Is there such a thing as a winning baccarat strategy? From all the baccarat strategies being regurgitated around the internet, surely one of them has to work, right?
Well, there are many misconceptions about betting strategies in general. In this post, we’ll not only clarify what constitutes a strategy but we’ll also mention and explain the top baccarat strategies.
Ready to start playing baccarat with a verified, tried-and-tested game plan? Let’s start off with a quick trip to the past to better understand the origins of the modern game of baccarat.
QUICK HISTORY OF BACCARAT
The origins of baccarat are far from certain. The game is said to have roots both in Ancient China as well as Ancient Rome. The Chinese game of Pai Gow seems to be the earliest recorded version of baccarat, in which different tiles were used to reach the value of nine.
If we switch continents and travel to Ancient Rome, we find that Italian gambler Felix Falguiere is said to have created one of the first versions of baccarat through the use of tarot cards in the 1400s.
Either way, humanity doesn’t have the resources to perfectly trace the origins of baccarat — at least, not at this point in time.
The best bottom line that history can teach us is that predecessors of baccarat — whether they were baccarat games using tarot cards, dice or tiles — always had a similar objective: to reach the value of nine. That hasn’t changed in the modern game, as you’ll see in the next section.
BASIC RULES OF BACCARAT
Baccarat is one of the simplest card games you’ll ever come across. The game is played between two sides: the Player and the Banker. The side whose sum of cards is closer to nine wins.
What’s important to keep in mind is that you, the player, will not be actively playing against the dealer, as happens in blackjack. The names of the two sides could very well be John and Sally, since the main objective of the game is to bet on which side is dealt a sum of cards closer to nine.
Another important mention regards the card values. In baccarat, 10 and picture cards are worth zero, while the ace is worth one. Numbers two through nine are worth their face value.
If the value of the cards dealt is higher than 10, the initial digit (1) is dropped. For example, if two nines are dealt, their combined value will be 8 and not 18.
When a round of baccarat kicks off, the dealer will deal two cards to both the Player and the Banker in an alternating manner. Having said that, there are third-card rules that dictate when and if a third card should be dealt, although you won’t need to learn them since these are completely taken care of by the dealer.
If the Player’s hand has a total of zero to five, a third card is dealt. However, if the Player’s hand has a total of six or seven, no third card is dealt. If the player hasn’t been dealt more cards, the same rules apply to the Banker. If a third card has been dealt to the Player, then the Banker’s draw depends on the initial totals and what the Player’s third card is.
BACCARAT BET TYPES AND PAYOUTS
Seeing as baccarat is a pretty straightforward game, betting is what makes things interesting. Almost every betting strategy out there is based on the three main bets, however, there are various bets that you could choose to shake things up.
Below, you can find the odds, the payout and the house edge of each of the popular baccarat bets. Remember: just because a bet has a high payout doesn’t mean that it will pay often. The importance of the house edge is unparalleled, and each baccarat strategy that we’ll cover later on will aim to keep this concept in its forefront.
| Bet | Odds | Payout | House Edge |
| Banker bet | 45.86% | 0.95:1 | 1.06% |
| Player bet | 44.62% | 1:1 | 1.24% |
| Tie bet | 9.52% | 8:1 | 14.36% |
| Player Pair | 7.47% | 11:1 | 10.36% |
| Banker Pair | 7.47% | 11:1 | 13.03% |
| Perfect Pair | 3.34% | 25:1 | 13.03% |
| Either Pair | 14.2% | 5:1 | 13.71% |
PLAYER BET
Just like the two other main bets, the Player bet is quite self-explanatory. This bet will pay if the Player wins, that is, if the Player hand is closer to nine than the Banker hand.
The odds of Player bets stands at 44.62% and they pay evenly. The house edge of this bet is 1.24%, making it one of the lowest among casino games.
BANKER BET
The Banker bet works the same way as the Player bet, in that it pays when the Banker wins.
Winning Banker bets pay 0:95:1, while the odds stand at 45.86% — the highest in the game. Its house edge of 1.06% makes it one of the lowest house edge figures you’ll ever see at both online casinos and land-based casinos.
TIE BET
As its name suggests, the tie bet pays in the event that the Player and the Banker end up with the same card value.
