Baccarat will forever be cemented in pop culture thanks to its role in the James Bond franchise. Of course, it is much harder to win at baccarat in real life than it is on a film set.
Our casino experts have collected all the best baccarat betting strategies. You can use these strategies to improve your chances while playing baccarat at the top online casinos.
Baccarat Overview: Learning the Basics
Baccarat can be a ton of fun and creates plenty of chances to win money. However, you need to use a proven baccarat betting strategy if you want to win consistently. And before you can pick a strategy, you need to understand the rules of baccarat.
How to Play Baccarat
Baccarat is an easy game to learn. In its simplest form, the point of baccarat is to get the hand with the highest total. The hand that is closest to nine points is the winner. Only the last digit of the number is counted, so nine is the highest possible total.
The parties then compare hands to determine which hand is the winner. To win money, you have to correctly bet whether the banker’s hand or the player’s hand will be the ultimate winner.
Drawing a Third Card in Baccarat
In some instances, the player and the banker are able to take a third card. The extra card could help increase your score. If you overshoot the mark, your score will actually go down.
Your score must be five or less in order to be eligible for a third card. If it is higher than five, you have to stand. The dealer also hits on a total of five or fewer if the player stands.
Betting Options in Baccarat
There are three main betting options in standard baccarat games. You can wager on the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie.
Your baccarat betting strategy will largely depend on which starting wager you make each round.
Baccarat Card Rankings
The scoring system in baccarat is very simple. All you have to do is add up the total point values of your cards. Each card is worth the same amount of points as its face value.
This also means that 10s and face cards are essentially worth zero points. Aces on the other hand are only worth one point.
Baccarat Payout Rules
Standard baccarat only has three possible payout options. Here, the only payout options are if the banker wins, the player wins, or if there is a tie. Other versions of baccarat may offer extra betting options.
Banker Bets
The banker’s hand has the best chance of winning in baccarat. A wager on the banker’s hand wins roughly 45.86% of the time. This is slightly better than the player’s hand bet.
Despite winning less than half of the time, a wager on the banker pays out at 1:1. A successful bet of $10 will win the player $10.
Player Bets
Betting on the player’s hand also gives you a good chance of winning the round. The player bet wins roughly 44.62% of the time.
Despite being slightly less likely, the player’s hand bet pays out at 1:1, just like the banker’s hand wager. This means you are taking more of a risk to get the same reward.
Tie Bets
The third and final betting option in most baccarat games is the tie bet. As the name suggests, this wager only hits if the player and banker tie. This is the least likely of the three potential outcomes.
A tie only occurs roughly 9.52% of the time, making it significantly less likely than the other options. Players can certainly win a huge amount of money if they can correctly predict a tie. This wager can payout at 8:1 or more depending on where you play.
Paying Commission in Baccarat
Another key part of standard baccarat games is paying commission. Players do not need to pay a commission on winnings if they wager on their own hand. There is, however, a 5% commission attached to winnings from wagers on the banker’s hand.
It also discourages players from only betting on the banker’s hand every round. Otherwise, every player would bet on the banker’s hand because it has the best odds of winning. You should account for the commission in your baccarat betting strategy.
Baccarat Strategy Guide: Most Popular Options
Baccarat has been a popular casino game for hundreds of years. Dozens of baccarat betting strategies have been created over that time.
Luckily, there are plenty of baccarat betting strategies that are perfectly legal to use in casinos.
The Martingale System
One of the most popular baccarat strategies around is known as the Martingale system. It is a progressive betting system that depends on huge wins to make up for any potential losses. This method relies on the concept of mean revision.
Also, you need a big bankroll for the Martingale system to work. Doubling your wager every time can get expensive fast. Your profit margin can also be razor thin at times if you hit a bad losing streak.
Reverse Martingale or the Paroli System
A popular variation of the Martingale system is known as the Reverse Martingale, or the Paroli system. In the original system, players increase their wagers after every loss until they win. The Reverse Martingale, as the name suggests, does the opposite.
