A GUIDE ON THE BEST BACCARAT TIPS

Baccarat is a game that needs some getting used to but is relatively simple at its core. The gameplay can be summarised in one sentence: wager on Player, Banker or Tie and the side with a score closest to nine wins the round. The hand outcomes are independent of your decisions, meaning that the element of skill won’t maximise your chances of winning — but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a few tips to improve your odds and have a more enjoyable time.

BACCARAT BASICS

When you grab a seat and place a wager on baccarat, each side will be dealt two cards. Simply add their point values together, and you have the total score. If the point total passes nine, the first digit is dropped. Card values in baccarat are pretty easy to remember, as cards two through nine are counted at face value, all picture cards are worth zero and aces are valued at one.

Let’s say you are dealt a seven and a nine, a total of 16; drop the one and keep the six — that’s your score! One of the perks of playing this game at our Live Casino is that you can forget all about the math — the algorithm will do it for you. Then, a third card may be drawn based on the value of the Player’s and Banker’s initial two-card hands.

If you’re interested in taking a deeper dive into the rules of baccarat, give our ‘How to Play Baccarat’ article a read on our site! Now, with the main rules of the baccarat card game explained, let’s take a closer look at the best tips you can use when playing this online casino game.

BACCARAT PAYOUTS

Knowing the odds is essential when playing the baccarat card game and is integral to understanding gambling in general. Remember that the odds may differ from one table to another, depending on the active rules, number of decks and commission. Here are the most common live baccarat odds when playing with eight decks:

Bet on Banker:

• Odds of winning: 45.84%
• House edge: 1.06%

Bet on Player:

• Odds of winning: 44.61%
• House edge: 1.24%

Bet on Tie:

• Odds of winning: 9.54%
• House edge: 14.36%

All these odds assume a commission of 5%, which is standard in most casinos. Depending on the baccarat table, you can also bet on various side bets, for which the odds will differ significantly.

MOST POPULAR BACCARAT STRATEGIES

One of the most commonly-asked questions is — what’s the point of a strategy? Well, although there are only three possible outcomes, if you really want to hone your knowledge on baccarat and put it to good use, a strategy is the best way to do that. Not only does a betting strategy tie into your bankroll management strategy, but it also helps you make the most informed decisions based on the hand you’re dealt at the time while recouping lost bets.

Card counting is no longer allowed in casinos, so players have switched out their card counting techniques for several other wagering methods like the Martingale system, Fibonacci system, Paroli system, etc.

No matter whether you choose the Martingale baccarat strategy, or any other betting technique, your wagering style will depend on whether you prefer a positive betting system or a negative progression system.

For more information, head to our site and give our article on strategies a good read-through. We’ll dive into top-notch baccarat strategy tips, give you the low-down on positive and negative progression systems, and help you find the best strategy for you.

ONLINE BACCARAT TIPS AND TRICKS

We’ve delved into the nitty-gritty baccarat details; now, let’s knuckle down on the very reason you’ve clicked on this article — tips and tricks! Although getting the basics down and laying your foundation is key to becoming a good baccarat player, learning a few handy tricks can take your gaming to the next level.

That said, always remember that there is no perfect baccarat system or strategy that will guarantee you win baccarat. But, taking a few of these tips along your journey might just help you get out of a losing streak when you play baccarat online.

LEARN THE RULES

To start off with the most obvious tip, learning the rules is probably the most essential part of your online baccarat gaming process. You can’t exactly progress and make more tactical decisions if you don’t know how those decisions will affect your hand or the game. You can’t put real money on the line with a shaky foundation, either. Take the time to get a grip on the general gameplay and rules and lay the groundwork before you progress any further.

DON’T BET ON TIE

Now that you know the odds, the first obvious thing is that you should not place a Tie bet. While the payout percentage is significantly better than the other options, the odds of a Tie bet paying out are not the most favourable odds. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced veteran, avoiding the Tie bet is a good idea.

PLACE THE BANKER BET

Now that you’ve gotten Tie bets out of the way, besides the bet size, you need to know whether you will place a Banker bet or a Player bet. According to the odds mentioned above, this should be an easy decision. The odds speak for themselves — placing a Banker bet is one of the best decisions you can make in a baccarat game as it is statistically the best bet in the game.

Keep in mind that online casinos take a commission from the Banker bet, usually 5%, but some baccarat tables may have a minimum required commission. In such cases, placing a bet on the banker becomes quite unfavourable for low-stakes players.

USING A PROGRESSIVE BETTING SYSTEM VS FLAT BETTING SYSTEMS

Betting systems can help baccarat players hedge their bets and work best on even-money wagers, like the Player and Banker bets. This makes baccarat an excellent candidate for using a progression betting system. These betting systems can be a positive progressive system (increasing the bet on a win) or a negative progressive system (increasing the bet on a loss).

However, baccarat is a highly unpredictable game that no betting system or betting strategy can beat. For this reason, we recommend that you enjoy baccarat for what it is and use a flat betting strategy. This baccarat game strategy is a lot simpler than other advanced betting systems as all it involves is wagering the same amount every time. A flat baccarat strategy is often recommended to beginner players.

