Baccarat Terminology

Essentially, the goal when playing baccarat at a European online casino, is to bet on which hand; the player’s or the banker’s, will come closest to having a total value of nine. A round in baccarat is called a ‘coup’, and each coup has three possible outcomes:

  • Player win (P) - the player’s hand totals closer to 9
  • Banker win (B) - the banker’s hand totals closer to 9
  • Tie - the player’s and the banker’s totals are exactly equal

There are also different versions of baccarat which have emerged through the ages, such as baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque, but most casinos nowadays offer the standard punto banco baccarat. The rules are generally the same throughout all, with minor differences.

If you don’t already know the rules of baccarat, we recommend you read our guide. Although it’s not crucial to know the rules to play baccarat, it can be crucial to determine the best betting strategy baccarat.

Baccarat Odds Explained

Knowing the odds of your potential bets is crucial for a good baccarat gambling strategy. You can bet on the Banker, Player or tie, and all bets have pros and cons.

Curiously enough, baccarat simultaneously has some of the highest and lowest edges among casino table games. How is this possible? Allow us to explain.

#Betting on the Banker

The odds of the banker winning the coup is a low 1.06%. However, be aware that if a bet on the banker wins, the house will take a 5% commission on the win, so be sure to factor this into your calculations. Your payout will therefore be 1:0.95

#Betting on the Player

The odds of the player winning have the low house edge of 1.24%, only slightly higher than that of the banker. However, the player does not take a commission, so your final payout is 1:1.

For comparison, both bets have slightly better odds than those in European roulette, comparable perhaps to playing blackjack without employing a strategy.

#Betting on Tie

Although this bet returns a very high payout of 8-to-1, it is also associated with the highest house edge of 14.4%. In fact, the tie bet is sometimes called the ‘suckers’ bet’, because although it may appear attractive to anyone new to the game because of such high return, it is statistically highly unlikely to occur.

A tie outcome is only 9.5% likely to occur in a coup, making it very rare to encounter during the limited time of an individual game. In general, betting on the tie is best avoided.

Will A Baccarat Betting System Help Me Win?

Unlike when playing online roulette for real money, which is highly dependent on luck, the game of baccarat plays out in a logical, rule-based way. This difference opens the door for players to use strategic approaches in baccarat to potentially gain an advantage.

One effective baccarat strategy involves recognizing and leveraging patterns in the game’s outcomes. Baccarat results often display sequences that alternate between the two main betting options: Player (P) and Banker (B). For example, a common pattern could look like this: P-B-P-B-P-B, indicating an alternating streak between Player and Banker wins.

Additionally, baccarat games can exhibit consecutive winning streaks for either the Player or the Banker, such as a sequence of five Banker wins (B-B-B-B-B), or five Player wins (P-P-P-P-P).

A well-devised baccarat strategy takes these patterns into account. By identifying these trends, a player can make more informed guesses about the outcome of the next ‘coup’ (round of play) in baccarat.

Still a Game of Luck

It’s important to note, however, that while recognizing these patterns can aid in decision-making, each coup in baccarat is still an independent event, and past outcomes do not guarantee future results. As with all casino games, there is an element of risk, and baccarat strategies are not foolproof.

So, to sum up, a baccarat system can never guarantee a win, but it can, to some degree, improve your chances of overall profit.

Baccarat Betting Strategy

Whether you are new to baccarat or just new to strategizing and are looking for a way to beat the baccarat system, the following strategies would surely be powerful allies to take into a real casino or next time you play baccarat online. We will give a brief explanation of each Baccarat winning strategy and compare their advantages and disadvantages to give you a clear view, allowing you to make your own decision as to which online Baccarat strategy best suits your resources and needs.

Namely, we will introduce the following baccarat strategies:

  1. Consistent baccarat strategy
  2. Trend switch combat strategy
  3. Breaking doubles strategy

1. Consistent Baccarat Strategy

This technique involves betting consistently on a single outcome, either the banker or the player, throughout the whole game.

Though apparently simplistic, it is nonetheless a powerful strategy. Some guides may advise always betting on the banker since this bet has a lower house edge and thus is more likely to occur. However, when factoring in the commission, this may still not be the most profitable bet to make. So, be sure to check how much the banker’s cut is and apply your own judgment.

This strategy is able to work because, statistically, at some stage during the game, both the player and the banker will have their turn at an advantage. This occurs in approximately 8 of 10 rounds, and it is then up to lady luck to decide whether these will be the rounds when you are betting on the particular outcome.

#Stop Loss

It is essential when applying this strategy to trigger a stop loss. This means when losing a number of times in a row, stop betting and wait for the outcome you are betting on to occur again before placing another bet.

If for example you are backing the player and the banker wins three times in a row, hold off on betting until the player wins again. Never allow yourself to lose more than three times in a row and the second should be the final stop loss.

#How To Apply It

  • Choose an outcome: player or banker
  • Consistently bet on the same outcome through the entire game
  • Trigger a stop loss after losing three times in a row

#Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Straightforward tactic to apply
  • No need to keep track of patters: only counting involved is in triggering the stop loss

Cons

  • May not be very exciting for those looking for a more engaging technique
  • As with all casino games, strategies cannot reduce the house edge or always guarantee a profit. However, this is true of both the strategy and the house edge: the casino can’t always win either

2. Trend Switch Combat Baccarat Strategy

This is a baccarat pattern strategy that works by spotting which pattern the game is currently following and wagering that the next outcome will continue to follow it.

As previously mentioned, most outcomes of a coup are combinations of banker or player win streaks or alternating streaks which zigzag between banker and player wins with repetitions of up to two.

