Can You Make Money Playing Baccarat?

Bet on the Banker Position

The best bet to place in baccarat games is the Banker. That’s because the Banker position has the most chances to win.

Here’s what the typical probabilities are for each hand:

• Banker — 45.84%
• Player — 44.62%
• Tie — 9.54%

As you can see, you should stay clear of the Tie position, as its chances are the lowest by far.

The Player position has only slightly lower chances than the Banker’s, but it’s still best to bet on the Banker’s hand every time.

Avoid the Tie Position Bet

As you’ve seen, betting on a tie brings barely 10% chances of winning, making this bet the worst in baccarat.

You can also see what a bad bet this is from the house edge on each position:

• Tie — 14.4%
• Player — 1.24%
• Banker — 1.06%

However, even though you should avoid the Tie bet, it’s still worth knowing that this position has the highest payout.

Whereas the Player and the Banker bets carry 1:1 payouts, the Tie pays off 8:1 or sometimes 9:1. This might seem like a great payout, and it is, but the chances of winning this bet are too low, so it’s not wise to stick with this position.

Steer Clear of Side Bets

Some baccarat games come with interesting side bets that have enormous payouts. For example:

• Either Pair — 5:1
• Player or Banker Pair — 11:1
• All Red Player or Banker Cards — 22:1
• All Black Player or Banker Cards — 24:1
• Perfect Pair — 25:1

The payouts are attractive, but the chances of you winning are extremely low. In other words, side bets in baccarat games are typically just another way for the casino to make money, not the player.

Don’t Play the Game for Too Long

With baccarat games, it’s best to keep it short. This is something most baccarat players will tell you.

Cold runs and winning streaks often occupy the game. So, if you lose a couple of hands, get out. And if you’re on a winning streak, make sure you time things right so you can leave with the biggest profits you can get.

Naturally, it’s not a rule to have winning and losing streaks at every table. It’s just something that many pro players have noticed, so it’s best to spend up to 20 minutes at a baccarat table before moving to a different one or stopping for the day.

Don’t Waste Time Counting Cards

Online baccarat games use a simple mechanic — the cards are shuffled between each hand. This makes counting cards useless.

The same is not overly true for live baccarat games, but dealers use several decks and occasionally shuffle cards. This means that counting is possible but extremely hard to do and certainly not worth it for a game like baccarat.

Find Casinos With Lower Commission Rates on Baccarat

It’s not always easy to find the exact commission rate on baccarat games, but if you can, then opt for a casino that has a lower rate.

For example, a 5% commission rate is pretty standard, but some casinos have a 4% rate, so you should choose those whenever possible.

Furthermore, you should also pay attention to the number of decks the game uses. The more decks used, the better your chances are, so look for baccarat games where the number of decks is six or more.

Manage Your Bankroll Properly

Every real gambler needs to take care of their finances.

In other words, you need to learn about bankroll management. It’s a crucial move with every casino game, including baccarat.

The best thing to do is determine your bankroll amount first, based on how much you’re willing to lose, as it’s always possible that you’ll lose all of that money.

Then you should determine the amount you’ll use for each hand and how many hands you’re willing to play. For instance, it’s good to start with 20 hands per session. So, no matter how much you win or lose, you’ll stop after those 20 hands.

After that, take a more extended break of at least 30 minutes. However, it’s best to stop for the day, especially if you are a beginner.

Clearing your mind is crucial if you want to make money on baccarat, not lose money like a bad gambler.