HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT
Baccarat (pronounced bah-ka-rah) has long been among the most popular casino games in Europe and Latin America, and, contrary to its appearance, is probably the simplest game to play.
Baccarat Overview
The object of Baccarat is to bet on one of two hands, the one you think will come closest to nine. Nine is the highest hand. Ten value cards have zero value. Aces always count as one. If the cards dealt total more than nine on either hand, they acquire the value of the second digit.
Example: 10=0 17=7 20=0 23=3.
The shoe holds eight decks of cards. It is passed around the table from player to player, counterclockwise, every time a player hand wins.This encourages each player to take an active part in dealing the game. Before cards are dealt from the shoe, everyone places their bet on the side they think will win (banker or player). The player with the shoe then deals four cards alternately. Two are designated player cards; two are designated banker cards. The croupier announces the total of each hand and, if the rules require, will call for a possible third card for either side (see chart). The winning side is announced, losing bets are collected and winning bets are paid even money.
All winning bets on the bank side are assessed a 5% commission. The dealer will keep a running account of your commission, which must be paid at the completion of the shoe (you may pay your commission anytime during the game).
There are two other bets called “pairs” and “tie.” On the “Pairs” bet, you are betting the first two cards on either the Banker or Player hands are a pair. If they are, you will be paid 12 for 1. On the “Tie” bet, you are betting that both the player and banker hands will tie. If they tie, you will be paid 9 for 1. There is also an additional proposition wager called Lucky 6. Should you choose to wager on the Lucky 6, you win 13 for 1 on any winning two card Banker hand totaling 6 and 21 for 1 on any three card Banker hand totaling 6.
We invite you to sit down at any some of the best Baccarat tables in Vegas where our dealers will be glad to show you the game and answer any further questions.
No Commission Baccarat
This exciting variation of Baccarat charges no commission on a winning bank hand. However, the payoff on a winning Banker hand totaling 6 receives 50% of the original bet.
Basic Rules To Remember
- If banker and/or player hand has a total of eight or nine on first two cards, no further cards are drawn.
- Player hand having zero to five must draw one card. Player hand having six or seven must stand.
- Banker hand stands or draws one card as directed by the chart.
| Mini-baccarat offers the same excitement and fun that baccarat does. The same rules apply as in Baccarat. In Mini-Baccarat, the croupier is the only person permitted to deal the cards. |
Player Hand Third Card Rule
| When a player’s first two cards total: | Player’s hand: |
|---|---|
| 0-1-2-3-4-5 | Draws a card |
| 6-7 | Stands |
| 8-9 | Natural stands |
Banker
| When banker’s first two cards total: | Draws when player’s third card is: | Does not draw when player’s third card is: |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1-2 | Banker’s hand always draws on a two-card total of 0-1-2 | |
| 3 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-0 | 8 |
| 4 | 2-3-4-5-6-7 | 1-8-9-0 |
| 5 | 4-5-6-7 | 1-2-3-8-9-0 |
| 6 | 6-7 | 1-2-3-4-5-8-9-0 |
| 7 | Stands | |
| 8-9 | Natural stands | |
Stadium Baccarat
This exciting new format puts a new twist on the classic baccarat format, infusing great moments of expectation and thrills with an accessible table minimum of just $5. If you have a love of baccarat, you’ll definitely want to give Stadium Baccarat a try.
Stadium Baccarat is very similar to playing Baccarat at the table. The dealer is dealing the game in front of you, and you can watch the cards being dealt through the display on the betting terminal. Players place their wagers by touching the betting area on their terminals and have an opportunity to play up to four games at the same time.
How to Play Baccarat- A Quick Reminder
Before we get into the Baccarat play systems, here is a quick reminder of how a standard game of Baccarat is played:
- Choose your chip size and place your bets on Player, Banker, or Tie to win
- 2 cards are drawn to both the Player and the Banker and revealed
- The value of the two cards is combined up to a maximum value of 9 with the closest value winning
- If the value is over 9, then it resets to 0 and increases up to 9 again
- If the total value equals 5 or less, then a 3rd card is awarded and the value matched against the opponent
If you want a more extensive breakdown of how Baccarat works including the 3-card rule and how Banker/Player Pair bets are made and won, then check out How to Play Baccarat for all the top info on mastering the table casino classic.
Baccarat features up to 5 different betting options
Baccarat Bet Types
Here’s a little cheat sheet of the available Baccarat moves that you can use when applying your newfound strategies:
| Bet Type | Payout | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 0.95:1 | Places a bet on the Banker hand to win |
| Player | 1:1 | Places a bet on the Player hand to win |
| Tie | 8:1 | Places a bet on both hands to be of equal value at the end of the round |
| Banker Pair | 11:1 | Places a bet on the Banker to win with the initial two cards awarded |
| Player Pair | 11:1 | Places a bet on the Player to win with the initial two cards awarded |
Top 10 Baccarat Strategies
#1- The Baccarat Martingale
The Martingale is one of the most popular casino strategies worldwide and follows one all-important rule; every time you lose a round you double your bet value. The idea behind this strategy is that, when you win, it will offset the value of the lost rounds. Set yourself a betting style and stick to it religiously to follow this strategy. Upgrade the strategy by applying flexible min and max bet limits and keep within those limits to keep it manageable.
#2- Side with the Banker
Statistically, the Banker has a slightly higher chance of winning on any given round and awards a payout of 0.95:1 as opposed to the Player which awards 1:1. This strategy is pretty simple; bet on the Banker on every round. Despite the slight advantage over the Player space, there is no guarantee the Banker will win so stick to it for multiple rounds to maximise this strategy.