Tie bets pay 8:1 and their odds are 9.52%. Their high house advantage of 14.36% makes them quite an undesirable bet for most players, but others might find it interesting enough to try somewhat periodically. In any case, placing tie bets isn’t really recommended unless done very rarely.
PLAYER PAIR
Also known as the P Pair, this side bet pays when the Player hand is a pair. The payout of this bet is 11:1.
BANKER PAIR
Also known as the B Pair, this side bet pays when the Banker is dealt a pair. The payout of this bet is 11:1.
EITHER PAIR
Also known as Either Pair, this side bet pays when either the Player or the Banker are dealt a pair. The payout of this bet is 5:1.
PERFECT PAIR
This side bet pays when either the Player or the Banker are dealt two identical cards, in both rank and suit. The payout of this bet is 25 to 1, but some higher payouts could also be offered in the rare event that both sides have a perfect pair.
DRAGON BONUS
This side bet is further subdivided into what are called the P Bonus and the B Bonus. There are two scenarios in which this bet pays:
- When the selected hand (the Player hand in case of the P Bonus and the Banker hand in the case of the B Bonus) wins with a natural eight or nine.
- When the non-natural hand wins with a margin of at least four points.
This bet offers a payout of 30:1 for margins of nine points between the two sides. Although this might seem high, do keep in mind that this isn’t a scenario that you’ll see very often.
BACCARAT BETTING SYSTEMS
Now’s the part where we’ll clarify the misconceptions about the constantly harped-on notion of a betting system, so listen up!
There are no betting systems that have ever achieved guaranteed wins, and that isn’t only the case in baccarat. If a player were to ever discover such a system, casinos would quickly run out of business.
In games that depend on Lady Luck as much as baccarat does, you might experience a winning streak or a losing streak that might briefly sway your opinion about betting systems. However, there is no way to kick Lady Luck to the curb and take the wheel. Luck is the dominant factor in baccarat, and there’s no escaping that fact.
So, one might ask, what’s the point of learning baccarat strategy and betting systems? Are betting systems a complete myth? Far from it.
Each betting system out there revolves around being mindful of the house edge of each bet placed, thus betting in a way that preserves the longevity of your bankroll. After all, if your bankroll dries up, the entertainment will end as well.
Now that we’ve untangled that conundrum, let’s have a look at some of the most popular betting systems used in baccarat.
NEGATIVE PROGRESSION SYSTEMS
Each negative progression system requires you to increase your bet after a loss and decrease it after a win.
The idea behind this betting system is that you’ll be able to make up for lost bets with every high-value win. Having said that, increasing your bet size after each loss can quickly eat up your funds, especially if you happen to be suffering from a losing streak.
POSITIVE PROGRESSION SYSTEMS
A positive progressions system works the opposite way, in that it requires you to increase your bet after a win and decrease it after a loss.
This betting system looks to capitalise on winning streaks and, conversely, minimise losses as much as possible.
FLAT BETTING SYSTEMS
Although there aren’t any flat betting systems per se, the phrase refers to the somewhat mundane practice of placing the same bet value every time.
Flat betting consolidates a player’s grip on their bankroll in a way that few other systems do. The downside to it, however, is that it is relatively boring. Most players enjoy switching things up by trying different progression systems, since flat betting offers no real change to the action whatsoever.
BACCARAT BETTING STRATEGIES
Each baccarat betting system we’ve explained above has its own branch of baccarat strategies that have been developed over a long stretch of time.
At this point, we should reiterate that none of these strategies guarantee a 100% win rate. As with each and every casino game out there, the element of risk is inextricable, which means that there is no point in vying for a risk-free experience.
Without further ado, let’s have a cursory glance at the main baccarat strategies that you could use to play baccarat.
THE FIBONACCI SYSTEM
Let’s start off with a negative progression system. As the name alludes, this strategy is based on the Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on).
In order to implement this strategy, the first bet placed must be worth one unit, that is, the first number in the sequence. If it is unsuccessful, the second bet should remain the same, that is, one unit.
If still unsuccessful, the next number on the sequence must be factored into the bet (2), which means that the third bet must be worth two units. This must continue until the bet is won, in which case the player must move back two numbers in the sequence.
THE MARTINGALE SYSTEM
Still on the topic of negative progression systems, the Martingale system in other casino games such as roulette, blackjack and even craps.
The Martingale system is one of the least complicated baccarat strategies out there. All you have to do to incorporate it into your play is double your bet upon each loss and return to the original bet after each win.
