Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It’s played on three to six standard card decks, and players are able to place bets with up to $200 per wager.
This game traces its roots to the gambling salons of Italy and France, but in the past 30 years it’s become an increasingly popular choice for casinos and gamblers around the world. High rollers are often attracted to baccarat for several reasons, including its low hold percentage, the ‘James Bond pageantry’ of tuxedoed dealers and double tables, and its ability to give players an edge over the house.
There are many baccarat strategies available for players to take advantage of, but it’s important to understand the basics before you start playing. Here are six tips to help you win at baccarat:
1. Learn the rules of the game
A fundamental understanding of the cards in baccarat is essential for ensuring you have the best chance of winning. In the game, cards are ranked from 1 to 9 with their face value being 0 points and aces being worth one point.
2. Know your banker and player hand rankings
The banker and player hands are rated as to how close they are to nine. If your banker hand is closer to nine than the player hand, you win a payout of double or even.
3. Practice good stake management
Though baccarat has an advantageous house edge, it can be easy to get carried away by the excitement of the game. This is why it’s important to keep track of your betting and withdraw from a game when necessary.
4. Know your odds of winning
Baccarat pays out a 5% commission when you bet on a banker or player hand, and a 8-to-1 payout when you bet on a tie. This means that the actual payoffs are about 19 to 20 when you play the game correctly.
5. Avoid’straight’ bets
The straight bet is one of the most common types of baccarat bets. This bet is only made if the player or banker has the same number of points. Unlike other bets, it does not require a decision from the player.
Rather than placing multiple bets at once, it is advisable to make a single bet on the first hand dealt. This will allow you to stretch your bankroll across more games and reduce the chances of making large bets on losing streaks.
6. Use a pattern system
In baccarat, it’s important to follow patterns as they come up. This is especially true when it comes to banker or player wins, as these are the most likely outcomes in a game of baccarat.
Some baccarat patterns follow a ‘zigzag’ pattern where players and bankers win alternately. Others follow a ‘flat’ pattern where players and bankers have winning streaks of two or more.
These patterns can lead to significant wins, but they can also cause a large loss if you bet on the wrong hand. These strategies can be used by both new and experienced players to maximize their potential wins in baccarat, but they should always be applied with care.