Let’s get one thing straight – there is not one single surefire Baccarat strategy guaranteeing you wins. Anyone who claims they have cracked the Baccarat code is either a Trump supporter who yells at kids to get off their lawn or a self-righteous and self-proclaimed “expert” lacking the bankroll to back up him boasting his uncanny skill and technique. And although there’s not really one foolproof strategy per se, considering how much based on the chance the game is, there are some rules you can follow to ensure a pleasant time at the Baccarat table.
How to Play Baccarat – The Rules In a Nutshell
- Paroli is a positive progression baccarat betting strategy. When you play using the Paroli strategy, you set an initial bet amount. You keep your bet the same after each loss, but when you win, you double your bet. Some Paroli players choose to double bets only after a certain number of wins (say, 3-5), but others double immediately after each.
- The following strategy is my 'simple strategy' for deuces wild video poker. Using the strategy on a full pay machine will result in an expected return of 100.71%. Compared to the optimal strategy return of 100.76%, mistakes in the simple strategy will cost 0.05%, or one total bet every 1869 hands.
- Don’t bet on Tie. Banker has a house edge of 1.06%. Player has a house edge of 1.24%.
First and foremost – learn the mechanics of the game. Make sure you know the rules, how the cards are dealt and what their value is. It can be boring learning all the intricacies like when the player stands and when the banker hits but if you’re betting your money, you need to have a complete understanding of what’s going on.
Despite the fancy suited high-rollers we’ve come to associate with Baccarat, it doesn’t take the intellectual prowess and deductive reasoning of a British Secret Service agent to ace it. In fact, this is probably the most straightforward game you can play at a casino. Despite all the prestige surrounding the game, it’s really nothing more than a coin toss, so once you’re familiar with the terms and bets, you’re all good to go. To prep you up for a night at a glitzy land-based casino or a game at an online live table, here’s a crash course on how to play Baccarat.
Baccarat is played at large kidney-shaped tables that can sit 12 players and two dealers, plus a caller. In front of every player, there are two fields – Player and Banker. Each player places their bet before the cards are dealt and chooses whether their wager goes to the Player hand or the Banker hand. There is also a third option – Tie if the Player and Banker’s hands have equal value. The version of Baccarat played at American casinos is called Punto Banco which stands for Player and Banker. After all players have placed their bets, the Player and the Banker are each dealt two cards. The hand that wins is the one that’s closer to a total of 9. So, if the Player hand is 8 and the Banker hand is a 3, the winning one is the Player and all punters at the table who have placed bets on the Player hand, win. If the hands are equal, it’s a loss for everyone who has bet on Player / Banker and a win for all that have bet on a Tie.
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The Constant Bet Strategy is suitable if you want to play for a long time. With this strategy, you always bet the same amount on the Banker or the Player. This betting strategy works well for novice Baccarat players or those in it to enjoy the game and play as long as possible. Having fun is paramount and making a (modest) profit is even more fun. How to Win Baccarat At The Casino: To really immerse yourself in everything Las Vegas has to offer beyond the world-class shows, award-winning rest aurants, and some of the best nightlife anywhere, you should to learn how to play baccarat and win like an old pro. If you’re looking to sit down at a Las Vegas casino table game with few complexities and a lot of James Bond-style gambling fun.
*T&Cs apply
The Good, the Bad and the Player – Baccarat Bets to Make and Avoid
The first step towards winning is to avoid the Tie bet. Not that we don’t like it or anything but if you’re in it to win it, then wagering your money on a bet with a 14-percent house edge is not exactly a surefire winning strategy. Next, you need to know the odds – although it seems pretty straightforward having only two options to bet – either Player or Banker, there are slightly different odds for the two as follows:
- Banker – 45.843%
- Player – 44.615%
- Tie – 9.543%
*There’s also a commission on the Banker bet so make sure you’re familiar with these before placing a wager.
The Banker Bet
With its higher odds, the Banker bet seems like the most reasonable choice when designing a Baccarat winning strategy. Experts will advise you to bet your money on it because it has been estimated that it will win more than 50% of the time – one of the reasons casinos add the 5% commission on it. Despite this being added, it’s still a preferred choice for many players – both newbies and seasoned pros who swear by it. Experts will also recommend that you keep betting on Banker until it loses as it has a better chance for winning streaks and that you wait for at least one bet after a Banker loss before switching to Player.