For example, if you try a bet of €1 and it loses, according to the Martingale system, your next bet must be €2. If that loses as well, the following bet must be €4, and so on. If the bet wins, you should return to your baseline bet of €1.
THE LABOUCHERE SYSTEM
Now is when things get hairy. The Labouchere system revolves around the idea of setting a bet objective and dissecting it in relatively achievable sums.
What exactly does that mean? The best way to explain it is to use an example. Let’s say that our objective is to win €20. We must now split that €20 into a handful of new numbers, for example, 5-4-1-2-4-4. If we manage to win the amounts in this sequence, we’ll have reached our objective (5+4+1+2+4+4=20).
The way we should go about betting is by first placing a bet that combines the leftmost and rightmost numbers in the sequence we mentioned above. In this case, our first bet must be €9 (5+4). If our bet is successful, we can eliminate the two numbers from the sequence and move on to the new leftmost and rightmost numbers.
What happens if the bet is lost? In that case, we must add our lost bet to the rightmost side of the sequence, which would then look like this: 5-4-1-2-4-4-9. As a result, our next bet would be €14 (5+9).
As with every baccarat strategy out there, the Labouchere system has its advantages and its disadvantages. Although it can help you set a clear objective of how much you would like to win, things can get quite complicated if the bets don’t go your way. The sequence would thus stretch into quite a handful of numbers, making it seem even harder to reach your predetermined objective.
Moreover, players with a smaller bankroll might find it very hard to use this strategy, since there wouldn’t be enough money to cover much of a sequence if the first bets end up failing.
THE D’ALEMBERT SYSTEM
Similar in simplicity to the Martingale system is the D’Alembert system. This is another negative progression system that tries to make up for your losses by increasing the bet after each loss.
Here’s how it works: you must first choose your first bet. Every time your bet loses, you should increase it by one unit — only to revert it to your original bet once a win is struck.
For example, if you opt for a baseline bet of €5, a loss would see you bump your bet to €6. This would continue until you win, after which your bet must return to the original value of €5.
THE 1-3-2-6 SYSTEM
There are two things that should pop in your head when seeing the name of this baccarat strategy. The first is that whoever came up with this strategy was wildly unoriginal. The second is that the sequence 1-3-2-6 practically sums up this strategy.
The 1-3-2-6 system is a positive progression system that looks to capitalise on a potential winning streak while actively limiting losses. This strategy dictates that if you lose a bet, you must return to your original bet. However, if you win all four bets (consisting of 1, 3, 2 and 6 betting units), you also revert back to the original wager.
Let’s have a closer look at how this strategy works. If your first bet is €3 and it loses, your bet must be €3 again. On the other hand, your bet must be multiplied by three if it is successful. If successful yet again, your bet must then be multiplied by two, and so on.
THE 1-3-2-4 SYSTEM
This betting system is almost virtually the same as the 1-3-2-6 system, except that it lessens the risk of the last bet in the sequence.
Let’s take an original bet of €3 as an example. A successful bet would still mean that you should multiply the original wager by 3, and if you lose, you should revert back to €3 again. The only difference would be that the fourth successful bet would be multiplied by 4 instead of 6, as is the case in the 1-3-2-6 system.
Therefore, the 1-3-2-4 system adds a cushion to the last bet of the sequence, since if it fails, its effect wouldn’t be as detrimental to your bankroll as the 1-3-2-6 system would.
THE PAROLI SYSTEM
Still on the topic of positive progression systems, let’s have a look at the Paroli system. This strategy isn’t very hard to grasp, in fact, it simply looks to take advantage of winning streaks.
To implement this baccarat strategy, all you have to do is determine a standard bet and double it after each win. If your bet is lost, return to the standard bet.
For example, if we start with a predetermined bet of €5 and we win, our next wager would be €10 and if that is won, we would bet €20 in the subsequent round. Should we lose the bet at any point in time, we’d revert back to the standard €5 bet.
THE PARLAY SYSTEM
Similary simple in principle is the Parlay system, which features the doubling of successful bets and a return to the original wager when a loss is suffered.
For example, if a starting bet of €5 is successful, the next round should see double the bet (€10). If another win is achieved, the bet would then be €20 (10+10). Should a bet lose, the player would then return to the €5 bet.
