Unlike blackjack, baccarat isn’t a game that attracts lots of professional gamblers looking to beat the system. Card counting isn’t possible with baccarat, and because the game is simple, the two main betting options are pretty even. There isn’t one obvious choice over the other.
That doesn’t mean you’re completely unable to control the outcomes. Sure, you are a bystander betting on two opponents in a game where the action is dictated by a chart, but there are a few tips to help teach you how to win at baccarat online. We’ll start with what not to bet on.
1. Don’t Bet the Tie
In CafeCasino baccarat game, you can bet on the Player, the Banker, and a Tie. Out of these three options, one is indisputably the worst, and that’s the Tie bet. The Tie bet typically pays 8:1 or 9:1. If it’s 9:1, a $5 bet will yield a $45 payout, plus you get your $5 bet back. The house edge for the tie in six-deck baccarat is 14.44% for 8:1 pay ratios and 4.84% for 9:1 pay ratios. If you don’t want to rule out the Tie bet, play baccarat with a 9:1 Tie payout – like the ones offered at Café Casino.
2. Bet the Banker
To win more rounds of classic baccarat, bet on the Banker. Not counting ties, the Banker wins 50.68% of the time, and the Player wins 49.32% of the time. To even things out, casinos charge a 5% commission on Banker wins, giving it a negative expected return. Otherwise, baccarat could easily be beaten by people with big enough bankrolls.
3. Be Strategic with Your Bankroll
Because baccarat is essentially a coin toss, many people use betting systems. The issue is that an unlucky streak can tear through a bankroll. Don’t let that happen to you. Instead, decide how much money you want to dedicate to a session of baccarat, and then divide that amount into single units. We recommend having enough to lose 20 straight hands, so if you want to bet $200, 200 divided by 20 is 10, so $10 a round would get you through a 20-hand losing streak. With that in mind, try to end the session after a winning streak, but be sure to go no further than the number of rounds you decided pre-game.