A good thing to always keep in mind is that hot/cold tables and winning/losing streaks are pure myths born by the gambler’s fallacy that in even odds bets after many consecutive outcomes of the same results, the opposite one is just bound to happen. There’s absolutely no mathematical or any other proof of such co-dependency so we advise that you don’t employ such practices.
| Outcome | Combinations | Probability | Banker Bet Return | Player Bet Return | Tie Bet 8 to 1 return | Tie Bet 9 to 1 return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banker Wins | 2,2922,252,566,437,888 | 0.458597 | 0.435668 | -0.458597 | -0.458597 | -0.458597 |
| Player Wins | 2,230,518,282,592,256 | 0.446247 | -0.446247 | 0.446247 | -0.446247 | -0.446247 |
| Tie | 475,627,426,473,216 | 0.095156 | 0 | 0 | 0.761248 | 0.856404 |
| Totals | 4,998,398,275,503,360 | 1 | -0.010579 | -0.012351 | -0.143596 | -0.048440 |
*Baccarat Odds
The Player Bet
Although the Banker bet is typically assumed as the better option, it’s a bit different when you’re using a strategy. Considering the commission on the Banker bet, it will be less lucrative when you’re using progressions. Let’s say, you’re playing Martingale – you are doubling your bet after every loss. After four consecutive losses at a 10-unit wager, you’ve lost 150 units (10 + 20 + 40 + 80).
You bet on Banker again and this time you wager 160. Finally, you win and the total payout is 304 units. That’s the 160 stake plus the 160 win, minus the 5% commission. The total amount wagered was 310 (10 + 20 + 40 + 80 + 160) which means that even though you’ve won, you haven’t covered your losses and due to the negative progression and the bet commission, your net loss is 6 units. A similar streak of losses while betting the Player hand would have given the expected 1 unit of profit, that is 10. Despite its lower odds, it’s the better option when playing with systems.
The Tie Bet
Baccarat is known as the casino game with the lowest house edge, however, the Tie bet can definitely tarnish its reputation. The Banker is recommended for its low edge of 1.06%, the Player is also a good option with a house edge of 1.26% and then there’s the Tie bet – standing at the staggering 14.4% house edge, defying logic and critical thinking. Naturally, it’s not a good call to place your money on a bet that has less than 10% odds and the possibility of paying back only 14 units per very 100 units wagered. That’s why the most logical thing would be to avoid it and play as if it doesn’t exist. A tie is a push, so your wager will just wait for the next round. If you’re following a streak and you get a Tie, simply don’t count it and keep playing accordingly.
Practice Baccarat for Free
You can test this experts’ advice in our demo game and see for yourself whether betting successively on Banker yields the highest winning potential. Play for free Baccarat by Pragmatic Play and use its features to hone your betting strategies. The game follows standard baccarat rules and has payouts as follows:
- Player Win – 1:1 (Even Money)
- Banker Win – 0.95:1 (with 5% commission)
- Tie – 8:1 (in case of Tie, Banker Bet and Player Bet are Push)
Played with eight decks, this version keeps history of the last twenty results indicating B for Banker, P for Player, and T for Tie. You have also options to rebet or place different bets before each new deal. With a betting range of 1 – 100 and 500 free credits, the game will also allow you to test out some of the progressive betting systems described below.
Using Betting Systems in Baccarat – It’s Not Stupid if it Works
Some practices used in other table and card games can also be applied to Baccarat. Both simple strategies like the D’Alembert and more sophisticated ones like the Labouchere system can serve your purpose of beating the odds at Baccarat. Positive progression systems like the Parlay and Paroli or negative progressions are also applied by players. To find out how you can use popular betting systems like the Fibonacci progression or the 1-3-2-6 system, read more details about Baccarat betting systems on our dedicated page.
