Baccarat Strategy

When you gamble, you like to feel as though luck is on your side. However, you can’t rely on luck alone. Those players who function on luck will fall short in the end because this means that they are not playing with any thought or strategy in mind.

At a casino, the casino edge plays a huge role in the bets you will ultimately make. In baccarat, betting on a player gives you 1:1 odds. This equates to the casino edge being 1.34%. Betting on the banker will allow you to up your winnings. However, you will be required to pay the casino a 5% “brokerage”. In other words, if you win $1000 then the casino will keep $50. This is the same principle as paying corkage in a restaurant. All brokerage is paid at the end of the game.

When betting on the banker, the house edge is 1.17%. With such odds, one would assume that the banker has a great advantage.

If you want to play the bigger odds then betting on a tie will get you 8:1 in the event of winning. Just keep in mind that the casino edge in this case is 14.1%, so the odds are not really in your favour. In most other bets, the casino edge is quite low. Tie bets are the exception.

In games like blackjack and poker, the players have a direct involvement in the cards that are played. This is not the case in baccarat and in order for players to do well they do not have to be exceptionally experienced – this is why knowing your strategy early on will give you an advantage.

In order to win in baccarat, you have to guess who the winner will be. This is one of the only games where your gut feel will play a big role. If you know the basics of the game and have a grasp of the rules then you will be able to play baccarat in the company of even the most experienced players without feeling inadequate.

Even if you are just starting out, the baccarat rules are printed quite clearly on the table. If you are gambling online then you will be able to keep a set of the rules with you if they do not appear on the website.

The best strategy to employ when in the beginning is to bet conservatively. This should give you a steady flow of profits. If you are feeling lucky then you can play the bigger odds or bet higher. Obviously, the higher you bet the more you can win.

If you would like to try your hand at baccarat without the risk of losing money then you will do well to find an online casino which offers free baccarat play. Once you are comfortable then you can move on to playing for real.