THE BANKER BET STRATEGY
If there’s one strategy you’ll always stumble upon when looking for a baccarat game strategy, it’s the Banker bet. Banker bets include a house edge of 1.06%, making it the best bet in the game. This puts the Return to Player (RTP) at a staggering 98.94% which, if you think about it, is extremely generous.
There are two main issues with the much-lauded Banker Bet strategy. Firstly, placing Banker bets for a long stretch of time verges on the unimaginably boring. Secondly, Banker bets don’t remain the best option in some versions of No Commission Baccarat.
Seeing as most casinos take a 5% commission on each winning Banker bet, No Commission Baccarat might seem like an interesting option.
However, this baccarat variant only pays 1:2 when the Banker wins on a certain number — as opposed to the even-money payout in regular baccarat variants. In this case, if you’re after minimising the house edge as much as possible, we wouldn’t recommend you to bet on Banker.
BACCARAT BETTING TIPS
After having covered the most popular baccarat strategy tips, we’ll now have a look at some general tips and pointers that you could use to maintain a high level of entertainment when playing baccarat. After all, that’s what matters the most!
AVOID THE TIE BET
Tie bets are the least popular wagers in baccarat, and for good reason. Their astronomical house edge of 14.36% deters most players from trying it, but that isn’t the only thing that disincentivises a tie bet.
If you bet on the outcome of a Player or Banker win, the bet will be considered a push, which means that both the Banker and Player hand will be replayed.
This is why Banker and Player bets are sometimes referred to as smart bets, while the tie bet withers away on the fringes of the baccarat community. Although they have the best odds among the three standard bets, tie bets are considered very unfavourable owing to their high house edge.
LEARN MONEY MANAGEMENT
The best strategy you could ever choose to incorporate in your play is effective money management, and this is true for all the gambling games out there.
Sticking to a predetermined budget might prove challenging at first, especially if you’ve never done so before. Having said that, money management is the safest way to gamble since it won’t touch the money you cannot afford to lose.
Each and every baccarat strategy we’ve mentioned above should adhere to a strict budget-management plan, otherwise, baccarat can become a very dangerous game to play. Wagering small amounts instead of going for high stakes bets, as well as going for the bets with the lowest house edge will extend your bankroll, and by extension, it will extend your enjoyment of the game.
FORGET A WIN FORMULA — ENJOY THE GAME
Seeing as there is no way to consistently win baccarat rounds, there isn’t much point in combing through the internet for an ostensible win recipe.
In online casinos, all the legitimate baccarat games use a Random Number Generator to deal each card. The RNG’s primary function is to make the winning hand as random as possible by dealing random cards to both sides.
In live casinos — and every land-based casino out there — the cards are shuffled by machines before being placed into the shoe for the dealer to use. Moreover, multiple decks are used in baccarat so that the random element of the game is preserved.
Instead of looking for a way to win at baccarat, we’d recommend enjoying the game for what it is: a luck-based game that provides entertainment through its fast-paced simplicity. Feel free to try following a betting strategy to diversify your bet sizes, but always do so with bankroll management in mind.
THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS CYCLES, JOIN WHENEVER YOU WANT
Before looking to play baccarat at a table, some suggest waiting around until either the Banker or the Player loses. For example, if the Player seems to be on a winning streak, this suggestion recommends joining when the streak is broken in order to ‘rebalance the scales’.
This suggestion is completely unfounded. As we’ve mentioned above, all legitimate baccarat games function through RNG, whose exact function is to randomise each card draw, independently of which cards have been dealt in the past. This therefore means that waiting for streaks to be broken is a waste of time that could be better spent enjoying the game!
Furthermore, basing your decisions depending on winning or losing streaks is generally not a good idea, and it may lead to depleting your bankroll quicker than anticipated.
BACCARAT VARIANTS
Now that we’ve covered the best baccarat strategy, tips and tricks to place your well-informed baccarat bets, it’s time to check out what interesting variants you could explore. The three main baccarat variants are Chemin de Fer, Punto Banco, Baccarat Banque and Mini Baccarat.
You could find the games mentioned below at EnergyCasino. If you want to find out more about our online Casino before making the leap, stick around till the end!