Positive Progressions
Using a positive progression system means that you increase your bet every time you win and reduce it after a loss. Positive progressions are considered to be less damaging to your bankroll than negative progression betting systems. They are supposed to help you maximize your winnings if you go on a lucky winning streak and keep your losses to a minimum if you end up having consecutive losses. In theory, they do make sense and it is possible to win more money if you get a series of winning outcomes and soften the blow to your wallet in case of several consecutive losses. Positive progressions do not influence your chances of winning or losing a bet and are generally no risk at all.
Negative Progression Systems
Negative progressions are just the opposite of positive progression systems and can actually be harmful to your bankroll. In essence, they postulate that you should increase your wager after every loss and reduce it after a winning bet. At first glance, they seem logical and it’s easy to see why some gamblers will be tempted to try them. The theory behind them is that when you increase your bet, eventually your win will be big enough to cover your losses.
A closer look at how they work will reveal all the problems about such betting practice. There’s a very real risk that you will eventually run out of money, especially if you’re doubling your bet. Besides, there’s the bet limit of the house you need to consider – even if you have enough money to keep betting, the cap of the bet amount will prevent you from placing a wager big enough to cover your losses. Unless you’re very experienced and know exactly what you’re doing, such systems can be a recipe for disaster.
Flat Betting Strategy
Unlike positive and negative progression systems where you have to alter the amount of your bet, a flat betting strategy for Baccarat means that you will be repeatedly placing the exact same wager in successive rounds of play, regardless of whether you lose or win. This approach is considered advantageous due to the lower risk in case of a losing streak. But how can you win more using a flat betting strategy? The best way to profit from the flat betting strategy is to determine correctly which hand will win, Banker or Player, with the accuracy higher than 50 percent. Using the flat betting strategy means that you will place the same amount of bet on every hand. While this is an effective way of minimizing the risk, it doesn’t guarantee big wins. It’s useful if you’re still getting used to the game and not very certain of the rules.
What are the benefits of using the flat betting system instead of the negative or positive progressions?
- Flat betting offers higher chances of actually making a profit.Since you don’t double or increase your bet in flat betting, there’s a smaller risk of overspending. Not adding more money to your wager reduces the risks of bigger losses and presents a better chance of making a profit.
- You can bet more. Flat betting gives you the option for more bets at a lesser value since you don’t double the wager neither after a win, nor after a loss, the way you would in progression systems. You can bet more money because you won’t make big losses due to doubled bets.
- You can use it if you’re not very well versed in the rules. Flat betting is suitable for beginners because of its simplicity and lower risk. You don’t need to make calculations and you can apply it even if you’re not familiar with the rules like drawing additional cards.
If you’re interested in utilizing a betting system, flat betting is the only way to do it without the risk of losing more money than you can afford. Experts advise against using negative progressions and are sceptical about positive progressions as well, so it’s not a good idea to chase after other strategies if you can gain an advantage over the game by using the flat betting system. It doesn’t guarantee a sure win but it is an effective way to increase your odds if you manage to predict the outcome of the round. Even if you don’t, you don’t risk losing a lot of money.
| Round | Win/Loss | Bet | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | win | $1 | + $1 |
| 2 | win | $1 | + $2 |
| 3 | win | $1 | + $3 |
| 4 | loss | $1 | + $2 |
| 5 | loss | $1 | + $1 |
| 6 | loss | $1 | 0 |
*Flat betting example
Card Counting in Baccarat – Close to Impossible but Still an Option
Card counting has gained enormous popularity at Blackjack ever since Edward E. Thorp published his 1964 bestseller Beat the Dealer. It’s a method that has proven to be lucrative for players who have used it successfully to beat blackjack. But of course, it’s not just the players that caught on to it – the casinos are well aware of it and now blackjack tables are the most closely watched ones, with suspected card counters often being barred from betting or asked to leave the premises. But gamblers won’t let their practice go to waste so they turn to the next best thing where they can continue to hone their skills – Baccarat.
Yes, Baccarat card counting is a thing and might as well be the reason why Baccarat is likely to replace blackjack as the most popular casino game. Although theoretically, you can beat Baccarat by counting cards, the edge you get will be so small that it might not actually be worth your time, considering how much more complicated than card counting at a game of 21 it is. Still, if you have the time and dedication to try and learn it, we have the complete Baccarat card counting guide to help you.
