Certain casino games never go out of style and, much like roulette or craps, baccarat fits this description well. Even if you’ve never played the game in your life, chances are you’ve run into baccarat while scrolling through an online casino’s selection of card games looking for your next gaming adventure.
Or, if that’s not the case, you at least have to have seen Sean Connery’s legendary James Bond’s very first scene in Dr. No. Yes, that was baccarat. See? You have come across the game before.
What might come as a surprise to you, however, is the fact that there are certain strategies that may be employed when playing baccarat. Still, it bears underlining right away that no baccarat pattern strategy comes with a 100% chance of success and it’s important to always remember that it’s still gambling.
That said - curious to find out what baccarat strategies and systems exist? Wondering what the best baccarat strategy may be? Stick around for a bit as we explain to you the basic rules of the game, including different betting strategies, and give you a rundown of the most famous baccarat systems which will help you enjoy your gameplay and even become an expert player, if you so wish.
The Basic Rules of Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the simplest casino table games, when stripped down to its basics. It’s played between the player and the banker (dealer) and the goal of the game is to predict the winning hand. Therefore, the player places a bet on one of the three possible outcomes:
- their hand winning,
- the banker’s hand winning,
- or a draw.
The winning hand is the one closest to a total of nine.
How does it pay out? If you’ve bet on the player’s hand, and it turns out it’s the closest to nine, you win double of what you’ve wagered.
If, however, you’ve bet on the banker’s hand to win and it does, then the house pays out 95% of your original bet, and 5% is retained as the house’s commission.
Ultimately, if you make a tie bet, you’re betting that the banker’s hand and player’s hand will have an equal sum. The winning draw wager here is paid out at 8:1.
Different Betting Options in Baccarat
As mentioned in the previous section, players have the option of betting on one of the three outcomes when playing regular or online baccarat. Let’s take a quick look at each of the betting options.
Banker Hand
Betting on the banker hand is one of the most popular betting options with players. The chances of winning the bank bet amount to 45.86% and, if you place bets on the bank and it wins, the payout is 1:1, i.e. evens.
However, as mentioned before, if you decide to go with this betting option and you do win, you will need to pay a commission of 5% to the casino.
Player Hand
The odds of winning the player bet are 44.63%. If you bet on the player hand and it wins, the payout is 1:1. In this case you won’t have to pay any commission to the house.
Tie
If the player and the bank have the same number of points, the result is a tie. The draw odds are 9.51%.
In a nutshell, while the payout is 8:1, the odds are riskier compared to the bank and player hand and this is essentially the reason why a lot of players don’t go for the tie bet so easily.
Baccarat Strategies
As pointed out at the beginning of our guide, it is of utmost importance to keep in mind that there is no such thing as a 100% winning baccarat strategy. It’s still gambling, no matter which baccarat system you choose.
There are many different strategies you can use when playing baccarat and it would be impossible to go into every single one of them. Still, we're more than happy to break down the most important baccarat pattern strategies for you.
The Martingale Strategy
The Martingale strategy is believed to have originated in France in the 18th century. This baccarat strategy has since evolved and is now used in other popular casino games, such as blackjack, roulette, and craps.
The Martingale strategy is one of the simplest baccarat strategies. This betting system is based on doubling your bet after each loss. Because of this, it's a good idea to have a large budget set aside to cover the losing rounds before you start winning.
On the other hand, if you win, you return to your original bet. Ultimately, it is a risky strategy and those who choose it do it because they enjoy the thrill of the game.
The Fibonacci Strategy
The Fibonacci strategy dates back to the early 13th century. This strategy differs from the Martingale strategy as it’s based on a specific sequence developed by the famous Italian mathematician Leonardo Pisano. Yes, that’s right, the mathematician who developed the well-known Fibonacci sequence. You know, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, etc.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Fibonacci sequence, you will still notice that the next number in the series is the sum of the two previous numbers.
When the sequence is applied to the Fibonacci strategy, you start by betting 1 unit. A monetary amount is identified with the unit.
So, you start with the first number of the sequence. If the first hand wins, there is no sequence and you place 1 unit again. If the first hand loses, you trade 1 unit again. If the next hand fails again, the bet is 2 units. After another loss, 3 units, etc. The Fibonacci sequence ends when you bet 1 unit again.
