Baccarat, or Punto Banco, is one of the fastest and most simple casino games you can play. However despite its simplicity, you can swiftly end up bust. This article will help you understand the nuances of Baccarat by explaining some of the strategies you could use to maintaining your bankroll through strategic bets. If you’re lucky they could even help you turn a profit. But is there a winning Baccarat strategy?
The most effective long term strategy in any game is one that reduces the house edge, allowing you to manage your bankroll more effectively. Most casinos will use eight decks of cards for Baccarat in order to minimise the odds of winning. The number of decks in play alters the probabilities slightly so for simplicity, all the house edges in this article assume that eight decks are in play.
Despite what you might think, Baccarat, like all casino games is based on luck rather than skill, these strategies can help to structure your play instead of betting blind. But they won’t guarantee a return. If it did, no one would share that kind of information. If you’re not sure of the basics of how to play, read our article on how to play Baccarat. But if you want try different methods of playing, give these strategies a go in the Cloudbet live casino.
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What is the best Baccarat system?
Money management is critical for long term success in Baccarat. Excluding the tie bet, there isn’t much difference in the payout amounts of Banker and Player bets. They payout at evens, with a small commission taken for Banker bets. These staking strategies are all progressive systems of betting. They’re popular because any losses can be covered by an eventual win. However, as with any betting system, losses can quickly mount up and they rely on having enough bankroll to continue the sequence. You can use any staking strategy you wish, but these are two of the most popular:
1-3-2-4 system
The 1-3-2-4 system is a positive progression system. You always start betting one unit, if you lose, keep betting one unit. Only once you win do you bet three units. A win from that means you bet two units, a loss means going back to one unit. If you win four in a row, you’d start the sequence again but have made ten units profit. This strategy was devised to maximise returns and minimise losses in games where the main bets are around evens. Though it keeps losses to a minimum in terms of units, a continued losing run would negate any total profits gained.
Martingale system
The Martingale system is a negative progression strategy. After each loss, you’re required to double your stake. It relies on eventually winning to cover your losses and make a profit. The Martingale system sounds logical, and indeed once you win, you’ll win enough to cover your previous losses. And because you’re required to double your stake with every loss, the total wagered could quickly escalate to the table maximum.
What’s the best Baccarat strategy?
Now you’re familiar with staking strategies that can easily be applied to Baccarat, let’s take a look at the three types of bets on the table. Many Baccarat strategies will tell you to pay attention to streaks, however remember you’re playing a game of chance. Short-term streaks on player or banker bets may happen but in the long run they’ll even out with each other. Casinos will either display previous winning hands or provide you with the means to record it yourself. Remember that just because a run of hands has occurred, it doesn’t make the opposite hand more likely to appear. The player’s hand will win 44.62% of the time. The banker’s hand will win 45.85% of the time. Let’s take a closer look at the bets you can make.
Betting on Tied Hand
This baccarat strategy has the highest odds but the lowest probability. Betting on the tie might seem appealing from the odds, usually 8:1, and unsurprisingly the house edge is the highest, 14.36%. But it rarely occurs. The probability for a tie in Baccarat is 9.53%
Betting on Player’s Hand
Though the House Edge for player bets is 1.24% which is a substantial improvement on the tie, it’s still not the best bet to make when playing Baccarat. Though if you bet on the player’s hand and it wins, you’ll double your stake. For some players, this is a preferred outcome as you’ll win more per hand.
Betting on Banker’ Hand
In Baccarat, the house edge for banker bets is 1.06%. It’s the bet that seasoned Baccarat players always begin on and pay attention to. Casinos know this so it’s why, generally speaking, you pay 5% commission on winning banker bets. It might seem off-putting but in the long run, you’ll keep more of your bankroll. And then, for what we’re looking for this would be one of the better long terms strategies for playing Baccarat.
How to win Baccarat
Like all casino games, Baccarat can seem simple at first but successful players know how to turn the odds in their favour. You don’t need to count cards, you only need to know what decisions you can make to be on the winning side of the bet. And don’t rely on going on a hot streak to win at Baccarat. It’s incredibly rare to win more than one hand in a row, let alone more than five. So keep a handle on your bankroll. If you were to go all in on your first hand, you won’t be able to handle any variance if you lose. You’ll have no money to keep playing. So that begs the question, how do you win at Baccarat? Is it possible to do so consistently? Your best bet, would be to start with betting on the banker. Whether you choose to always bet on the Banker or alternate between Banker and player is your decision. But the smart money stays on the Banker.
