Baccarat Strategies that Give you an Edge
July 12th, 2010 | Published in Gambling Games
Once you’ve learned the basic rules of baccarat, the next step is to ascertain a few common strategies that will give you an edge against the house. Baccarat is a guessing game as to which hand will win. The banker hand has a slight edge, winning 50.68 percent of all hands. This gives the house a 1.17 percent edge on the banker (due to the 5 percent commission collected by the casino).
Card Counting System
Many mathematicians have argued that baccarat is susceptible to a card counting system, similar to blackjack. The best counting system developed only gives the player a slight advantage on one hand per eight deck shoes. This is not enough of an advantage to make it worth the while. The time involved to gain the edge is enormous and the casino wouldn’t hold the seat for someone not playing consistently.
To attain the advantage, the player must count down every single hand, without playing, until the advantage comes along. This is not a good way to spend time at the casino and over the long run would significantly decrease the player’s hourly earnings.
More Efficient Strategies
Despite the card counting, there are a few strategies that will come in handy during normal play. First, money management is one of the best areas to perfect. This means not making bets too large for your immediate bankroll. Also, do not chase (make larger bets when losing). This is a great way to lose all your money quickly.
Also, if you set a specific goal for winning and hit that mark, walk away. Do not continue to pump money back into the casino. Since the house almost always has the edge, over the long term, you will lose. A big part of successful gambling is discipline. Similarly, when winning, learn to walk away. When winning, only bet with a small portion of it and if you lose that, walk away.
Baccarat is a game that’s as exciting as blackjack or craps. Although not the most popular game in the casino, many flock to it due to the excitement of the game. Following these easy tips will help you to be a more consistent winner. The two keys to baccarat are money management and discipline. Keeping a consistent betting pattern accompanied with knowing when to cut your losses or walk away a winner will help you become steadily successful.