How to Win at Baccarat: Best Strategies & Betting Tips

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Basic rules & winning tips for playing Baccarat like a pro
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Baccarat is an elegant casino game often played by the richest of the high-rollers—it’s James Bond's card game of choice, after all. It's a dramatic game that involves placing blind bets on one of two outcomes—whether the Banker or the Player will have a hand closest to 9. It’s a game of chance and, like most casino games, the odds favor the house. But you can help manage your odds (and have fun playing) by understanding the rules , choosing a strategy , and following a few smart betting tips .

What’s the best Baccarat strategy?

Baccarat is a game of chance, and there’s no sure-win formula. But many players find that smart bankroll management is the key to their success. Baccarat betting strategies include Martingale (doubling bets after a loss), Paroli (doubling bets after winning), and Fibonacci (increasing bets based on the Fibonacci sequence).

Section 1 of 3:

Baccarat Rules & Gameplay

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  1. 1
    Players place their bets before the cards are dealt. When you’re playing Baccarat , everyone who plans to bet on a hand puts their chips on the table before any cards are shown. You can’t change your bet after the cards are dealt. Your bet is based on which hand you think will win (or be closest to 9). There are three main options for bets. [1]
    • Player: The Player hand will be closest to 9
    • Banker: The Banker hand will be closest to 9 (note that a 5% commission is typically deducted if you bet on a Banker hand and it wins)
    • Tie: The Player and Dealer hands will tie
  2. In Baccarat, two hands are dealt with two cards each. The cards are dealt from a shoe, which is usually filled with eight decks of cards. One hand is called the Player hand, and one is called the Banker hand. All of the players at the table place bets based on those two hands. [2]
    • Only two hands are dealt, no matter how many players are at the table.
    • In most cases, the dealer maintains control of the shoe. However, in some versions of the game, players pass the shoe around and deal the cards themselves (although players can elect to pass the shoe, if they prefer).
    • The cards are dealt alternately to the Player and Banker hand.
    • Sometimes, when the shoe is shuffled, the first card turned over will reveal how many cards the dealer should "burn" (toss away) in between deals for each hand. So, if the first card over is the 2 of Hearts, the dealer will burn two cards between each hand until the shoe is reshuffled.
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  3. If either hand reads 8 or 9, the round is over—both hands stand, meaning no more cards are drawn. If both hands score less than 7, a third card will be drawn under the following conditions: [3]
    • The Player hits (a third card is drawn) if the Player hand scores 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
    • The Player stands if the hand scores 6 or 7.
    • The Banker hits if the Player stands and the Banker hand scores 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
    • The Banker hits if the Player hits and :
      • the Player’s third card is 9, 10, face-card or Ace, and the Banker has a 0–3.
      • the Player’s third card is 8, and the Banker has a 0–2.
      • the Player’s third card is 6 or 7, and the Banker has a 0–6.
      • the Player’s third card is 4 or 5, and the Banker has a 0–5.
      • the Player’s third card is 2 or 3, and has a 0–4.
    • At most casinos, the Banker at the table will call for extra cards according to these rules, so it’s okay if you don’t remember them.
  4. After the deal, the card values are added together, and each hand is scored between 0 and 9. Face cards are each worth 10, Aces are worth 1, and all cards 2-9 are worth their face value. If the score is more than 10, the first digit is ignored and the ones place digit is used as the score. [4]
    • Example: The Player hand reads 5 and 7. The sum of the cards is 12, so the value of the hand 2.
    • It's impossible to "bust" or go over in Baccarat the way you can in Blackjack.
    • In the event of a tie, all Player and Banker bets are returned. If anyone placed a “Tie” bet, they would be paid.
    • After the score is announced, losing bets are collected and winning bets are paid.
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Section 2 of 3:

