Baccarat Strategy

Online Baccarat

To optimize your chances of winning at Baccarat you should, if possible, select a casino which offers the most player-favorable options among the variables of the game.

Not all casinos use 8 decks; the fewer, the better for you as the bettor.
Some casinos' commission on Banker bets is lower than 5%.
Some casinos pay 9:1, rather than 8:1 for a tie

It is generally recognized that the Banker hand has an edge over the Player hand and that even with the commission factored in, the Banker hand is a better wager.

The tie bet is considered to be for suckers only; doubtless, some suckers have actually hit and won big. Nonetheless, your friends might laugh at you if you make a tie bet.

Some players believe that by tracking "trends" in the shoe, they will be able to place smarter bets. They speak of a "Choppy Shoe" if wins alternate regularly between Banker and Player and of a "Streaky Shoe" if either Banker or Player win on many successive hands.

Some players believe also that card counting can result in knowledge of which hand is more likely to win.

Both trend spotting and card counting in Baccarat have no scientific relation to how the cards are going to come out of the shoe. Those activities might be part of the fun for some players but the players would be exceedingly hard-pressed to give a scientific explanation proving that their methods are increasing their winnings.

Money-management systems whereby you decide your loss limit and possibly also your winnings cap can, however be considered a part of your Baccarat strategy.

Bonus Money Guide to Baccarat

Manage Your Money'Don't Let IT Manage You
Before you step foot behind the velvet ropes, sidle up to a mini baccarat table, or click that first chip online, determine your bankroll for the session. Know exactly how much money you are willing to lose before you begin playing. Sounds easy, right? If you can gamble only what you can afford to lose, set limits, and adhere to those limits, you can gamble responsibly. Resist the siren's call to action, 'just one more hand,' at all costs

What if you're on a winning streak? When you luck into a winning streak, don't give back all your gains to the house. Massive fortunes are won and lost at baccarat, and it might just happen to you. When you've been lucky enough to experience a windfall, pocket a portion of your winnings to take home or to withdraw from your online account'and just do it. If you win, it's equally important to walk away a winner.

Right Pocket, Left Pocket
Manage your money in the following manner to guarantee that you leave the table with some money:

Place your bankroll for a session in your left pocket.
Play only with money in your left pocket.
When you win, place ' of your winnings in your right pocket.
When your left pocket is empty, take a break or quit.

Money Conservation 'Systems'
We've already established that systems don't work with baccarat. However, many baccarat aficionados apply some of the systems that are widely used in other casino games such as roulette and blackjack as a money-management technique in baccarat. You might consider incorporating one of the systems below into your overall money management system. Don't expect to win with any system, but it's not unreasonable to use a system to your advantage in conserving your bankroll and extending the amount of time you can play with your bankroll. Establish your own pattern or system and combine it with money management.

Martingale
The Martingale system is one of the oldest and most popular betting systems. The system was devised for even-money games, and while it was devised for roulette, it has also been adapted for blackjack and baccarat.

The Martingale Premise
The premise stems from the law of averages, which states that on 50/50 bet, 50% of the time one outcome is probable, while the other 50% of the time, the opposite outcome is probable. Sooner or later, if you can afford to keep gambling and increasing your bet, you will end up even plus $1. Of course, this may be difficult in baccarat, because the minimum bet in mini baccarat is the casinos is $5. This system works best if you can find a $1 table online.

The Martingale System
Use Martingale only when you bet on the player or the banker. After you lose an even-money bet, double your bet until you win. When you win, you will have won a total of $1, as illustrated in the table below:

Hand #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Your bet (previous bet x2)	$1	$2	$4	$8	$16	$32	$64	$128	$256	$512
Banker or Player	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Banker	Player
Result	-$1	-$2	-$4	-$8	-$16	-$32	-$64	-$128	-$256	+$512
Accumulated result	-$1	-$3	-$7	-$15	-$31	$63	-$127	-$255	$511	$1

The Martingale Pitfall
Players often exceed their bankroll before hitting a winning hand.

Paroli
The Paroli system ups the ante-when you're winning. It takes advantage of hot streaks on even-money bets. Use this system only when you're betting with the banker or the player (which you should be doing most of the time, if not all of the time). The Paroli system's objective is to cut your losses quickly and let your winnings ride. Remember that this system applies only to even-money bets.

When you win, double your next wager.
When you lose, bet the same amount as the last wager.

The Paroli Pitfall
Players often exceed their bankroll before hitting a winning hand.