Some players who use the Reverse Martingale automatically reset their wagering amount after a set number of wins. This makes the reverse Martingale a much more effective baccarat strategy. It allows you to actually claim your winnings instead of losing them all on a future wager down the road.
Fibonacci Betting System
You may remember learning about the Fibonacci sequence when you were in school. This series of numbers is made by adding the two previous numbers in the sequence together. The beginning of the sequence looks like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.
As with other progressive systems, the Fibonacci baccarat betting strategy can be limited by the maximum table betting limits. Also, it can become expensive very quickly, as you are increasing your betting amount with every loss.
Labouchere Strategy
The Labouchere is one of the most popular baccarat strategies. It has many other names, such as the Split Martingale and the American Progression. Regardless of what you call it, this method can be extremely helpful when it comes to winning at baccarat.
Players with small bankrolls are also probably better off avoiding the Split Martingale. This progress system requires a huge financial investment to work properly. If you want to try it out, you can always use it in a free online baccarat game.
Oscar’s Grind Baccarat Strategy
Oscar’s Grind is another advanced baccarat strategy that experienced players have had success with. This baccarat betting system breaks the gaming session into cycles. It also involves increasing your wager at specific times.
It takes a lot of effort to use the Oscar’s Grind baccarat strategy correctly. If it were easy, then “grind” would not be in the name. Still, this system can be profitable if you stick with it long enough.
D’Alembert Baccarat Strategy
The D’Alembert system dates all the way back to 18th century France. It has remained popular throughout the years because it is easy to follow. Also, it is an effective betting system that can help you win.
This baccarat betting strategy combines the best of both positive and negative progression systems. On one hand, your wins should cancel out your losses. On the other hand, you do not burn through your bankroll as quickly hoping for one major win.
Bet with the Banker Every Time
There are dozens of other baccarat strategies that you can try. The simplest baccarat online strategy is to always bet with the banker. The banker’s hand has the best odds of any baccarat wager of winning.
If you do use another baccarat strategy, you will likely still bet on the banker. The main difference will be how much you wager each time. This is because the banker’s hand gives any strategy the best chance of being successful.
How to Choose the Best Baccarat Betting Strategy
As you can see, there are plenty of baccarat strategies to choose from. New players could struggle with finding the right strategy to use. Here are some factors to consider when comparing which baccarat online strategy you want to use.
Playing Style
One of the main factors to consider when comparing baccarat betting strategies is the type of player you are.
Remember to lower your expectations with safer strategies. The lower risk usually leads to fewer rewards.
Experience
Another important factor for players to consider is their personal experience levels. If you are new to baccarat or gambling in general, we recommend sticking with a basic baccarat strategy. These systems are easier to learn, and you can always switch to a more complex system later on.
Experienced casino players may be more comfortable with an advanced baccarat strategy. A more complex strategy does not necessarily guarantee that you will win every hand. Of course, experienced players can use advanced betting systems to improve their odds of winning baccarat more often.
Setting
One factor that many people overlook when creating their baccarat strategy is the location they are playing in. Playing baccarat online is different than playing at a brick-and-mortar casino.
Some may offer 9:1 odds, while others only have 8:1. Knowing these differences and accounting for them should be a part of your baccarat betting strategy.
Style of Baccarat
As with most casino games, there is more than one variation of baccarat. Each style of baccarat has slightly different rules and betting options. A winning baccarat strategy should account for these variations in the game.
Your baccarat strategy for playing on a real money casino app should be different than playing at a land-based casino. First and foremost, the rules and types of baccarat available may be different. There are also different options for player rewards and betting limits.
The Size of Your Bankroll
A risky baccarat strategy can help you win money a lot faster than more conservative options.
On the other hand, conservative baccarat betting strategies can make it difficult to win money if you are only playing for a short amount of time.
Expert Baccarat Tips for 2022
A great baccarat winning strategy is only part of what you need to be successful. There are plenty of other issues to consider when you are playing baccarat at the best online casinos. Here are some more betting baccarat tips from our casino experts to help you be more successful.
