Baccarat is an exciting card game played with a traditional 52-card deck, with a huge fan base. It’s a beginner-friendly game and does not demand many skills. Many often consider Baccarat a game of luck and believe that no Baccarat strategies can help you win the game.
However, this belief is only partly true, there might not be a sure-shot formula to winning Baccarat, but certainly, a Baccarat strategy can help plan your bets better and increase your chances of winning.
While luck certainly has the upper hand, one can beat peers if one knows and applies some practical strategies correctly. Let us help you with this detailed post on how these work.
Playing Baccarat Made Easy: A Short and Sweet Reminder
Before you gear yourself to learn ‘how to play Baccarat’ and Baccarat strategies, you need a quick recap of basic rules.
A player decides to make a Player, Banker, or Tie Bet. The winner of the game is the side which scores a hand value of 9 or closer with the two dealt cards. The tie bet wins when both hands have the same hand value.
A third card can be drawn when the player’s hand value is less than 5, and the rules for the third card differs for a dealer. The dealer can draw the third card only when the player’s hand has specific values.
Despite that Baccarat is known as a game for high rollers, it is easy to learn if you’ve got a reliable guide or mentor.
Betting Systems in Baccarat
Want to win and make big with Baccarat tips to win? You should start with getting familiar with the betting system. For beginners, a betting system is how you can manage your bets and improve your winning chances. A betting system helps manage your bankroll and bet consciously.
This article will shed light on the following types of Baccarat system betting:
- The 1-3-2-6 system
- The Paroli system
- The Martingale system
- The Fibonacci system
- The Labouchere system
- The D’Alembert system
- The Oscar’s Grind system
- The Flat betting strategy
- The Card Counting strategy
- The Pattern spotting strategy
Baccarat Betting Strategy
Following solid Baccarat betting strategies increases the chances of winning and help minimize losses. Baccarat is a game of chance and we agree to it. But, a good betting strategy can help players make more informed decisions and manage their bankroll more effectively.
With the support of the Baccarat betting strategy, you can have control over things like how much to bet, when to stop, and how to avoid falling into a downward spiral.
Top Baccarat Strategies
‘How to win Baccarat’ has got a lot to do with the strategies that make you a skilled player. Every game requires strategies and planned moves to increase the winning probability. Even if you consider Baccarat sheer luck, having a plan for betting is important. Here is a crisp rundown of recommended Baccarat strategies that every veteran and novice must refer to before sitting on the Baccarat betting table.
The 1-3-2-6 System
Call it the 1-3-2-6 system or progressive betting system; this is by far the widely accepted and best Baccarat strategy that one can use to increase the winning probabilities in a Baccarat. The strategy recommends you increase the bet by a slight margin after each victory. The sequence for increasing the bet should be 1, 3, 2, and 6 chips. Once you lose, come at the start of the sequence and start betting from 1 chip again.
Let’s explain the betting strategy a little further.
- Start the bet by placing 1 chip on either hand, player, or banker’s hands.
- If you win, increase your bet with 3 chips.
- If you get lucky and win the second bet as well, bet with 2 chips on the same hand.
- If you still win the bet, increase your bet with 6 chips, on the hand as before.
- As you win this bet and the sequence is complete, restart the sequence and place the bet with 1 chip again.
- Whenever you lose a bet, start following the sequence from the beginning i.e restart the bet with 1 chip.
Sounds simple, right? Well, it is. The strategy is designed to take advantage of winning streaks while minimizing losses during losing streaks. A beginner can easily understand how it works. It lowers losses and is often a safe strategy to employ.
However, you must not forget that this isn’t a foolproof winning strategy, and there is no guarantee that you will always win. It demands non-negotiable attention as you must stick to the sequence and avoid making impulsive decisions. Overall, the 1-3-2-6 system is a simple and relatively low-risk betting strategy.
The Paroli System
The next progressive Baccarat strategy is The Paroli System or The Reverse Martingale strategy. It can increase your winning possibility at the same time restricts your losses. If you win the first round, you add the same amount to your next bet, or simply, say, double the bet with each win.