NO COMMISSION BACCARAT
As we’ve mentioned previously, No Commission Baccarat eliminates the standard 5% house edge and, instead, the Banker bet pays 1:2 if the Banker wins on a certain number. The rules for when the Banker holds and stands are thus tweaked in this game of baccarat, but there is no need to learn them seeing as the action of dealing cards is completely automated.
Interestingly, seeing as the Banker bet sees the above change, it isn’t the best bet to place. In No Commission Baccarat, the Player bet is the most worthwhile wager.
MINI BACCARAT
There aren’t many differences between traditional baccarat and Mini Baccarat. In the context of land-based casinos, a Mini Baccarat table is generally smaller than regular baccarat tables. Moreover, the game is played at a faster pace than the traditional game of baccarat. This serves as a significant advantage for casinos, since the more hands are played per hour, the more times the house edge is in effect.
DRAGON TIGER
One of the most glaring differences between traditional baccarat and Dragon Tiger is that the Player and the Banker don’t feature at all. Instead, the two sides are the Dragon and the Tiger, representing yin and yang in Ancient Chinese philosophy. The same bet rules apply in Dragon Tiger, only that players will be betting on the Dragon or the Tiger instead of the Player and the Banker.
In Dragon Tiger, the dealer deals two facedown cards; one for the Dragon and one for the Tiger. These are then flipped face up and whichever side’s card is closer to nine wins. Unlike what happens in traditional baccarat, no extra cards are dealt other than the one card for each side.
BACCARAT CHEMIN DE FER
This is one of the oldest versions of baccarat, and it is exactly the baccarat variant played by the great James Bond. This variant of baccarat is unlike the rest, and its rules might need some getting used to. For the purpose of describing its main features, we’ll give you a rough overview of how the action unfolds.
In Baccarat Chemin de Fer, multiple players take on the Banker around the baccarat table and look to beat it by challenging its hand. The Banker will take on the player with the highest bet — or to the right of the dealer in cases where equal bets have been placed. If the Banker loses and the player wins, they will become the Banker.
IS THERE A DEFINITE WAY TO WIN AT BACCARAT?
It wouldn’t be a good idea to start playing baccarat with the intent of finding a surefire way to win. Seeing as there are no possible strategies or tips to win at baccarat tables, we feel that players would be missing out on the entertainment factor if they constantly want to find a way to win baccarat.
In luck-based casino games like baccarat, minimising the house edge is all you can really do. The most popular way to do that is to bet on the Banker, whose house edge of 1.06% is the best in the game.
Apart from that, you could choose to implement a baccarat strategy as well, but this will only serve to make things more interesting while sticking to a budget. Moreover, each baccarat strategy we’ve mentioned above might prove to be dangerously unsuccessful during losing streaks.
A popular way to get a better bang for your buck is through a casino bonus. Most online casinos, including EnergyCasino, offer many different bonuses; Welcome Bonuses, Deposit Bonuses, Cashback Offers and even No Deposit Bonuses.
If you’re looking to play baccarat with a casino bonus, the Cashback Offer would be right up your alley. A Cashback Offer basically returns a percentage or sum of your lost bets, up to a certain limit. Having said that, it’s strongly recommended to read the bonus’ Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) before claiming it, since it will paint you the clearest picture possible regarding the bonus.
The T&Cs detail some very important aspects of a bonus. For example, The T&Cs of Free Spins Bonuses normally include information about the game weighting and how many times the bonus funds must be re-wagered to make your bonus balance withdrawable.
PLAY BACCARAT ONLINE AT ENERGYCASINO
If you want to play baccarat, why not do it at one of the best online casinos in circulation? EnergyCasino truly lives up to that title, since it offers players an opportunity to have a casino without the risk of playing at illegitimate or shady games or tables.
Our Casino is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority.
Furthermore, our game portfolio is chock-full of different baccarat games — including live baccarat — as well as other table games like roulette, blackjack, poker and craps and their live variants.
This isn’t to mention the 3,000 slot games in our collection — all developed by some of the industry’s best game providers. Last but not least, sports lovers can try their hand at the vast array of sports betting markets in our Sportsbook section too.
Our new casino customers can enjoy generous Welcome Bonuses as their first Deposit Bonus, but that isn’t to say that our loyal customers don’t get to enjoy a fine Deposit Bonus too! Check out our ‘Promotions’ page to see what we’ve got in store, and if you’re willing to put your talents to the test, head to our ‘Tournaments’ page to show off your competitive nature!