Set and Follow Strict Limits
It is easier than ever to play baccarat online thanks to online and mobile casinos. However, this ease of access to casino games also has a downside. It is also harder to stick to the limits you set on your gambling.
Sticking to your baccarat strategy can help you avoid this issue. Set strict time and financial limits in your betting system. Then, stick to the limits that you set.
Manage Your Bankroll
Proper bankroll management is the key to any successful baccarat betting strategy. A good bankroll will account for everything from the amount you bet each hand to how long you plan to play.
Once you have your bankroll in place, you need to stick to it. Some casinos allow players to set limits on the amount that they can gamble. These venues are great for people who struggle with sticking to their budgets.
Use Casino Bonuses
One of the best tips for new baccarat players is to take advantage of online casino bonuses. The right bonus can make all the difference in your gambling experience.
Some casinos even offer VIP programs to reward players who stick with them long-term. Using bonuses like these can help make up for some of the losses that occur while gambling.
Be Careful With High-Risk Bets
One of the biggest distinguishing factors between different baccarat games is the type of wagers available. Games such as Super 6 and EZ Baccarat offer special side bets for players to wager on.
Of course, that is not to say that you should avoid these bets altogether. Players should simply limit the number of times they wager on these high-risk side bets.
Popular Baccarat Variations
One of the biggest decisions you have to make before playing baccarat is which version to play. There are a ton of popular versions of baccarat that are available in contemporary casinos. You can find even more baccarat variations by playing online at the top online gambling sites.
American Baccarat
One of the most popular styles of baccarat that you will come across is American baccarat. This popular variation pits players against other players. Three players serve in their normal roles of being the bettor. Another three players assume the roles of bankers.
To keep the game fair, the role of the dealer rotates around the table. This ensures that all players involved get to enjoy the advantages of being the house. The player acting as the dealer has the advantage of winning any tiebreakers.
Baccarat Banque
Baccarat originated in Europe and is still wildly popular today. Baccarat Banque is one of the most popular versions of baccarat at contemporary European casinos. This version is so popular that some casinos use specially designed tables to allow for up to 16 players at once.
Players do not have to bet until the first cards for each hand are dealt. Also, the total amount bet by players cannot exceed the wager of the banker. So, if the banker only wagers $3,000, then the total amount of players’ bets cannot be more than $3,000.
Mini Baccarat
Mini baccarat is the perfect game for players on a smaller budget. This version of the game uses a smaller table that usually has smaller betting limits as well. It is often considered the simplest version of baccarat to learn how to play.
One of the main differences in Mini Baccarat is that the role of the dealer does not rotate. Instead, the bank will always stay with the house. Players also never touch the cards in Mini Baccarat, which increases the speed of the game.
Punto Banco
The most popular type of baccarat in most countries is Punto Banco. In fact, many players even use Punto Banco and baccarat interchangeably.
Players wager on a set of three cards and the dealer matches their bet. The party who bets on the cards with the highest baccarat point total wins.
Super 6
Another extremely popular version of baccarat is called Super 6. This type of baccarat is often compared to real money craps games. Casinos and players alike enjoy Super 6 because it is a faster version of baccarat than other variations.
Super 6 games do not charge a commission on banker bets. However, you could receive a lower payout if the dealer lands a hand worth six points. There is also a special side bet called the Super 6, which is where the game gets its name.
Chemin de Fer
Chemin de Fer is one of the few popular versions of baccarat where a player holds the bank. This person starts each hand with a starting bet that other players must match in order to play.
It can be a lot of fun, but you need a separate baccarat strategy based on your role as either a player or a banker. You should also account for the tactics the other players at the table are using.
EZ Baccarat
Players looking for a baccarat game with multiple side bets should try EZ Baccarat. This variation of baccarat offers special wagers called the Dragon 7 and Panda 8. These side bets are based on the outcome of the dealer’s hand.
The Dragon 7 wager has a payout of 40:1. A Panda 8 bet on the other hand pays out at 25:1. These bets can hit even if the dealer’s hand loses to the player’s hand.