Baccarat Strategy – Everything You Need to Know 

Gambling is often associated with card games. Whenever people talk about gambling the first thing that comes to their minds is card games. Card games are one of the most popular betting games and are loved by most people across the world. Among all, slot games are the most played. Any and every card game requires certain knowledge and skill no matter how easy and simple they may be. It’s important to understand and study the game in order to increase your odds of winning. 

In the case of games like Baccarat and Poker, it is crucial to have the skill of reading people who are with you at the game table. The “Poker face” term has emerged from here. It means a person’s ability to control/hide their facial expressions where the other person can’t get hold of any information. Players should have a straight face and a relaxed look so that no information is revealed about the cards in their hands. Being able to read a player’s face is one of the many things important to win a game as well as earn money. 

Baccarat has a low house advantage and is an easy game to master. The game was pretty popular since the very beginning and its popularity increased due to its feature in famous James Bond movies. You can find the Baccarat game in most online and land casinos. The only difference is that some casinos have high-limit rooms and others have mini-baccarat tables. 

Almost all online casinos have at least one game of baccarat while several others provide different versions of the game. Players can increase their chances of winning by learning strategies that will give them an edge against their competitors. There are several strategies that players might opt to win a baccarat game which will be discussed in this blog. 

History of Baccarat

Before diving deep into the Baccarat rules and strategies, let us look at the game’s history in brief. Originated in the 1400s, Baccarat has an interesting history. 

Felix Falgulerein, an Italian gambler, was the man behind the invention of this game. The game got its name from the Italian word for zero which is “baccara”. One of the rules of the game is that all face cards and tens have zero value. This fact is reflected by the name and it remains in the rules till today. 

Though most of the rules have remained the same, the game has undergone several changes and is quite different from the way it was years back. The game was initially played with medieval tarot cards but was later replaced by regular playing cards. As the game started popularizing, it reached France where it was called the Chemin de Fer, which is a type of the Baccarat en Banque. The game started spreading throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. The game also reached Cuba. where Tommy Renzoni, the writer-gambler picked it up and brought it to the US. The game was taken straight to Las Vegas and since then it has been one of the primary games in Las Vegas casinos and places in the US where gambling is legal.  

Rules of Baccarat

The Baccarat game requires seven or eight standard decks consisting of 52 cards each. 

There are different values/points for each card. The actual number shown on the cards ranging from 2 to 9 is the value of those cards. Ace is a one-point card and all the remaining cards i.e., 10, Jack, Queen, and King are worth 0 points.

The goal of the game is to predict which hand, out of the two, will win the round or whether it will be a tie. The hand’s value is determined by the sum of its cards but only the digit to the right is taken into account. For instance, if a hand consists of cards valuing 10 and 6, the hand is worth only 6 points. On the other hand, if a hand is made out of cards with a value of 7 and 2, the hand will be worth 9 points. 

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Baccarat Rules for Dealing

It is a bit difficult to understand the dealing rules of Baccarat but we have tried to make it as simple as possible- 

• Initially, the players are dealt two cards and later additional cards are dealt from the deck. 
• The dealer deals a third card to the player if the total of their hand is 5 or less.
• No additional cards are dealt if the player’s hand values 6 or 7. 
• Once the player stands, it’s the banker’s time to receive cards or stand. Banker receives a card if the value of the hand is 5 or less and stands if it’s 6 or 7.
• The dealer adds a third card to the banker’s hand if their total is 0, 1, or 2 from the first two cards. Here, the player’s hand is not taken into consideration.
• The banker receives another card if the banker’s total is 3 and if the third card dealt to the player is not an 8.
• The hand receives another card when the banker’s total is 4 and the third card dealt to the player is 2-7. 
• A card is drawn when the banker’s total is 5 and the player’s third card is 4-7.
• Another card is added to the banker’s hand if the banker’s total is 6 and the third card dealt to the player is 4-7. 
• If the third card dealt to the player is a 6 or a 7, and the banker’s total is 6, a card is added to the banker’s hand. 
• The hand stands if the banker’s total is 7 from the initial 2 cards dealt. 

