All in all, the hand of the banker is going to win about 45.8% of the rounds, and the player’s hand will win around 44.6%. When it comes to ties, they happen about 9.6% of the time, and if we add this to the 45.8% of the hands won by the banker, as well as the low payout that it yields, the banker hand will win about 51% of all bets.
Consequently, this makes Baccarat one of those casino games with the most favorable odds, that is if you manage to avoid a Tie. This is why experienced players tend to bet solely on the side of the banker, considering that it comes with a significantly lower house edge.
Baccarat Types Of Strategies
What makes Baccarat such a popular casino game is definitely its low house edge. Yet, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need a strategy in order to be successful in Baccarat, quite the contrary. Many studies show that without the proper approach, Baccarat can be quite volatile and unpredictable.
The first thing you need to know is that there is no strategy for Baccarat that will lower the house edge of the game. This means that once you place your bets, there is no way to control the outcome.
However, the Baccarat strategies that we are about to show you are established on systems specifically for even money payouts, and this is what gives you the edge when comparing Baccarat to other casino games. Especially if we consider how easy is to learn these betting systems.
The Martingale Strategy
One of the most popular strategies, and arguably the most popular betting system, Martingale is frequently used in both Roulette and Baccarat, given that is perfect for outside bets.
The Martingale strategy works as follows: after a loss, simply double your bet and reset to the initial wager after you hit a win. More specifically, if you bet $20 on the player and you happen to lose, the next bet you place should be $40. If you lose again, your next bet should be $60. If you win, you will receive $60 on top of the $60 that you already bet. This will cover the two bets that you already lost, plus it will land you a nice profit of $10.
Note that in order to employ the Martingale strategy in Baccarat you are going to need a big bankroll. This is why it is best to start with a bet that is equivalent to 2% of the total amount for the session. This is important as several losses in a row will raise the bet, and as such, make it quite expensive. For this strategy to work, you need to start small and save enough money to cover any potential losing streak.
The Paroli Strategy
Known as Martingale in reverse, the Paroli Strategy is all about doubling your bet after you hit a win, and then reset it after you lose. It goes like this: if you bet $20 from the start and you lose, you will bet $20 again. If you win, you will double that bet to $40. If you win again, you will double that bet to $80. A third (and final) win means that you reached the limit of 3 consecutive double bets, and double the bet to $160.
In other words, instead of doubling the same bet again, you will have to bet the same amount ($160) in the next round as well. In case you hit three wins in a row, you will need to add a limit in order to take full advantage of your streak and consequently, save your profits.
The D’Alembert Strategy
While the D’Alembert Strategy is indeed more complex, it is not as volatile and unforgiving for losing streaks. The first need to do prior to employing the D’Alembert strategy is to set a betting unit of around 1% of your current bankroll.
The way that this strategy works, is that your first bet needs to be the same as the five betting units. Then, you will need to increase the size of your bet by one unit every time you lose and decrease it after you win. In other words, if you have a $500 bankroll, one unit should be $5, with a starting bet of $25. If you lose, the next bet should be $30, and if you lose again, $35. If you win, the bet goes down by $5, and you should place $30 in the next round.
The good thing about this strategy is that it works with the player and the banker as well. Considering the favorable house edge for the banker, it is no surprise that experienced players tend to go for this specific strategy. The only thing you need to remember is that if you hit a winning bet, you will receive a payout of 95%.
The Edge Sorting Technique
Considered a “cheat code”, Edge Sorting in Baccarat is only effective if you play in land-based establishments, i.e. physical casinos. This is because this strategy requires observing the deck of cards and looking for certain imperfections in the cards.
The theory behind this strategy, if we may call it that, is that there are decks of cards are manufactured with flaws, specifically in the patterns of the back of the cards. As the game progresses, the player takes notice of the value of the cards and their imperfections, and can then use this information in his favour to correctly predict the upcoming cards.
One of the most popular cases of successful edge sorting happened back in 2012. Phil Ivey, a poker player, won about $10 million in two separate games. While one of the casinos simply refused to pay the $10 million, the Borgata Hotel Casino located in Atlantic City filed a lawsuit and Sued Phil for guess how much – $10 million. Though not illegal, Phil didn’t get to keep not even a cent from the $20 million and ended up with a hefty lawsuit himself.
This is why we don’t recommend this strategy, regardless of how easy it may seem. While you may win a hefty sum of money, it is highly questionable whether you will be even allowed to receive your winnings. Consequently, the best course would be to stick to one of the strategies we mentioned above.
Types of Baccarat Bets
Another factor that makes Baccarat so popular is the fact that it has only two types of bets you need to learn – main bets and side bets. This means that is much simpler to master when compared to Roulette, Blackjack, and all the other casino games combined.
The Main Bets in Baccarat are placed on either the winning hand of the round, or whether the round will end in a tie. Moreover, the bets of the player and the banker are the biggest bets on the table, which consequently makes them fairly easy to notice. All you need to do is put your chips in the designated box you wish to place the bet on. Just remember that these types of bets always pay 95%, also known as even money.
A more exciting bet is the Tie Bet, considering that it comes with a potential payout of either 8:1 or 9:1, respectively. Though much more exciting and certainly with a bigger payout, don’t forget that tie bets significantly increase the house edge, which is why we recommend using this tactic only when you feel you have mastered the art of Baccarat.
When it comes to Side Bets, their availability depends on the table and the type of baccarat you are playing. With that being said, the most frequent side bets in Baccarat are for Player Pair and Banker Pair, and they are also known as P-Pair and B-Pair. An example of how these work: a B-Pair bet, or a Banker Pair bet, will pay out if the Banker’s hand consists of two cards with the same value, inconsequently of the suit of those two cards. In certain Baccarat variations, the players can also bet on the exact pair of cards in the hand, such as Banker Pair 6, for example.
Furthermore, there are also side bets in Baccarat where you can bet on the specific value of the tie outcome. One example of this is if you bet on a 3-tie, and this bet comes with a payout of a whopping 200:1. This means that in order for this bet to be successful, both the banker’s and the player’s hands need to have a value of 3 points exactly.
Baccarat Tips
Now that we covered everything you need to know about how to tailor the best Baccarat strategy, let’s break down what you need to do in several key points.
- Play Demo Games – a foolproof way to master Baccarat without spending real money is to play demo games. Almost all of the leading online casinos come with a demo mode of this game, making it perfect for beginners and trying new tactics.
- Stay away from the Tie Bet – even though it comes with a payout of 9:1, the tie bet comes with a 4% hour edge, which can be disastrous in the long run.
- Bet on The Banker – possibly the best bet in Baccarat is betting on the banker, despite the 5% commission. Playing strategies that include even money payouts means that you can always bet on the player side, being that the difference is significant.
- Look for The Best Casino Bonuses – due to the plethora of online casinos out there, there are tons of bonuses that you can claim and use to your advantage. From no-deposit bonuses to free bets, take the time to find the best bonus before you start to play.
- Gamble Responsibly – we cannot stress enough the importance of responsible gambling, regardless of the casino game. It is important to set your limits, start small, and establish a budget specifically for your casino sessions.
Final Thoughts
Baccarat is easily one of the most popular games not just because it is fun, but because everyone can learn how to play. All you need to do in order to be successful is learn the basic rules of the game, practice before you play with real money, and find the strategy that suits your playing style and budget the most. Regardless of the types of Baccarat you play, finding the best strategy can and will make the difference between success and failure. We hope that this casino guide can help you master this ultra-fun game, and make you feel like a true 007 agent. Gamble responsibly and always play for fun. Good luck!