#How To Apply It

  • Start out by betting flat as in the previous strategy
  • When a pattern becomes prevalent - alternating wins up to duplicates or a banker or player winning streak – wager that it will continue
  • After losing three bets and encountering a stop loss, switch the trend you are betting on instead of stopping

#Pros & Cons

Pros

  • High chance of going into profit since the strategy adapts based on how the game is progressing
  • Can play longer by switching techniques when triggering a stop loss

Cons

  • Need to pay close attention and keep track of all outcomes to spot patterns
  • Requires a wider stop loss and thus a more lucrative bankroll to follow

3. Breaking Doubles Strategy

As the name might imply, this baccarat strategy works by wagering on a zigzag pattern, allowing for up to two consecutive wins. We’ve already mentioned that the majority of Baccarat outcomes (a staggering 90%) are either in this form or are winning streaks. However, when streaks occur, they tend to do so in clusters, back-to-back or close after one another.

This technique relies on refraining from betting upon spotting winning streaks and otherwise betting on the outcomes following the alternating zigzag pattern.

#How To Apply It

  • Start out betting on a zigzag pattern, so if the banker wins first, bet on the player.
  • If your bet wins, bet on the other outcome, i.e. the banker, next
  • If your bet loses, i.e. you’ve encountered a double, double down bet on the other outcome again
  • If your double down bet loses, i.e. you’ve run into streaks, trigger a stop loss and hold out betting until the outcome shows an alternating pattern once again

#Illustrating Using an Example:

BetOutcomeWin/LoseScore
/B//
P P Win +1
B B Win +2
P B Lose +1
P (double down) P Win +3
B B Win +4
P B Lose +3
P (double down) P Win +5
B P Lose +4
B (double down) B Win +6

When to trigger stop loss and when to resume betting:

BetOutcomeWin/LoseScore
PBLose+5
P (double down) P Win +7
B B Win +8
P B Lose +7
P(double down) B Lose – stop betting +5
/ P / /
/ P / /
/ P / /
/ P / /
/ B / /
/ B / /
/ B / /
/ B / /
/ P / /
/ P / /
/ B This is the reset trigger /
P P Win +6
B P Lose +5
B(double down) B Win +7
P P Win +8

Pros

  • Effective use of stop loss to prevent losing streaks
  • Interactive strategy allowing control of bankroll according to prevalent trends

Cons

  • Requires concentration to follow patterns attentively
  • Necessitates a wider bankroll since double down wagers may lead to a steeper progression

4. Martingale Baccarat Strategy

The Martingale betting strategy in baccarat is a system that involves doubling your bet after every loss. This method is based on the theory that you will eventually win, and when you do, you’ll recoup all previous losses plus achieve a profit equal to the original bet.

#How To Apply It

  • Start with a base bet: If you lose, double your bet on the next coup
  • Continue doubling after each loss until you win
  • After a win, return to your original base bet
  • Repeat the process as needed

#Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Simple and easy to understand
  • Potential for quick recovery of losses and earning a small profit

Cons

  • Risk of rapid bankroll depletion in a losing streak
  • Requires a significant bankroll to sustain multiple losses
  • Table betting limits can hinder the effectiveness of this strategy

5. D’Alembert Baccarat Strategy

The D’Alembert baccarat strategy is a more conservative approach than the Martingale. It involves increasing your bet by one unit after a loss and decreasing it by one unit after a win. This method is designed to balance out the wins and losses over the course of the game.

#How To Apply It

  • Choose a base unit for your bet
  • Increase your bet by one unit after each loss
  • Decrease your bet by one unit after each win
  • Continue this pattern throughout the game

#Pros & Cons

Pros

  • More gradual increase and decrease in bets, reducing the risk of large losses
  • Better suited for players with smaller bankrolls

Cons

  • Potential for slow recovery of losses
  • Lower profit margins compared to more aggressive strategies
  • Can still lead to significant losses in prolonged losing streaks

Conclusion

Identifying the best baccarat strategy will be a uniquely personal experience for each player. In this guide, we’ve presented the most popular candidates for the most effective strategy as well as their pros and cons. It is now up to you, to try them yourself at a fast payout online casino, and decide which strategy suits your preferences best.

Tips & Tricks

Below, we’ve collected a few pointers to help you avoid making amateur mistakes during your next game.

  • Keep track and take note of the outcomes using a chart to easily be able to spot patterns
  • Do not change your strategy mid-game – remain consistent as this would defeat the purpose of implementing a strategy in the first place
  • Read the terms and conditions – know the rules and regulations, such as how much the banker’s cut is, and especially if you hope to benefit from some bonus offer. Be sure to check the time and deposit limits on it as this may be different than those for other games
  • Have a plan and stick to it – money management is perhaps the most important strategy to apply in any casino game

FAQs

What is the best baccarat strategy?

There are many a baccarat betting system you can choose from. Which one will work best for you depends on your experience, personal preference and available bankroll. Ultimately, all strategies mentioned above will be powerful allies to take into the casino.

How do I apply a baccarat strategy?

After choosing the strategy you want to use, simply follow the steps in the guide during your next game. Make sure to remain consistent and use the same strategy through the entire game.

Can a strategy reduce the house edge?

The house edges in each outcome are fixed and cannot be changed using a strategy. Following a strategy can only help you determine which bet would best fit the ongoing pattern. Most importantly, a stop loss will help you determine when it is time to withdraw from betting and wait until outcomes are once more favourable to resume, increasing your chances of ending up with a profit.

author
Kate WebbEditor in Chief

With over ten years of experience working with gambling and writing about casinos, Kate brings a lot of knowledge to CasinoTop3.com. Kate oversees all the content written on CasinoTop3.com to ensure it contains factual information with value to you as a player.