Baccarat Odds

The number of decks used to play and the betting option chosen determines the house edge in the Baccarat game. The “Player” bet has a 1.24% house edge if using eight decks. Baccarat odds are better for the “Banker” bet because it has a house edge as low as 1.06%, even though a 5% commission is provided on winning. The most recommended Baccarat bet option would therefore be the Banker bet. 

Another betting option is on “Tie”. The casino receives an advantage of 14.4% when it pays 8:1 and 4.85% when the payout is 9:1. In case of a tie, customers get back their stake as bets on either the player or the banker will be a push. All in all, the player’s hand wins 44.6% of the time and the banker’s hand will win 45.8% of rounds. If we carefully calculate, almost 51% of the bets are won by the banker’s hand because ties occur in 9.6% of the rounds and are factored out due to the low payout provided. Baccarat provides the best odds and is one of the top casino games to earn real money. 

Baccarat Payouts

Before looking at the different strategies, let us first understand the Baccarat Payouts. The payouts depend on the type of bet chosen, i.e., Player hand bets, Banker bets, and Tie bets.

Player Hand Bets

A player will win and get an even or double payout if the player’s hand is closer to 9 as compared to that of the Banker’s hand. It means that you can win a total of $40 i.e., an additional $20 on the $20 winning wager.

Banker Bets

In the case of Banker bets, if you place your bet on a bank hand and win, you will be paid evens, minus the 5% which goes to the house. For instance, if you place a $20 banker bet and win it, you get $19 as winnings and the $1 goes to the house.

Tie Bets

A Tie bet means that bets placed on both the player and banker’s hand will be pushed if the outcome of the game is a tie. No hand wins or loses in such cases, and players can choose to leave the bet, reduce, remove, or add more chips to it, or switch it. 

Note that, you never get 100% of your winnings because there are certain state and federal taxes involved. Gambling requires several rules to be followed as it is regulated by the licensing bodies. 

How to Play Baccarat? 

Baccarat rules remain the same across online and land-based casinos. Follow these simple steps to start playing Baccarat- 

1. Join a Table– In land-based casinos, look for a table with an empty seat and make yourselves comfortable. For online Baccarat, check for a good reliable website of your choice and start playing. We recommend WinBaji. WinBaji is the best online casino games platform offering a huge variety of Baccarat games.
2. Place your bets– Players have to select casino chips of their preferred size and place them on the bet they wish to make in case of land-based casinos. In online mode, players can take their own good time to explore and learn to place bets and deal cards. Live games have separate windows to place bets. 
3. Dealing Cards– In offline games, the dealer will deal the cards once the bets are placed. In the case of online games, players have to click on the “Deal” button to get cards. 
4. Paying Winners– Once the round is over and the hands are determined, the dealer will pay winnings to the players. 

Baccarat Strategies

There is no strategy that will impact the house edge of the Baccarat game. The strategies available can only be used to gain even money payouts. These are simple techniques that anyone can master and be a professional Baccarat player. 

1. Avoid Tie Bets

Tie bets are risky bets and we often recommend players to avoid these bets. These bets promise high returns given the payout to be 8:1. However, there are minimum to no chances of winning these bets. The house gets a big share of up to 14.36% in case of such bets. For instance, if you place 100 bets of $1 each, you will lose $14.36 which is huge money to simply lose. Tie bets rarely bring gains to the players and have a high potential of making you broke. 

2. Bet with the Banker

One of the best and simplest strategies to win a Baccarat game is to bet with the banker. The house edge for this bet is 1.06% which means that the payout percentage is 98.94%. Players are most likely to win such bets. If we take the previous example of placing 100 bets of $1 each, you can earn $98.94 back by placing the banker bet. If you are lucky, you can easily win 10/10 bets or at least 9/10 bets placed. 

