The Only 4 Baccarat Strategies Real Players Always Follow
Casino News, Technology & Sport Editor
Baccarat gets a bad rap for being one of the more intimidating table games, but honestly, it’s way simpler than blackjack or roulette. You don’t need to memorize card values, manage a complicated hand, or keep up with a spinning wheel. In fact, once you understand a few basic rules, baccarat becomes one of the easiest and most exciting games to play.
If you're just getting started or even if you've been dabbling for a while, there's good news: real players don’t rely on luck alone. They follow a few time-tested strategies that give them a solid edge. We're talking about smart betting choices, simple risk control, and avoiding common traps that eat into your bankroll.
Whether you're playing online from your couch or stepping up to the virtual felt for real money, these four baccarat strategies are the only ones you truly need to play smart, and maybe even come out ahead.
Let’s break them down.
1. Never Bet on a Tie
One of the most important tips to remember while playing baccarat at an online casino is that you are always playing against the house edge. Understanding the house edge allows you to make better bets and maximize your chances of winning.
In baccarat, the player's house edge is 1.24%, while the banker's house edge is slightly lower at 1.06%. However, if you choose to place a tie bet, the house edge skyrockets to a staggering 14.4%, making it one of the least favorable bets to make. If you're playing baccarat for real money, it's best to avoid tie bets. Although the tempting 8:1 payout for a tie may catch your eye, it's often a trap. Online casinos offer high payouts for tie bets because they know that players tend to lose when betting on this option.
2. Prefer Banker Over the Player
It has been found that, usually, banker wins over the player. However, when you place the bet on the banker and win, the house takes a 5% commission, which on the long run can be a disadvantage to the player. Suppose, you place a bet of $100 on the player, you win $200 each. On the other hand, when you win the bet against the banker, you win $195. So, is a banker’s bet worth it? The simple answer is, yes. This is because even though you are being a charged a commission of 5%, the possibility of winning a banker’s bet is actually higher. It has been found that banker’s bet usually wins 50.68% of the time.
3. Inspect the Odds Before You Start
It is worth noting that every online baccarat table is different from the other. So, before you start your baccarat session at any online casino, analyze your odds on winning. The player bet always pays 1:1, and this never changes; however, the commission on the banker’s bet tends to change. Typically, for online casinos, a 5% commission is applicable, while others can be as high as 25%. Of course, you don’t want to be surprised by such high commission after you have started the game. In addition, you should also check the payout of a tie bet, if in any special case you want to use it. Usually, the payout for a tie bet is 8:1, but some casinos may reduce it to 6:1 or something far less appealing.
4. Keep it Sweet and Simple
Baccarat is a game of chance, and thus players enjoy short swings of wins and losses. The tip to always winning at baccarat is to win some cash, and then, call it quits when things don’t look favorable for you. Experts suggest keeping your sessions short, as this will keep you winning and motivated to play the next session sooner.
To increase your chances of winning at baccarat, consider using various strategies. Whether you prefer placing small or large bets, playing with one or multiple decks, or enjoying multi-player games, the most important tip is to stay calm and be aware of the decisions you make to improve your gameplay in online baccarat.