Money Management Is Crucial
If you decide to use progression systems, you need to exercise strict control over your budget. Any system that requires you to increase or double your bet is a pitfall that you’ll have hard time getting out of. Whatever systems you’re using to play online baccarat at the best online casinos, be it the Paroli, Martingale, Parlay or any other, never spend more money than you set out to. Baccarat is a chance-based game, you can never predict with certainty whether you will have a winning or a losing streak. Don’t go chasing your losses and remember the golden rule – quit while you’re ahead.
- MasterCard
- Visa
- Skrill
- PayPal
- ApplePay
- PaySafeCard
- Neteller
- Entropay
- Fast Bank Transfer
- Bank Wire
- Cheque
Plan your budget – decide on your wager and put a limit on the total sum you’re willing to bet. If you decide to make your wager $10, allow yourself a $200 bankroll and if you lose it all, simply walk away. Take time until the next session. It’s nice to leave the table a winner, but gambling is inherently unpredictable. The worst strategy would be to start chasing your losses or fall for some of the erroneous motivators behind gambling like:
- near misses: being very close to winning but not actually winning and continuing to wager with the assumption that the next round is due to be a win.
- the illusion of control: being able to roll the dice, spin the ball at roulette, or squeeze the cards in baccarat will give you a false sensation of exercising control over a game purely based on luck.
- the gambler’s fallacy: the wrong and unsupported conviction that after a series of the same result or a losing streak, the next one will be lucky and with the winnings, you’ll be able to even out.
Having Fun and Staying in Control Is the Best Strategy
All of these are misconceptions that are actually the first signs of compulsive gambling. We have an innate aversion to loss but we have to accept that in a tight game like baccarat, the chance is the deciding factor. Stop playing when you’ve spent your budget, regardless of whether you’re winning or losing and give yourself some time before you go back to playing. If you’re winning, split your win in half and use only that to keep playing. Even if you lose it, you still walk away with a profit. Remember that gambling is an entertaining activity – enjoy the fun and social aspects of it and stay in control of your bankroll. Now, that’s a strategy that always works.
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*T&Cs apply
Complete baccarat strategy can be explained in a single sentence. The best strategy when you play baccarat is to always place a wager on the banker hand. This sounds simple because it is. This is the only strategic thing you can do to improve your chances of winning baccarat.
The good news is that there are some other things you can do, that don’t involve strategy, that can help you play better.
Here’s a list of seven things you can do to play better baccarat that don’t involve strategy. Combine these seven tactics with good strategy for the best possible results.
1 – How Much You Bet
When you’re participating in a gambling activity that has a casino edge, the smartest thing to do is risk the smallest amount possible. Anytime you battle an edge, the longer you gamble and the more you risk, the more you’re going to lose.
You have a great deal of control over how much you bet when you play real money baccarat. Even though the casino edge in baccarat is smaller than most other gambling games, you’re still fighting a casino edge. Use your control over how much you risk to lower your losses.
When you play live baccarat, find the table with the lowest minimum bet amount. And always make the smallest wager possible. Even better, play mobile or online baccarat where the minimum bet amounts are even smaller. I’ve played baccarat for as low as $1 per hand online.
You also can control how much you risk by playing fewer hands. I cover this in a different section in more depth. But you can always leave the table and take a break to reduce the number of hands you play.
2 – Control Your Losses Using Limits
I’m a big fan of loss limits. A loss limit is simply a stopping point determined before you start gambling.
For example, if you set a loss limit of $250 for a baccarat session, you buy in for $250. And if you run out of chips before you planned to stop playing, you stop playing instead of buying more chips.
Strategy-tips-on-how-to-play-baccarat
This might not seem like a big deal, but the truth is that most gamblers keep buying back in and end up losing more money than they planned to. Using a simple loss limit when you play baccarat is a guaranteed way to limit and control your losses.
3 – Lock in a Win When You Can
Most gamblers leave the casino with less money than they arrive with. These gamblers play games and have a chance to win, but end up exchanging money for entertainment. And there’s nothing wrong with this.
