Baccarat Strategy

KNOW WHAT NOT TO DO

A lot of baccarat players like to keep track of the hands that have been dealt and results that have come from those hands. That doesn't make them so strange. If you're playing in an online baccarat game, depending on the software that is available, you may be able to track some of the results. It isn't such an unusual thing for players to apply a common sense theory that is based on their perception of the law of averages. For instance, let's say the Banker goes on a nice run, winning eight out of nine hands, you might think there is going to be a breaking point where the odds are are going to start favoring the Player on the next series of hands, figuring that things will eventually "even" themselves out. But because of things like random shuffling and dealing, and the way the card values are implemented in the game, there really is no advantage in betting using that as a guideline.

Once you understand that it's okay if you are paying a commission to the casino on victorious Banker bets (in other words, that it's not a rip-off), you may be able to capitalize on special situations that may be offered according to which casino you go to, such as a special promotion where the house may actually reduce the commission paid on the Banker bets. If you see it go down to 4%, it gets even close to being a break-even proposition for you (in fact, as low as 0.6%). And a 3% commission brings you to a negative 0.15% or thereabouts, which, if you're not the best player at your poker table or aren't counting cards in blackjack, makes it the best percentage casino play you can be involved in.

To summarize, on a mathematically basis, you're going to wind up better off sticking with wagers in the Banker, and the degree to which you are better off will be dependent on the amount of vigorish you pay. Don't discount that, and if you ever forget it, remember all those people through the years who pounded the idea into you that "the house always has the edge," and that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Like anything else in life, what's just as important as what to do is what NOT to do. So let's talk about that. Recognizing that you are not making playing decisions in this game, but clearly have the opportunity to make betting decisions, you have three choices. You can bet on the Banker, and that is something we have discussed. You can bet on the Player hand, which represents, in essence, you. There is a third bet you can make, and that is on a tie (which is known as a push in blackjack). Just remember this - the worst bet you can make in the game of baccarat is one that is on a tie.

If you bet on a tie, you need to know that there is a 9.516% chance that it is going to happen. That means it will happen once in roughly every 10.5 situations, which makes it about 9.5-to-1 that a tie is going to happen. What's that mean? Well, the house edge on that bet is a robust 14.36%! Now compare that to the percentages we outlined at the top of this story.

You may not win all the time, but you'll certainly know how to avoid a loser when you see one!