#3- Focus on Pair Bets
The Pair bets have the highest potential return on your initial bet with a payout of 11:1. This strategy focuses on making bets exclusively on Player Pair or Banker Pair bets to win. For every win, you will win 11x your bet value with each win offsetting the potential losses from non-winning rounds. Stick to one type of bet or alternate between them to spice up the action.
#4- Baccarat Fibonacci
Originally a strategy employed for Roulette, the Fibonacci can be modified to work with Baccarat. The strategy primarily focuses on Banker bets and follows a sequence of betting values on each round. Set yourself a minimum bet value and, whenever you win, move one step one the sequence. If you lose a round, return to the first step of the sequence and start again. The sequence to follow is:
1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987
As an example:
- You set a limit of £1 as your minimum bet
- The sequence would go £1-£1-£2-£3-£5-£8 etc.
- If you lose, start again with a £1 bet and repeat the sequence until the next losing hand
#5- The James Bond
It’s the secret agent’s favourite game and it would only be appropriate for there to be a strategy centered around the man who enjoys his martini shaken. You play each round at £200 and split it across 3 bets of:
- £140 on a number Banker
- £50 on a number Player
- The other £10 on Tie
The James Bond strategy can be heavily modified so the values can be higher or lower depending on your budget. Set yourself a strict limit and don’t spend more than you would be comfortable with; as long as the values can be split similar to the above format.
#6- The 3 2 System
This system bases its strategy on placing 5 chips of equal value split across 2 different bets. For Baccarat, the split is between either the Banker and Banker Pair bets or the Player and Player Pair bets. Once decided, follow this sequence:
- Place 3 chips on Banker/Player
- Place the remaining 2 chips on Banker Pair/Player Pair
- Repeat after each round and adjust chip values according to your budget
This strategy can be altered to alter between Player and Banker at different intervals of rounds or mix and match with Banker/Player and Banker Pair/Player Pair.
#7- The 1 3 2 6 System
This strategy follows a similar setup as the Fibonacci but increases the number of chips in play rather than the base bet value. Essentially, you set a chip size that becomes your base bet, and, after every winning round, you follow the pattern and add chips accordingly. The sequence goes 1,3,2,6 before resetting after 6 if another win is achieved.
As an example:
You set your base bet at £1
- Stage 1 is played at 1 chip of £1 and if that wins you move onto stage 2
- Stage 2 is played with 3 chips at £1 for a total of £3 and if that wins you move onto stage 3
- Stage 3 is played with 2 chips at £1 for a total of £2 with a win moving onto stage 4
- Stage 4 is played with 6 chips at £1 for a total of £6 with a win resetting the sequence back to stage 1
All bets played on this strategy should be focused on Player/Banker bets as they have the highest likelihood of winning over the riskier Tie or Player/Banker Pair bets.
#8- The Reverse Martingale
The Reverse Martingale is, as expected, very similar to the Martingale but with one distinct difference. Whenever you win a round, you double your bet value and decrease it on any losing round. Instead of using wins to offset losing values, the Reverse Martingale focuses on limiting the amount lost through lowering bets on losing rounds to limit the amount lost on each round.
#9- Side with the Player
A similar strategy to Side with the Banker but you place bets exclusively on the Player space. The Player has close to the same chance of winning as the Banker and pays a slightly higher amount at 1:1. There’s no guarantee of the Player winning on a given round so stick to it and alternate your bet values based on your limits.
#10- The Mix Up
Does what it says on the tin. This is a super flexible strategy with only one rule; don’t stick to just one bet type. Set yourself rules on the number of identical bets you plan to make and then, once you’ve hit that limit, alternate to a different bet until you’ve covered all 5 available bets. Once you’ve reached the end of the cycle, simply repeat. This allows you to get a chance with every bet type and never miss out on those all-important winning bets.
MrQ features a variety of Baccarat games including live casino Baccarat from Evolution
Top Tips for Baccarat Strategies
Practice makes perfect– As with anything, it takes time to learn and implement a strategy confidently so take your time and practice. Try out a variety of different strategies and play at low stakes to get a hang of how the different playstyles work.
Shop around– While sticking to 1 single strategy is the quickest way to pick it up, shopping around and trying out several different strategies can help you find the one that works best for you. Experiment with a variety of playstyles
Master your favourite– Once you’ve shopped around and tried a few strategies, find the one that works best for you and maximise it. Take the time to get comfortable with it and learn all you can to become a master. Lots of practice still applies here so find your strategy of choice and make it the primary focus for practising.
** Find the game for you**- Once you’ve shopped around for the best strategy for you, try it out on some Baccarat variations and find what works best for you. Whether you favour the simplicity of a 2-card Dragon Tiger, enjoy the fast-paced nature of Speed Baccarat, or just want that classic experience; try a few out and see what takes your fancy.
Set limits and stick to them– Set limits and stick to them to ensure you don’t spend more than you intended. If you need a hand with setting limits including deposit limits and sessions, check out our range of Safer Gambling Tools that can be applied in seconds.
Top Baccarat Games You Can Play Now
Dragon Tiger is a popular Baccarat variations featuring just 2 cards
Ready to take your new skills to the table? Here are some of our personal favourite Baccarat games and variations to put your knowledge to the test:
| Game Name | RTP(%) | Max Win |
|---|---|---|
| Baccarat | 98.94% | 200x |
| Lightning Baccarat | 98.76% | 512x |
| Baccarat Squeeze | 98.94% | 200x |
| Dragon Tiger | 96.72% | 50x |
| Super Andar Bahar | 97.85% | 4,000x |