So now you should understand different ways of playing the game, it’s time to put it into practice. Play live dealer Baccarat in Cloudbet’s bitcoin casino or play for free to experiment with how you want to play. And remember that new customers receive a 100% deposit welcome bonus up to 5 BTC/BCH. What are you waiting for?
Types of Baccarat
Alongside standard Baccarat, Cloudbet are proud to bring you three more versions of the game that are guaranteed to take your Live Casino experience to the next level.
Speed Baccarat
Do you thrive under pressure? Does the sound of a ticking clock send adrenaline rushing through your veins? If your answer is yes, then Speed Baccarat is the game for you. Evolution Gaming have combined all the best features of the hugely popular Live Casino game into a high speed format, creating a game packed full of suspense and excitement.
Rounds only last a mere 28 seconds, giving you less than half a minute to execute your strategy and place your bets in this rapid game. You’ll need to think quick and act fast. Are you up to the challenge?
Squeeze Baccarat
In contrast to Speed Baccarat, this version of the game uses a tantalisingly slow technique to increase anticipation and excitement. Cards are squeezed, or slowly revealed to the table, so that you’re kept on the edge of your seat throughout the entire game.
If your nerves can take it, head over to the Live Casino to enjoy Squeeze Baccarat today. With over 15 cameras centred on the table to catch every thrilling reveal, you’ll never miss a moment of the action in this multi-dimensional game.
Dragon Tiger
Often described as the two card version of Baccarat, this Live Casino game is an exciting alternative for fans of the popular card game. Its fast pace accompanies a simple format, where bettors have to decide whether the Dragon or Tiger card will have a higher value.
Use the in-game statistics to help you make your decision, before placing your bets and watching on as the winning outcome is revealed. Will the dragon’s fire be enough to put out the tiger’s roar? Find out today by playing one of our most-loved Live Casino games.
Answering your Baccarat questions
What are the basics of playing Baccarat?
There are two hands in this card game; the player’s and the banker’s. Before the cards are dealt, you are given the chance to bet on which of the three possible outcomes you think is most likely: the player winning, the banker winning, or a tie.
Once you’ve made your decision, 2 cards are dealt: those that have a value of 10, J, Q, or K are worth nothing, an ace is worth 1 and the remaining cards worth their associated number. If the 2 cards equal more than 10, the second digit becomes the value of the hand. For example, a 6 and 5 equals 11, so the value of the hand is 1.
This means that the aim of the game is to get the 2 cards to equal 9. You can read more about what happens if more cards need to be dealt to either the player or the banker in our in-depth guide to playing Baccarat, but essentially – if you bet on the hand that gets the closest 9 and there is no tie, you win. It’s as simple as that.
How to get better at Baccarat?
If you’re new to the game, the best way to get better is to practice. At Cloudbet we offer free play on a number of our table games, including Baccarat, so that you can get all the experience you need before playing for real in our bitcoin casino.
If you feel confident with the basics, then testing out the different systems and strategies we’ve listed above might help you gain a better understanding of the game – but It’s important to remember that at the end of the day, Baccarat is based on luck and not skill.
What is the exact house edge in a game of Baccarat?
The house edge is the term given to the average profit the casino venue or provider makes from your bet. In Baccarat, the house edge differs depending on the outcome; for a tie it is 14.36%, for the player’s hand it is 1.24% and for the banker’s hand it is 1.06%.
As mentioned above, casinos and game providers are aware of this and so add on commission to any winning banker’s bet. It’s important to keep this in mind when playing, as it means you may not always come away with as much as you expect.
Where can I play the new version of Baccarat online?
Our unrivalled choice of games is one of the many reasons why our users keep coming back. Head over to our bitcoin casino to explore our different versions of Baccarat, available for you to play as RNG games or against Live Dealers whenever you want, and begin your Baccarat experience in style with Cloudbet today.
Can you win playing Baccarat?
Of course. In fact, one winner this month was awarded €10,626 when playing Baccarat in our Live Casino. Just because the game is based on luck, it doesn’t mean you can’t be lucky.