In case of loss, you will keep the bet the same, with no changes. Let’s understand it with the help of an example.
Suppose your first bet is £5, and you win. Next time, you will bet double £5, which would be £10. If you also win this round, bet £20, and if you lose, bet with £10 again.
This one is also a no-brainer and doesn’t involve extensive calculation and analysis. It’s a great way to win more money on a winning streak. If you want to have a bigger payout, this could be your ideal strategy.
But, it’s important to remember that you can also lose money if you don’t win. This strategy demands a lot of courage because not everyone is confident to keep doubling their bet for wins since they can lose anytime.
The Martingale System
Those who’ve been playing Baccarat for a long time must be aware of this best Baccarat strategy invented by Paul Pierre Levy, a French mathematician, in the 18th century. It works with most card games, including Baccarat. The negative progression system is so popular that it has implementation beyond gambling and is used widely in forex and securities investments.
In the context of Baccarat, the strategy recommends players double the bet with each lost bet.
The idea is to have a hope of recouping the loss when a victory finally comes. For instance, you make an early bet of £10 and lose this bet. Your next bet should be double it, i.e. £20, which should be repeated until the win. Once you win a bet, you must start with your initial bet, £10.
Speaking of its pros and cons, we would like to quote here that this one is a simple strategy but definitely a risky affair. Simple because the concept is not complex; just double the bet as you lose. Risky because you might exhaust all your bankroll and still get nothing. There is no guarantee that a win will come eventually.
Exhausting your bankroll early is also one of the main disadvantages of this strategy as you keep doubling your bet with losses. Hence, you should weigh the pros and cons of this strategy wisely and then go for it.
The Fibonacci System
This is based on the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the previous two numbers; for example, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and so on. This negative progression strategy involves some mathematics and needs some practice to master.
If you want to know how to implement it in real money Baccarat, then you will have to decide on the starting bet or chips you would play with. Starting with a small bet amount is a smart move to keep bankroll consumption in control if you decide to go with this strategy.
If you lose the bet, you have to follow the next number in the sequence to increase the bet size. And if you lose, you start with 2 steps behind your current number. Let’s understand this with the help of an example.
Suppose your base bet is 1 chip worth £5 on the player’s hand, and you lose it. So, your next bet will still be £5, i.e. 1 chip- the next value on the sequence. If you still lose the next bet, then your bet should be 2 chips or £10. If you further win, you will start with 1 chip or £5, the first number on the sequence.
Eventually, when you win, you are likely to get a huge reward. However, you need a huge bankroll to support you as the bet amount grows exponentially in this strategy.
The Labouchere system
This is often known as American Progression, the Cancellation System, or the Split Martingale strategy, and was first invented by French roulette player, Henry Labouchere. We suggest picking this strategy only if you’re a Baccarat veteran, as this is complex and not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a negative progression system and suggests increasing your wager as you lose.
The strategy starts with creating a sequence of your choice. You can pick any random sequence and have to stick to it. Let’s suppose you’ve picked 2 3 4 5 6 7.
Once the sequence is sorted, you need to start betting the amount equal to the total of the first and last digits of the sequence. In the example sequence, the first digit is 2, the last digit is 7, and the total is 9. So, bet with 9 chips.
If you win with this bet, eliminate 2 and 7 from the sequence, leaving you with 3-4-5-6. So, bet next with 3+6 = 9 chips.
If you lose the first bet, you must add the sum to the sequence. Then your sequence will become 2-3-4-5-6-7-9. Repeat the process by starting with 11 chips.
Now speaking of its advantages, it’s customisable and has moderate risk. You can create your sequence, which is great if you’re someone with a flair for customisation. Speaking of its risk factor, it’s moderate as it protects the bankroll and minimizes the losses.
However, its complexity doesn’t make it a beginner-friendly strategy. Again, it doesn’t come with a win guarantee.
The D’Alembert System
This negative progressive system was designed in the 18th century and is famous for providing substantial protection against steep losses. It recommends increasing your bet with one chip as you lose the bet and decreasing it as you win.