The Paroli System
The Paroli system is a positive progression system. This strategy was originally developed for Basset, a card game dating back to the 16th century. The name comes from the Latin word Par, meaning “one that is equal”. The main reason why this strategy is so popular among the players is that it’s easy to understand.
You have to set a fixed bet, which can be anything, and double it after each win until you get 3 consecutive wins. If you lose, you revert to the standard bet.
The Labouchere System
The Labouchere strategy, also known as "Cross-out", “Cancellation”, "Labby" or "Split Martingale", is a slightly more complex strategy, but is still very popular among players. This negative progression system was developed by Henry Labouchere for roulette, although the strategy can be applied to baccarat and blackjack, as well.
The Labouchere strategy is best illustrated with an example: in order to win €20, you have to write down a sequence of numbers, e.g. 5 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 4. The goal is to convert your winnings into scores in this order. How long the sequence lasts depends on your budget.
The D’Alembert System
The D'Alembert system is similar to the Martingale strategy because with this betting strategy you increase your bet after every loss. First you place your bet. Then, every time you lose, you increase your bet by one unit.
For example, if you bet 10 euros and lose, you must increase your bet to 11 euros. You repeat the same action until you get a win. That’s when you reset your bet to the original amount, or, in this case, to 10 euros.
Baccarat Tips
As mentioned several times in this blog alone, baccarat is thought to be a fairly simple card game that is often played using baccarat winning strategies. However, if you’re looking for a sure-fire baccarat strategy, the simple matter of the fact is there are none.
In order to get the most out of baccarat, however, the best thing you can do is stick to the rules and strategies already explained, while following a few handy tips and tricks from our guide. Here are some.
Rules, Rules, Rules
The be-all and end-all of any game, including baccarat, is learning the rules of the game in question.
What’s particularly useful is the fact you’ll be playing baccarat in online casinos. Here’s where the demo versions of games can be very helpful. It’s always good to give a game a try in its free mode and master the rules risk-free. Practice makes it easier to understand the intricacies of the game which is extremely important before deciding to play baccarat for real money.
Choose Reputable Providers and Casinos
Another useful tip is: always choose reliable providers. One of the ways of finding out which providers come highly recommended is with the help of our reviews, which you can find on the AskGamblers website.
Additionally, it is of great importance that the online casinos you’re playing your games in are licensed by reputable gambling authorities. Therefore, before you throw yourself into your first baccarat adventure, a wise course of action is to consider which casinos are trustworthy. Our casino reviews will be of great help there.
Avoid the Tie Bet
At the start of our guide, we explained different betting options. We also mentioned betting on a tie, or the fact that this betting option is a bit riskier than betting on the banker’s or the player's hand, as the tie betting odds are 9.51%.
This means that the house edge is much higher on the tie bet. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid ties as a betting option, especially if you are a beginner at the game of baccarat.
Bet on Bank
The bank hand is one of the most popular bets for players. The odds of winning when betting on the bank are about 50%. This means that betting on the bank brings a pretty big advantage.
Again - and it bears repeating as many times as possible, it’s that important - just remember that with this type of bet there is a 5% commission that casinos charge. That way there won’t be any unpleasant surprises.
Bankroll Management
Playing baccarat should, above all, be entertaining. However, as much as having fun is important, it’s also extremely vital to have a handle on bankroll management.
Therefore, we’d like to draw your attention to the fact that you should constantly keep an eye on your money management. The best way to do that is to set a fixed limit before you even start playing and don’t go over it.
Again, here’s where the free demo versions of games come in handy, as well. That way you’ll get the feel of the game without spending a dime.
As pointed out at the beginning, in this game it is important to make correct decisions. This means, in a nutshell, make sure you always gamble responsibly, make your decisions accordingly and, above all, stick to them.
What Is the Best Baccarat Strategy for You?
That’s it, we’ve reached the end of our baccarat strategy guide. Hopefully, we’ve successfully demonstrated that, no matter if you’re new to baccarat rules or an experienced player, baccarat remains a card game that's based on opportunities and decisions. This means that there is no 100% successful winning strategy.
No one can answer the question what the best baccarat strategy would be for you. What you can do is learn as much as possible about the game from our detailed baccarat beginner guide, dig deep into all the available baccarat strategies, and use the techniques that appeal to you the most. Have fun playing baccarat and good luck!