Baccarat Strategies

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  1. 1
    Martingale With the Martingale system, you double your bet every time you lose . If you win, you return to your original bet. The idea is that eventually you’ll win, ending up with a slight profit. [5]
    • Example: If you bet $5 and lose, you’d bet $10 on the next hand. If you win that hand, you’d bet $5 again on the next hand. If you lose, you’d double your bet again to $20. If you win, you’d receive $40 for a profit of $5 ($40 minus your bets of $20, $10, and $5).
    • Drawbacks: A long losing streak can wipe out your bankroll, and the dealer’s commission (5% of your bet paid to the house on winning Banker bets) can negate any profit. [6] And some casinos have table limits, capping your maximum bet at a certain amount.
  2. 2
    Paroli The Paroli system is sometimes called the “Reverse Martingale.” With this strategy, you double your bet every time you win . Here, the thinking is that you can maximize your winnings during a hot streak. [7]
    • Example: If you bet $5 and lose, you’d bet $5 again on the next hand. If you win, you’d double your next bet to $10. If you win again, your next bet would be $20.
    • Drawbacks: If you don’t have consecutive wins, you’ll end up losing money.
  3. 3
    Fibonacci In the Fibonacci strategy, you place bets based on the Fibonacci sequence , where each bet is a sum of the previous two bets. After a loss, you increase your bet to the next number in the sequence, and after a win, you decrease your bets by at least two numbers in the sequence. It’s similar to the Martingale strategy, but the bets increase more gradually, so it’s popular with beginners. [8]
    • Example: During a losing streak, your bets would be $1, $1 (1+0), $2 (1+1), $3 (2+1), $5 (3 + 2), $8 (5 + 3), $13 (8 + 5), and so on.
    • Drawbacks: Your wins won’t always make up for your losses, and you need a fairly substantial bankroll to be able to absorb losing streaks.
  4. 4
    Labouchere In the Labouchere system, you decide ahead of time how much money you want to win—let’s say $50. You’d then write down a series of numbers that add up to your total goal —for instance, 5, 10, 20, 5, 10. Each hand, your bet is the total of the first and last numbers in the sequence, so your first bet would be $15. [9]
    • If you win, cross off the first and last numbers in the sequence. Here, your new sequence would be 10, 20, 5, and your next bet would be $15.
    • If you lose, add the amount you just bet to the end of the sequence. Your new sequence would be 10, 20, 5, 15, so your next bet would be $25.
    • If you are able to cross off all the numbers, you will have won your target amount.
    • Drawbacks: If you hit a losing streak, your bets can grow quickly—you may run out of money or hit the table limit before you’re able to recoup your losses.
  5. 5
    1-3-2-6 / 1-3-2-4 In the 1-3-2-6 and 1-3-2-4 strategies, your best increase in a predictable sequence every time you win. These sequences are based on multiples of 1-3-2-6 or 1-3-2-4, depending on which strategy you choose. [10]
    • 1-3-2-6 Example: If you start with a $5 bet and win, your next bet would be $15, then $10, then $30. If you lose, you return to $5.
    • 1-3-2-4 Example: If you start with a $5 bet and win, your next bet would be $15, then $10, then $20. If you lose, you return to $5.
    • Drawbacks: This strategy is only profitable if you win consecutive hands.
  6. 6
    Other Strategies The techniques above are the most popular Baccarat strategies. However, players do use other betting strategies, including:
    • D’Alembert: Increase your bet by 1 unit with every loss. (If you bet $5 and win, increase to $10, then $15, and so on.) Return to your original bet if you lose. [11]
    • Contra D’Alembert: Increase your bet by 1 unit with every win and return to your original bet if you lose.
    • Oscar’s Grind: Increase your bet by 1 unit every time you win and keep it the same if you lose.
    • James Bond: Bet 70% on the Banker, 25% on the Player, and 5% on a tie.
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Section 3 of 3:

