Playing Strategies for Baccarat

While baccarat relies mostly on luck to win, there are a few strategies you can keep in mind to improve your chances. Here are five important tips for you to remember while you’re playing baccarat.

When it comes to baccarat, especially mini baccarat or any other similar style you’d play in America, it’s important to know just how much the outcome depends on luck and luck alone. Unlike in blackjack, neither you as the player nor the dealer actually have to make any decisions about what to do when faced with a certain hand — the rules determine every move.

Pair this fact with the low house edge (generally between 1.06% and 1.24%), and baccarat has a lot of loyal fans. It’s a terrific game for new gamblers because there are no tricky systems you have to remember, and the RTP rate is so favorable.

With a payout of 1:1, though, you won’t be earning giant payouts if you win like you would if you were betting on a certain number in roulette. So how can you maximize your potential winnings at the baccarat table?

Have no fear. We have advice on what to do and what not to do in baccarat to earn some nice payouts while still enjoying the game.

Here are five important tips for you to remember while you’re playing baccarat.

Do: Bet on the Banker

You’re faced with three types of bets you can make in baccarat: the Banker bet, the Player bet, and the tie bet. The Player bet pays out 1:1, while the tie bet pays out 8:1. The Banker bet also pays out 1:1, but the house takes a 5% commission from any winning Banker bet.

This commission might turn some players off of the Banker bet, but it’s still honestly the safest bet to make. This is the option with the lowest house edge (1.06%) and has the slightly higher likelihood of being the winner.

This is because the Banker goes second, and any decisions the position has to make regarding when to hit or stand are dependent on the Player position’s moves. This gives a little advantage to the Banker position getting a more favorable hand in the end.

Don’t: Bother With the Tie Bet

While we’re on what types of bets you should focus on, you should definitely ignore the option to bet on a tie. Sure, the payout is much higher at 8:1, but the tradeoff is that it comes with a whopping 14.36% house edge — one of the highest you’ll ever see in a casino game.

The likelihood of a tie being the winning option is only 9.53%, so unless you’re a psychic and can predict exactly when a tie will come up, don’t let someone try to convince you that the tie bet is a good idea.

Don’t: Try To Look for Patterns

Many baccarat tables will either hand out paper charts for players to track results, or they’ll have a digital display showing the past several rounds’ results. This is because gamblers love to try to look for patterns as a way to get some sort of edge against the casino.

But, while anyone can experience hot or cold streaks in games like baccarat, the odds are pretty similar to whether a coin toss will come up heads or tails. Each result is its own separate event, so there’s no sure-fire way to predict any outcome. This is also why card-counting is more prevalent in blackjack than it is in baccarat.

Don’t: Try To Ride Out a Bad Streak

It’s important to look at baccarat as more of a sprint than a marathon. The trick to winning somewhat regularly is to be lucky enough to hit a hot streak and ride it until it ends. This means that your playing sessions will only probably be 10 to 15 minutes long. This way, you don’t obliterate your bankroll too quickly when you hit a cold streak.

In that same vein, don’t try to make a losing streak work for you by trying a negative progression betting system like the Martingale. The Martingale system tells you to double your bet every time you lose, but it only works on even-money wagers. So if you were to try the Martingale, you’d either have to always bet on the Player, or you’d have to bet a little more than double your previous wager to account for the commission on winning Banker bets.

With systems like the Martingale, you’ll lose too many hands in a row to ever make back your bankroll.

Do: Play Baccarat Online

Baccarat is a great game to play in an online casino because it’s a fast-paced game and just as simple to play in its digital format. This means you can play a few quick rounds while waiting for the bus or even while you’re brushing your teeth.

You can often find digital baccarat tables with lower table minimums than you would be able to find at any brick-and-mortar casinos. If you live in New Jersey, there are plenty of New Jersey online casinos where you can play baccarat for just $1 per hand. This is great for people with smaller bankrolls or people who want to get more of their money’s worth when it comes to how long they can play.

In addition, online casinos often offer bonuses for their players. These could be signup bonuses or other deposit bonuses. But no matter what, if you can use your online casino bonuses on baccarat, then you’re basically playing with free money — and you would never get that chance in a land-based casino.

See How Fun Baccarat Can Be

If you keep all of these tips in mind, baccarat can be one of the best casino games you can play. Between its low house edge, fast pace of play, and low table minimums in online games, baccarat is a great game for new players and veterans alike.

So get your bankroll together and shop around at some different online casinos. Soon you’ll find your favorite one where you can incorporate everything you’ve learned here.