If you choose to give betting strategies a whirl, know that they do not change the game’s odds but only affect the volatility and payout structure. You may form a winning baccarat strategy, but the wins you receive will be small. And when you lose, you will lose big since, in the end, the house always wins due to the house edge.

TRY PATTERN BETTING

This tip will not improve your chances of winning, but it will make the game more engaging. This betting system is one of the less conventional baccarat strategies, but it basically involves placing baccarat bets in a specific pattern. Again, there is no strategic advantage to this baccarat system, but it might just be the thing you need to add some spice back into your gaming if your experience has lost a bit of flavour.

There are several ways you can use pattern betting. For example, you can bet on Player first, then on Banker, followed by another bet on Player — rinse and repeat. You can also bet on Banker until the first loss, then switch to Player, and so on. The pattern is up to you; it’s all about what makes the game more entertaining!

AVOID GOING ALL IN

This may seem obvious to some, but some players may find it worth going all in when they hit a winning streak, which is super untrue. Any player who has frequented a casino before would know that miss Lady Luck works in mysterious ways, and due to the house edge, there’s no telling when you’ll win or lose — your first bet might win, but your next wager may lose; who knows?

The key to boosting your odds is to place smart bets using the best baccarat strategies, and going all in is definitely not one of them. At the end of the day, you need to safeguard your bankroll to keep playing for as long as possible. And going all in is a perfect way to ensure you drop out of the game in a flash. Money management is vital when playing card games like baccarat and other table games too!

PLAY AT A TABLE WITH A LOW HOUSE EDGE

One of the many great things about playing at online casinos is that you’ll find tonnes and tonnes of baccarat tables to choose from. Sure, the general gameplay would be the same, but providers have found all-new, unique ways to make your experience extra juicy.

Nowadays, players can take a bite out of mouth-watering bonus rounds and side bets and enjoy a handful of modern mechanics that’ll almost certainly make their jaws drop. Here’s how the house edge ties in:

If you want to earn a good amount of money, you’ll need to pick a baccarat table with the most favourable odds, including playing at a table that will allow you to place low-house edge bets.

If you’re not sure what the house edge is and how it can affect your winnings, allow us to break it down. The house edge describes the mathematical advantage the house has over the player. To put it simply, the greater the edge, the lesser your chances of winning. So, if you play at a table with a low house advantage, you’ll have much better odds.

PRACTISE IN THE DEMO MODE

Practising in the demo mode is probably the most useful tip we can give you. Many online baccarat games that don’t feature a live dealer come equipped with a demo mode. The demo is basically a free-play version of the actual game and offers the exact same gaming experience you would expect to find when playing the real thing. So, what’s the difference?

Well, as you enter the demo mode, you will find a large bankroll to play with — these are virtual funds. Virtual funds are kind of like fake money that only exists within the game and replaces your actual bankroll, which is how you’ll get to play for free.

Explore every mechanic, bet and bonus the game has to offer, all without depleting a single drop of your bankroll. You can also use the demo to fully test out the gameplay and give a few strategies a whirl!

The only bummer about playing in the demo mode is that you won’t be able to collect any of the winnings you earn as they are completely virtual. But, once you feel you’ve learnt all you can from the demo, you can always just play the game for real.

It is important to note that live baccarat games do not come with a free demo because they are streamed live, so you’ll only get to test out First-Person tables. This is still a great stepping stone for players, though.

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be asked to create an account and complete the verification process to access the demos. In cases where verification is not necessary, you may be able to play as a visitor.

USE A BANKROLL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

No matter what online game you play, money management is an integral part of your gaming. As we’ve discussed earlier, you need to safeguard your funds as much as possible. Protecting your bankroll is the only way to ensure you’ll be in the running for long-term profits, and this is simply because, without any funds, you won’t be able to play! After all, you wouldn’t want to hit a winning streak and then find out you have no more funds left.

Having a good bankroll management strategy also helps you play responsibly and keep your gambling habits in check. This way, you won’t be tempted to place all your funds on one bet. Or on the contrary, having a management strategy will allow you to set limits on your losses, especially when using a wagering system.

A bankroll management system is needed no matter what game you play, including in sports betting too.

SLOW YOUR ROLL — PLAY RESPONSIBLY

Baccarat is like playing slots, in a way, as there is no winning formula or strategy that will help you secure bigger wins. You can play hundreds of hands in a single session while playing baccarat games, and it can have severe repercussions for your bankroll.

Remember, you’re in charge, and you set the main rules. Slow down and use HotSlots’s Responsible Gaming tools to set limits on deposits, wagers, losses and session duration. If you feel like you’re losing control, you can also self-exclude from all gambling activities on our platform.

USE THESE BACCARAT STRATEGY TIPS WHEN PLAYING AT HOTSLOTS

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As you try and test different tips and tricks on our baccarat games, we’ll make sure that your experience is engaging, fun and super entertaining. Choose from a selection of Dragon Tiger tables, Mini Baccarat tables, Lightning Baccarat casino games, and so much more! Our Live Casino will make you feel you’re right in the heart of Las Vegas. And, the best part is you won’t have to worry about a table limit.

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Baccarat is easily one of the most popular games on the market, so you deserve a gaming experience that matches its brilliance.