Making Smart Bets

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  1. Playing Baccarat is a lot like a super-sophisticated and classy version of betting on coin tosses. You're betting blind, essentially—choosing either the Banker hand or the Player hand before the cards have been dealt. It's part of what makes the game exciting, dramatic, and unpredictable. You can't really sway the cards with strategy, which makes the game popular among high-rollers. [12]
    • Choosing a betting strategy is about bankroll management—you’re trying to stay in the game long enough to win.
  2. 2
    Pay attention to the table limits. Casinos typically have minimum and maximum bets per hand. These can vary depending on the table that you’re playing at. It’s a good idea to ensure you can afford to play at least 20 hands at the minimum bet. So if you have $100 to play, you would choose a table with a minimum of $5 or less. [13]
    • Also notice the table maximum. If you’re using a strategy where you progressively increase your bets, you could hit the table maximum if you go on a losing streak. Note whether (and when) the table maximum would impact your strategy.
    • Factor in the table commission, as well. If you’re paying 5% each time you win a Banker bet, that could impact your profit over the gaming session.
  3. Many casinos provide players with a scorecard to keep track of their Baccarat performance. By tracking your wins and losses, you may be able to find patterns that help you decide how to bet.
    • On the scorecard, mark whether you bet Banker or Player. Place a check mark next to your correct calls.
    • A lot of players recommend betting with a streak, rather than against it. So if the Banker has won 3 hands in a row, many players will continue betting on the Banker. However, every hand has the same 50-50 odds, so this isn’t a guaranteed strategy.
  4. The Banker hand has a slight edge over the Player hand (about 1.06%) in Baccarat thanks to the rules around drawing a third card. So if you’re not sure whether to bet on the Player or the Banker, it’s slightly more advantageous to bet on the Banker. [14]
  5. 5
    Try side bets with caution. Side bets in Baccarat can have high payouts, but it’s fairly uncommon to hit them. That means that you may end up spending more money than you’ll win even if you do hit one. That said, some people do like playing them. Popular side bets in Baccarat include: [15]
    • Pairs: Either the Banker hand or Player hand will be a pair of matching cards. Usual odds—5:1; may pay 25:1 if pair is the same suit
    • Dragon Bonus: The Player will get a natural 8 or 9 by a certain margin over the Banker. (If you bet a Dragon 5, you’d win if the Player gets a 9 and the Banker hand scores 4.) Odds vary based on margin
    • Panda 8: The Player will win with 3 cards and a score of 8. Usual odds—25:1
    • Bellagio Match: Either the Banker hand or Player hand will be 3 matching cards. Usual odds–68:1 for Banker and 75:1 for Player
    • All Black/All Red: The player’s hand will be all black cards (spades and clubs) or all red cards (hearts and diamonds). Usual odds—22:1 for all red and 24:1 for all black.
  6. 6
    Avoid Tie bets. Tie bets pay well—often around 8:1. However, ties occur in less than 10% of hands. That means that you’re likely to lose money if you only play Tie bets. [16]
    • The house edge for tie bets is about 14.36%. To put that into perspective, the house edge is 1.06% for Banker bets and 1.24% for Player bets.
  7. In Baccarat, the science only goes so far. It’s a game of chance. Many experienced Baccarat players insist that they can feel when they’re lucky and when they’re not—so listen to your instincts, don’t overthink (or overcomplicate) the game, and know when it’s not your day.
  8. A lot of money can change hands very quickly in Baccarat. Decide on a set amount you're willing to play, and don’t go over that amount. Like any casino game, there are going to be days where you lose, and you have to be willing to walk away when you hit that spending limit. [17]
    • Don’t chase your losses by making bigger bets to win your money back. Even if you’re using a betting strategy that involves increasing your bets after a loss, have a limit to what you’re willing to spend, and don’t go over that amount.
    • If you’re winning, know when to step away. Like any game of chance, it's difficult to ride a successful streak for very long, so make your money and get away clean.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I quit while ahead when gambling?
    Community Answer
    Make up your mind before you start gambling that you will stop at a certain point. For example; if you would be happy with $1000, make that your point and as soon as you reach that number, quit.
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  • Question
    What should I do about card counting?
    Community Answer
    You can't count cards in Baccarat. Most casinos use eight decks, making card counting useless.
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  • Question
    Is progressive betting a good idea?
    Gary Kidgell
    Community Answer
    I use progressive betting, usually starting at $50, then $100, $200, and $400. It's very important to control after $400. Your next progressive bet would be $800 to make money back, plus $50. If you bet on banker, your commission is $40, so your profit is only $10 -- not worth the risk. If you do proceed and lose the $800, you're in the hole $1550 -- too much to come back in the shoe or even another game. It's best to stop at $400 when progressive betting, or start at a lower denomination, like $10 or $25.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/vlvweb/casino/table-games/VP-Gaming-Guide.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/vlvweb/casino/table-games/VP-Gaming-Guide.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/vlvweb/casino/table-games/VP-Gaming-Guide.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/vlvweb/casino/table-games/VP-Gaming-Guide.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.gamblingsites.com/blog/can-you-win-at-baccarat-using-the-martingale-system-68685/
      6. ↑ https://www.casino.org/blog/baccarat-strategy/
      7. ↑ https://www.casino.org/blog/baccarat-strategy/
      8. ↑ https://www.casino.org/blog/baccarat-strategy/
      9. ↑ https://mountainpromag.com/the-labouchere-betting-system-for-baccarat/
      1. ↑ https://www.casino.org/blog/baccarat-strategy/
      2. ↑ https://baccaratsystem.org/baccarat-systems/dalembert-system/
      3. ↑ https://www.playsmart.ca/table-games/baccarat/odds/
      4. ↑ https://www.cachecreek.com/table-limits-explained
      5. ↑ https://www.cachecreek.com/baccart-odds-probabilities
      6. ↑ https://www.pinnacle.com/betting-resources/en/casino/baccarat-side-bets-explained/h3h25hnfeqczzsvj
      7. ↑ https://www.playsmart.ca/table-games/baccarat/odds/
      8. ↑ https://www.cachecreek.com/table-limits-explained

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To win Baccarat, start by betting on 1 of the 2 face-down hands that are dealt, either the player hand or the dealer hand. Then, if the hand you bet on ends up being closer to 9 than the other hand, you win! In Baccarat, face cards are worth 10, aces are worth 1, and the rest of the cards are worth their face value. If the cards in a hand add up to over 9, the number in the tens place is dropped, and only the number in the ones place counts. To learn how to make strategic bets in Baccarat, scroll down!

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