Every social casino game incorporates luck, but a strategy can help you make the best out of every play. Baccarat is no different!
So, when it comes time to choosing between the dealer or the banker, aligning the right betting system to the right baccarat game or knowing how to employ a baccarat strategy, there’s a lot players need to learn about.
We’ll make it simpler to understand all about baccarat game strategies below.
What Is the Best Baccarat Strategy Available?
As you probably have guessed from all we’ve said so far, a strategy is not one single thing and needs to be adjusted to each game and player.
With that in mind, there are 4 key playing strategies for baccarat:
- Banker Plays: Betting on the banker, in simple terms.
- Pattern Recognition: Observing trends and sequences in the game, but efficacy is debatable.
- 1-3-2-4 Strategy: A sequence that will guide how you place your coins.
- No Tie Play: related to both the player and banker hands ending up with the same total value.
Baccarat Strategies: What to Take Into Consideration?
At the risk of repeating ourselves, knowing all aspects of the game is key. In order to hold on tight to the tiny sliver of control you have when it comes to a game of baccarat, you need to understand the rules of baccarat and, of course, how to play a baccarat game.
House Edge
Now, you need to know about the house edge. This means that, in the long run, the casino always has an advantage over you as a player.
In baccarat, house edge will differ between different playing options, as you can see here, from lower to highest.
| Option | Odd | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 | 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | 1.24% |
| Player Pair | 11:1 | Depends on deck and remaining cards |
| Banker Pair | 11:1 | Depends on deck and remaining cards |
| Tie | 8:1 or 9:1 | 9.6% |
This information is important when deciding how to play the game – not just the mechanics of it, to which you should be getting used now.
Bank Management
Now we can talk about betting systems for baccarat. These usually help with bankroll management, a side of the game that is no doubt important given how heavily it relies on luck.
This where you find options such as flat betting, which basically means you’re always placing the same amount of coins on a given outcome, or Fibonacci – a process in which you keep upping the amount of coins you’re placing, progressively.
There are many options, but we want to keep going to the next important bit before you decide to use the betting system that sounds best regardless of the game.
Match Between Baccarat Game and System
It’s important that you know about all different systems for bankroll management, but their results will vary depending on the type of baccarat that you are playing, such as:
- Mini Baccarat
- Punto Banco
- Chemin de Fer
Different variations of the game will either offer different betting limits, accept predictions against other players, make use of different card decks or have different numbers of face cards per hand, to name a few.
It’s easy to see how these differences can have an impact on the effectiveness of your strategy.
Why Does a Solid Baccarat Strategy Matter?
Baccarat games are almost all about luck. The outcome is mostly out of your control.
Well, mostly. It’s that small part that requires skill that can occasionally lead you towards the right baccarat experience, one that maximizes your rewards at the end of your casino gaming session.
Most of it has to do with managing your bankroll, but there’s more to a baccarat strategy, as we’re showing you now.
Our Recommendations For Baccarat Strategies
Given all that we’ve explained so far, some of these recommendations would be a surprise. We still wanted you to have them summed up in this section to make your life easier.
1. Give Priority to Banker Bets…
As you’ve seen on the table above in this guide, banker bets have the lower house edge. This will attract most players.
If you pair this with a short game with small deck, it could produce interesting results if your luck allows it.
2. But Don’t Forget the Commission on Banker Bets
The basic rules of baccarat state that wins made by the banker come with a 5% commission.
It doesn’t matter if you’re using a flat play approach or a progressive system, the commission will always eat into your reward.
This has to do mainly with the outcome odds for both, that are not higher enough for banker bets compared to Player or Tie.
3. Be Careful With Tie Bets
Chances of a tie bet are low (around 9.5%), and they give you 8 to 9:1 back. While the payout does sound rather interesting, it’s offset by the low chances of it happening.
Usually, these are selected by players that are too confident, which helps the casino make extra profit.
4. Play Baccarat Games With the Least Decks In Play
This one is easy to explain. When you play baccarat with fewer decks in play, you are lowering the house edge and also turning the game into something more predictable.
This strategy is in line with, for example, playing in short bursts and take advantage of whatever luck you can get in them.
Best Baccarat Strategy for New Players
If you’re new to the game, you may want to keep your baccarat strategies simple. We don’t want players to get confused, and that also means you don’t have to worry about sophisticated play sequences. Baccarat gameplay is simple, so the best baccarat strategy is simple too.
We’d recommend a non-progressive strategy until you fully master the game, even if it doesn’t maximize your chances. Playing always the same amount will remove part of the effort of understanding a new game.
With slick baccarat strategies like these and a bunch of baccarat tips on your side, you can feel more confident when you step up to play James Bond’s favorite game!