Another thing that happens to many gamblers is they see their bankroll go up and down during a playing session. And even if they get ahead by quite a bit, they end up losing most or all of the money they win before they leave.
You probably already know these things because you’ve experienced them yourself. But think back to the last time you left the casino with more money than you started with. Even if it’s been a long time, I bet you remember how good it felt at the time.
And think back to the last time that you got ahead $100 or more and kept playing and ended up losing it all. The feeling you had was probably the opposite of the feeling you remember when you left the casino with a profit.
Nothing you do is going to change the fact that you’re going to lose money in the long run playing baccarat. But there is a simple way to lock in a win more often when you play. This tactic is called a win limit, and it works much like a loss limit.
The next time you play baccarat, leave the game as soon as you get $50 ahead. Or if you play for larger stakes, leave when you get $100 ahead.
This might make you quit playing before you wanted to, but you have to decide if you’re more interested in gambling longer or locking in a win.
4 – You Can Control How Many Hands You Play
If you bet $15 a hand and play 1,000 hands, your total risk is $15,000. If you make the same $15 bets and only play 500 hands, your total risk is $7,500.
Which scenario is going to lead to bigger losses?
The answer is clearly the scenario where you risk twice as much. You’re going to lose more when you risk $15,000 than you’re going to lose when you risk $7,500.
How To Play Baccarat Win
I’ve discussed a few ways to limit your losses, and controlling how many hands you play is another good way to limit or control your losses.
The best way to limit the number of hands you play at the baccarat table is to play online. You can play as slow as you want when you play online or mobile baccarat. Nobody is pressuring you to place a wager or to hurry up.
You can sit anywhere you want and enjoy a beverage or a television show, or even a book between hands. You can take as long as you want, and nobody cares.
I mentioned it in an earlier section, but you also have some control over how many hands you play when you play live baccarat. Play for a set period of time, then take a break. Get something to eat or take a walk around the casino. Or for an even better break, take a walk outside the casino and get some fresh air.
5 – Double Your Bankroll
Not everything is about limiting your losses. The reason most gamblers play baccarat is because they enjoy the gamble. They want to play as long as they can because they enjoy it.
Controlling and limiting your baccarat losses is a good way to be able to play longer. But there’s a simple way to play at least twice as long as you normally can. What if you could easily double your bankroll before you start playing baccarat?
You can locate mobile and online casinos that are willing to double your bankroll when you play baccarat. They offer a bonus on your deposits, and a 100% match bonus is fairly common.
Real money online casinos also offer other benefits that I’ve mentioned above. When you double your baccarat bankroll, play for lower stakes, and control how many hands you play, you can often play 10 to 20 times longer than when you play in a live casino.
6 – Compensation for Your Play
I’ve spent a lot of time explaining why mobile and online baccarat is better than playing the game live. But live baccarat players can get something that most online and mobile players can’t.
This is called compensation, or comps, for their play. You can get compensation by finding the players club and signing up for a free card.
Use your player card every time you play baccarat and you’re going to get some rewards for your play. Even if these rewards aren’t going to be cash, but they will be something that’s worth getting.
I’m a low limit baccarat player, so I usually just earn a free buffet meal, but this is great because I don’t have to pay for it when I get hungry.
7 – Don’t Get Cheated
This section isn’t as long or in depth as the other sections, but it’s just as important. Baccarat scoring is a little challenging to track at first. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy, but not at first.
You need to make sure you understand how baccarat hands are scored and the rules for the table. And you need to be able to do all of the scoring calculations quickly. This way, you can make sure the dealer doesn’t make a mistake and cheat you out of your winnings.
Baccarat How To Play
Most dealers aren’t trying to cheat you, but they can make a mistake. Learn how to quickly score baccarat hands so you always know what’s going on.
Conclusion
I explained the complete baccarat strategy in the opening of this article. Using the simple strategy gives you a low casino edge. But strategy is just the first step.
The next step is to use everything that you control to limit your losses and get as much from casinos as you can. You control how much you risk and how many baccarat hands you play. And you can get compensation and bonuses, depending on where you play baccarat.
You can lock in wins when you use limits. Any time you can walk away from the casino with money in your pocket, you’re in pretty good shape.