Baccarat Strategy

  • The basic Baccarat strategy is to know your odds on each bet.
  • Baccarat is based on trying to make the most out of your money instead of winning a lot all at once.
  • Unlike Poker, Baccarat doesn’t involve bluffing or hiding cards.

Some of the most common questions I receive from friends and gambling beginners come from people who want to know how to win at Baccarat and what my most successful Baccarat strategy is. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many Baccarat strategies that will improve your chances.

Baccarat is a Game of Chance and the best thing you can do to make your money and therefore your fun last longer is to understand your odds. While I do have a few helpful Baccarat tips to help you win more often, each person tends to form his/her own approach to the Game that they are comfortable with and enjoy the most.

Unlike Poker, Baccarat strategy is basic and based on trying to make the most out of your money instead of winning big all at once. Both the banker’s and player’s hands are laid out face up on the table for everyone to see meaning that bluffing or hiding your cards has no part in Baccarat strategy. You cannot decide to take an extra card or stand as in Blackjack. This is decided instead by traditional Baccarat rules which the dealer is obliged to follow. This means that you can only put your bet down and hope for the best.

Know Your Baccarat Odds

So what does that leave you to work with? Again, the only control you have is to know what your odds are on each bet so that you can make the most out of your money. Betting on the banker’s hand gives you the best odds with a 1.17% House advantage, but with only a 1 to 1 payout.  After the 5% Casino commission this comes out to even less. Most prefer to bet on the banker rather than the player though as this bet has a 1.36% House advantage and commission is also taken from winning this bet.

 

The third bet and the one with the worst odds is the tie. At a House advantage of 14.12%, this is the least favored bet despite its 8 to 1 or 9 to 1 pay out. If you’re lucky enough to get this bet right however, the payout is well worth it.

In the end it’s up to you to decide what bets are worth it for your wallet and which you can and can’t afford.