3. The Martingale Strategy

One of the most prominent betting strategies for all casino games is the Martingal. It’s a simple strategy where players have to increase the size of the bet by two times and return to the initial stake after winning. For instance, if you are placing a bet of $10 on a player and you lose the bet, your next bet should be $20. If you lose again, your next bet should be $40. If you win, you will gain a payout of $40 plus a $40 bet back. This means you will not only recover your losses from the two lost bets but also earn an additional $10 profit. 

4. The Fibonacci Strategy

This is a completely different betting strategy in which the Fibonacci sequence is used to the betting amount after a loss. The strategy involves making each number the sum of two numbers that come before it. Start with 1. The previous number is 0 so 0+1 again comes up to 1. The next number is 2, as the previous numbers 1, plus 1 equals 2. The chain continues and the sequence looks like – 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55…, and so on. This strategy requires you to be a quick thinker and good with maths. This is how the strategy goes- You raise the stakes with the help of the Fibonacci sequence whenever you lose a hand. The sequence starts from the beginning, i.e., it resets once you win a hand. Players should go as deep as possible into the sequence. This means more money is in line and whoever wins helps you gain a huge amount. 

5. The Paroli System

Also known as Reverse Martingale, this strategy is the exact opposite of the Martingale system. The Paroli system is a method of positive betting. Players should double their bets every time they win until they lose. The strategy is a bit difficult but definitely not impossible. Players have to aim at winning three hands in a row. This strategy begins with the assumption that the player is going to win the hand. For instance, you choose to bet on the player’s hand. You place a $10 bet and win. The next bet you will place should be $20. You return to $10 upon losing the bet, and if you win you have to double the previous bet while playing your next hand. You have to bet $40 and if you lose you go back to $10 and if you win, you bet $80. By the end of 3 rounds, you return to $10 and start fresh, no matter what happens. You follow the same sequence until you get bored and decide to leave the game.

6. The Labouchere System

Introduced by Henry Labouchere, a French roulette player, this system is known by a variety of names like the American Progression, Split Martingale, the Cancellation system, and of course, the Labouchere system. It’s important to take into consideration the fact that this is one of the most difficult strategies to master hence it requires and lot of patience and practice. This strategy works as a negative progression system. It is similar to the Martingale system where you have to increase your betting amount whenever you lose a hand. The only difference is, in the Martingale system, a single win can recover your losses which is not the same in the case of the Labouchere system. Here, you will need to win a few hands before you can recover your losses. For instance, you can take a sequence of 1-2-3. The betting should begin with the amount equal to the sum of the first and last number in the sequence. Here, the sum would be $4 ($1+$3). You remain with $4 after a win as you cross off the winning numbers and your next bet should be of the same amount that is $4. In case you lose, you will add $4 to the sequence making it 1-2-3-4-5. The same process will be repeated throughout the game. 

7. The D’Alembert System

Jean le Rond d’Alembert, a French theorist, introduced this system. This strategy is a positive progressive system and was created mainly to prevent huge losses. You have to begin the game by deciding your base unit. The base unit is generally the value of one token/chip. If you choose a $1 chip to play, your base unit is 1. You are required to increase your bet by 1 chip every time you lose. If you begin betting with $5 and lose the first hand, your next bet will be $6. The same process continues. Note that, every time you win, you are one chip down. For instance, if you started at $5 and have gone up to $8, because of three continuous losses and a win you go down to $7. The strategy assumes that in the end, all wins and losses will even out. 

Also Read: WinBaji – Official Website for Casino and Sports Betting in Bangladesh

Baccarat Variations

There are a variety of Baccarat versions available. Though they are similar, each variation has certain differences which need to be noted. Some of the most popular variations are listed below-

Punto Banco

In this version of the Baccarat game, cards are played out on a fixed dealing table. Punto (Player) and Banco (Banker) are the two sides and players have to choose any one of the sides to bet. Banco bets have a payout percentage of 95% as 5% commission goes to the casino platform. 