For example, if you decide to start the game with 5 chips and you lose, then your next bet should be 6 chips, and if you win your first bet, then your next bet should be 4 chips.
The main focus here is to increase your winning stake despite the losses. It is a great strategy if you’re concerned about managing the bankroll. This strategy is easy and can help you manage the risks.
But you might find it irrelevant if you don’t like the slow progression. You only have to raise the bet by the base unit, generally one or two units.
The Oscar’s Grind System
Named after Oscar, this Baccarat strategy is a positive progression betting technique that instructs you not to change the bet if you lose and to increase the bet only by one chip as you win. It follows the gradual progression pattern and won’t make you make big wins. But it’s a great way to keep your losses in control as you don’t increase the bet as you lose.
If you have a limited bankroll, don’t hesitate to go for this Baccarat strategy. Let’s understand how it works.
Suppose you start the gameplay with one chip worth £2, lose this bet, and then keep the bet the same for £2 for the next round. Continue this bet if you lose the 3rd round as well.
But, if you win the first round, you will bet in the second round with two chips worth £4.
The goal is to keep bets consistent during the losing streaks and increase them slowly during winning streaks. This way you can make controlled wins and losses.
Considering this, it’s a great Baccarat strategy for someone new to Baccarat or with a limited bankroll. It’s better to maintain discipline and prevent any irrational decisions during gameplay.
As the bet size is relatively small, risks are also less. But, it requires patience as returns are slow and relatively small.
The Flat Betting Strategy
Flat betting strategy is your go-to Baccarat strategy only if you believe that the game is a game of luck and no patterns and sequences can make you win. As per this strategy, you should only bet the same amount in each round without any increases and decreases despite the wins or losses.
It’s a strategy of commitment as players often stick to a consistent betting pattern which does not reflect past game outcomes.
The fundamental idea here is to control your risk throughout the game. As you would be betting the same amount every time, you can avoid the temptation to chase losses or increase your bets after a win, which can help you avoid impulsive and emotional bets.
However, this isn’t a perfect strategy. It’s might be your thing if you rely on luck and hope to have a winning streak.
The Card Counting Strategy
Card Counting isn’t a white strategy. It’s a gray strategy that also works with other card games like Blackjack. Using this, the players have an upper hand over the dealer by counting the remaining cards in the deck once the cards are dealt to the players.
In this strategy, you can assign a number to each card and have to keep a tally of the point values of the cards as they are dealt. A deck with a high proportion of high-value cards (tens and aces) might favour the player. On the other hand, a deck with a high proportion of low-value cards favours the dealer. But it also depends on the cards in your current hand.
Regarding its implementation, you must assign a +1 value to the cards with 2-6 face value and 0 points to cards 7, 8, and 9. The cards from 10 to Ace will have a -1 value. This is when you follow the Hi-Lo system of card counting. There are running counts for a single deck and a true count system of card counting with multiple decks.
As cards are dealt, you must keep a tally of their value and decide the likelihood of the next drawn card. Bets are made accordingly. For example, if the first card dealt is a 7, the count would be 0, and if the second is a 3, then the count will become 0+1=1.
Suppose that the third card is a 10, whose value is -1. Then the count would become 1-1=0. This continues as the game goes on. To find the true count of the gameplay, divide the running count by the remaining decks. For example, if the current count is +8 and two decks are remaining, the true count is +8/2=+4.
Based on the true count, bets are made. Now, you ought to pay attention to the nature of the true count. If it’s positive, it means high-value cards are in the deck, and you can take risks and increase your bets.
If the true count is negative, low-value cards remain, and it’s better to decrease the bet size depending on how close you are to the total of 9.
Card Counting is too complex and involves too much math. You should know it’s hard to match the pace of the game, and if you skip one card or do a tally wrong, all your efforts will go in vain.
The Pattern Spotting Strategy
Suppose you’re analytical and have a flair for finding patterns in everything. In that case, you can try ‘The Pattern Spotting Strategy’ as this best Baccarat strategy involves observing the winning or losing patterns of the past rounds and predicting the outcomes of upcoming rounds.
