Baccarat Strategy and Tips

Baccarat is one of the world’s oldest table games, and in the centuries since it was created, players have attempted to create strategies to master it. In this part of our series on how to play baccarat, we are going to take a detailed look at some of the most popular and effective baccarat strategies and find out whether or not they are worth trying.

Tips When Playing Baccarat

If you are going to make the most out of your baccarat experience, then you will want to make sure you are armed with the best tactics and tips before playing. The following tips are the most useful:

Make sure you understand the rules

Baccarat rules icon

Before you play any baccarat variation, make sure you understand the rules. You should make sure you check the third-card rules, any side-bet options, and commission structures.

Keep your sessions brief

Keep your sessions brief

Like all online casino games, the longer you play baccarat, the more likely you are that the house edge will catch up. Keeping your sessions brief can help you get in and get out and keep any potential winnings. Of course, doing this also ensures you practise responsible gambling.

Manage your bankroll

Manage your bankroll

Another essential responsible gambling skill is being able to manage your bankroll. Doing this ensures you will always have a good time when betting and means you will never end up chasing losses or losing money you can not afford to.

Play for Free

Free play icon

One of the best ways to improve your baccarat skills is to play for free. Doing this will allow you to get used to the rules and practise before you play for real money.

Try different strategies

Strategy icon

There are many different strategies you can try when playing baccarat online. Testing out different ones will give you a better idea of how to play the game and is going to help you manage your losses more effectively. Of course, it is important to remember that no strategy is ever guaranteed to secure a win, and you should make sure you are gambling responsibly when using them.

Top Casino Sites to Play Baccarat

With so many top online casinos now offering online baccarat games, knowing where to play can be tricky. We have spent hours researching the best online casinos to play baccarat, and the following are what we found.

Gambling Zone Exclusive

Genting Casino

9.4 / 10
Genting Casino

Get 100% up to £150
+ 50 Spins on
Big Bass Bonanza

18+. BeGambleAware.org. Automatically credited upon deposit. Cancellation can be requested. First Deposit Only. Min. deposit: £10. Max. Bonus £150. WR of 30x Deposit Plus Bonus amount (Slots count 100% and any other game 10%) within 30 days. Spin Game: Big Bass Bonanza. WR 60x spins winning amount (only slots count) within 30 days. Spin value: £0.10. Max bet is 10% (min £0.10) of the Bonus amount or £5 (lowest amount applies). Bonus must be claimed before using deposited funds. Bonuses do not prevent withdrawing deposit balance. First Deposit/Welcome Bonus can only be claimed once every 72 hours across all Casinos. Bonus Policy applies.

Lord Ping

8.7 / 10
Lord Ping Logo

£50 First Deposit
Match Bonus

18+. BeGambleAware.org. Automatically credited upon deposit. Cancellation can be requested. First Deposit Only. Min. deposit: £10, max. Bonus £50. WR of 30x Deposit Plus Bonus amount (Slots count 100% and any other game 10%) within 30 days. Max bet is 10% (min £0.10) of the Bonus amount or £5 (lowest amount applies).Bonus must be claimed before using deposited funds. Bonuses do not prevent withdrawing deposit balance. First Deposit/Welcome Bonus can only be claimed once every 72 hours across all Casinos. Bonus Policy applies.

Grosvenor Casino

9.1 / 10
Grosvenor Casino Logo

New Players
Deposit £20
Play with £50

18+. BeGambleAware.org. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20 (Excl Paypal). Max Bonus £30, Bonus Amount Non-withdrawable, Playable on selected games only. 30X wagering For £30 Bonus. Expires within 30 Days. Max Win £2,000. T&Cs apply.

Best Baccarat Betting Strategy

The following strategies are the most popular to use when playing baccarat. Of course, the effectiveness of these strategies will vary, with different players getting different results when using them.

Martingale System

The Martingale System is an incredibly popular betting strategy that is used in other games like roulette and blackjack. When you use this system, you increase your bet every time you lose, with the aim of recouping all of your losses and winning one unit when you do finally win. When you score a win, you revert back to your starting bet.

Paroli System

The Paroli System is also known as the Reverse Martingale. In this system, players double their bet every time they win. When you lose, you revert to your original betting size.

1-3-2-6  System

The 1-3-2-6 system is a strategy where you place your bets in a sequence of four. The numbers listed highlight how many units you place on each bet. For example, if your unit is £10, then on the first bet, you place this; on the second, you place £30, then £20, and then £60. When you finish the sequence or hit a loss you go back to the start of the sequence.

Fibonacci System

This is based on the famous Fibonacci Sequence and is popular when betting on other games like blackjack and roulette. The Fibonacci Sequence starts at one and then adds the previous two numbers in the sequence - 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21, and so on. When applied to betting, you move up one number in the sequence when you win and back down two numbers if you lose.

Labouchere System

The Labouchere System is a more complex betting strategy. For this, you create a sequence of your own. For example, 1,3,5. Your first bet is then the first and last number of this sequence added together, so in this case - £6. If you win, you repeat the bet, whereas if you lose, you add the number to the end of the sequence, so it would be 1,3,5,6. If you lose, you do the same again; if you win, you cross off the first and last number and start again.

Card Counting in Baccarat

Card counting can be done in baccarat, and it certainly does not break the baccarat rules. However, it is not as beneficial as it would be in other games. Firstly, the game uses six decks, which makes keeping track of the running score difficult. Secondly, there are fewer clear cards that favour the dealer or the player due to the nature of the game and the altered values. In blackjack, for example, an abundance of lower cards in a deck is favourable, but the same logic is not applicable in baccarat.

Popular Baccarat Side Bets

Side bets in baccarat are bets that are placed on anything other than the traditional three bets - dealer’s hand, player’s hand, or tie. Not every baccarat game will have side-bets, with some different baccarat versions being defined by theirs. In most cases, side bets are placed before the round begins, with many of them offering generous payouts. Here are the most popular baccarat side bets that you are likely to find at a casino site.

Lucky Bonus/ Super 6

Super 6

A Lucky Bonus, or Super 6, side bet is when you bet on the banker winning the round with a value of six. This pays 18:1 and is available in Super 6 baccarat. 

Perfect Pair

Perfect Pair

This is a bet on either the dealer or the bank having an identical pair of rank and suit in their first two cards. This typically pays 25:1. 

Bellagio Match

Bellagio Match

This is a bet on either player getting a hand that is made up of three of a kind. The payout is 75:1 if it is the player and 68:1 for the banker.

Royal Match

Royal Match

This is a bet on the player or dealer being dealt a King and Queen in their opening hand. The payout is 30:1 on different suits and 75:1 on matching suits.

3-Card Six

3-Card Six

This is a side bet that either hand will make up six with three cards. The payout for one hand doing so is 8:1, and 100:1 if both hands have it. 

Baccarat Tips and Strategy FAQs

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