Super 6

The difference between Punto Banco and Super 6 is the payout percentage for banker bets. In Super 6, players only get 50% of the winning amount as there’s no 5% commission. The house edge for banker’s bet in Super 6 is 1.46% which means it is comparatively less beneficial for players. 

EZ Baccarat

This version is very similar to the Super 6 as there is no commission involved and even payout is offered for both player’s and banker’s bet. The only difference is the banker bets are a push if the banker’s hand is worth 7 points with only 3 cards.

Chemin de Fer

Six card decks are used to play this game at an oval or a round table. The first player of the game is the banker who also acts as the dealer and sets the opening betting amount. All other players follow and declare if they wish to “go bank” and play against the amount placed by the banker. The game goes counterclockwise and players can place additional bets but the total should not cross the opening bet amount. After all bets are placed, the banker deals two cards for himself and two for the bettor’s side. The hands are compared to declare the winner right away if either of the two hands is worth 8 or 9 points. If not, players followed by the banker have to decide whether to accept or deny the third card. The one with the highest value hand wins. 

Lightning Baccarat

The rules of this version of Baccarat include all standard Punto Banco rules along with a random multiplier of up to 5 random cards in the deck. The multipliers can be anywhere between 2x and 8x and for these rates to apply it is necessary that the cards are in the winning hand. This means a standard player or banker bet can be raised to 512 times. A 20% lightning fee is charged on every bet to recover the large payouts. For instance, if you want to place a $10 banker bet, you must pay a fee of $12. 

Money Management Tips to Play Baccarat

It is very important to manage money while playing offline as well as online betting games. It’s important to understand when to increase the stakes and when to stop. It is better to earn less or nothing than go into deep losses. There is no doubt that luck and strategy decide the outcome of the game, but there are certain things that you can take into consideration and make smart decisions. 

1. Set win/loss limits– Always set limits on how much you wish to earn and are willing to lose. As long as you are within your limits there is no harm in continuing the game. However, make sure you stick to your limits and whenever you hit any of the limits, quit the game then and there. This is a very easy tip to follow but with gambling, it’s never so simple. Winning games gives you hope and greed to earn more money whereas losing money makes you think that the next game is the only thing you need to recover your losses. It is very easy to fall prey to these addictive games and hence it is important to set limits and stick to those. 
2. Set amount limit– Most casino game players love to explore different games. If you are one of them, make sure to set cash limits for each game. Once the limit for the particular game is over, quit and move on to another game. In this way, you will have funds for different games and not overspend money.
3. Bet with the Banker– For all those who wish to play Baccarat as a pastime and earn some money while playing, the best way to do so is to bet with the banker. Place low house-edge bets so that even if you lose, the loss won’t be huge. In this type of bet, players have the highest chance of winning. 
4. Don’t go for all-in bets– Players tend to lose their minds and go all in when they see a winning or losing streak. A winning streak might make them greedy and a losing streak might make them think the next game will recover their losses. This hardly works and players end up losing huge amounts of money instead of earning. Gambling in real life is very different from that shown in movies. It is important to make informed decisions and be mindful while playing.
5. Keep calm and make the best strategy– Always take your time and pick up the best strategy. Do not hurry and make wrong decisions. Strategy is extremely important in the Baccarat game, hence choose wisely taking into consideration all factors like the betting amount, the betting type, and the kind of player you are dealing with.  

FAQs

1. Is there a strategy to play Baccarat and win? 

There are several strategies created by people but none of them guarantee winning a game. You can use the strategies to have a smooth playing experience and make informed decisions but don’t rely on the strategies to win a game.

2. Which is the best site to play Baccarat? 

WinBaji is the best platform offering online casino games. It has a huge variety of Baccarat games making it a perfect platform for all Baccarat lovers. 

3. What is the three-card rule in Baccarat? 

The player is dealt with a third card followed by the banker drawing a third card if the total of the hand is 2 or less. If the banker has a total of 3, a card is drawn only when the player receives a third card worth 8 points.