Followers of this strategy are instructed to closely observe the outcomes of previous rounds and try to find any patterns or trends.
There are always some patterns formed in gameplay. For instance, the win could be Banker, Banker, Banker, Player, Tie, Banker, Banker, and so on.
From this pattern, Banker has high winning possibilities. So, you might want to go with the Banker’s hand for your bet. However, it’s essential that you only pick a hand if it is winning a minimum of three times in a row.
If there is no hand with a good frequency; this strategy suggests going with the last winning hand.
The Pattern Spotting strategy can be effective in some cases. But, it demands close observation. As a player, you must keep an eye on the patterns forming. So, it could be boggling for many.
Also, sometimes a game could be so random that finding patterns is hard. Hence, our Baccarat experts don’t advocate this strategy much.
The Money Management Strategy
If you’re not managing your bankroll, none of those mentioned above strategies will work or deliver desired outcomes. You should understand when and to which limit you must raise the stake. Here are some expert-recommended money management strategies to win and play Baccarat.
Set a limit for both winning and losing, and stick to it. This is important to ensure you’re not emptying your wallet in one game. It’s often observed that people who continually win become greedy, continue the game, and lose everything. The same happens when you lose. You continue playing with a hope of a victory, which may or may not show up. So, set a limit and never exceed it.
If you plan to play multiple games, keep a specific pre-decided amount for every game. Each game has its approach, and you need to understand that investing the entire budget in one game does not make sense.
Never fall into the trap of all-in bets. The idea of this bet is to give you hope of winning and gaining all the money you’ve lost in one go. An all-in bet provides the winner with an opportunity to build a fortune. But, there is no guarantee in this. We recommend not falling for it, as you can lose more or all your earned bets.
Baccarat Odds
Your learning about Baccarat is not complete if you don’t know about the Baccarat odds. As we know, the game has three possible outcomes; the player’s hand wins, the banker’s hand wins, or there is a tie. Now, the legit question here is:
Which bet has the highest winning odds?
Well, deciding Baccarat odds depends on the Baccarat variant you’re playing, the number of decks the gameplay is using, the payout for a winning bet, and specific rules. However, the expert analysis says that:
- The banker’s hand has 45.8% winning odds.
- The player hand has 44.6% winning odds.
- The winning odds for a Tie bet is only 9.5%.
Be aware that this is based on assumptions. There is no verified study to back this data. The past winning pattern was carefully observed, and these odds were decided. If you want to improve your winning odds, we suggest playing with the Banker’s hand for the obvious reasons that it has high winning possibilities and a low house edge. Don’t go with a tie bet unless you wish to play a risky game.
Baccarat Tips To Win From Our Expert Team
Need some doses of Baccarat tips? Well, our experts have got your back. There is some more expert advice that you can stick to for better-winning possibilities as you play online Baccarat.
- There is no such thing as the best bet. No matter which strategy you use, winning is not certain.
- Don’t bank on tie bets; its winning possibility is less than 10%.
- Set a budget, decide when to exit, and stick to them. This ensures that you’re betting in a controlled manner.
- Even if the game seems easy, our experts recommend practicing a lot before involving real money. Know the Baccarat rules and polish your skills before bringing cash into the gameplay.
- While showing the royalty of one strategy is a good move, we recommend shuffling them and figuring out which one works best for you.
- Baccarat comes in multiple variations, each with a different thrill to offer. You won’t be able to find this card game’s real fun unless you try other variations.
- Always play with a licensed casino if you wish to avoid trouble. Do some research and find out the best Baccarat casinos on the internet through past customer reviews and review sites.
Have these ‘how to win Baccarat’ tips by heart, play with a registered casino, and you might make your way to your first win. However, don’t forget, luck always has an upper hand in Baccarat.
Posted by: Catalina Kirby
Chief Editor
With 4 years of experience in writing about online gambling, Catalina has decided to gather all her knowledge and share it with others on one platform. Her main goal is to provide detailed information so that players could gamble in a more safe way.