The most common question is whether baccarat strategies really work. When appropriately used, betting systems can help you to improve your winning opportunities in baccarat. Find out more relevant information in our comprehensive guide.
If you are planning to play real money baccarat games, it is vital to have a basic strategy. Baccarat is a popular table game that has graced casinos for many years. Contrary to what is portrayed in films and movies as a high roller game, - It is a straightforward and enjoyable casino game.
Additionally, baccarat features some of the best odds compared to other casino games. Like other games of luck, you cannot lower the house edge in your favor using strategies in baccarat. But you can apply various betting systems to boost your chances of winning.
The two baccarat strategies are the positive progression and negative progression systems. In this complete guide, we've provided everything you should know about baccarat strategies, how they work, and other winning tips and tricks of baccarat.
What is a Baccarat Strategy?
To put it in simple words, a betting strategy is a plan that is laid down to help you to achieve a certain goal. Baccarat strategies are used by experienced players to enjoy huge winnings. Many betting systems that work on the basis of regulating your bankroll can be efficient in baccarat, just as they are used in blackjack or roulette. These betting systems require players to increase or decrease the bet amount based on the game outcome.
Moreover, it's pretty simple to use them as you only need to keep note of the results. Nevertheless, this doesn't mean that these strategies guarantee 100% winning baccarat. But they give you a better chance of managing your funds accordingly.
Baccarat Betting Strategies
As earlier mentioned, baccarat betting systems are in four main categories - positive, progressive, negative progressive, and non-progressive strategies. While the negative strategies are designed to help you recover your losses in a single sweep, the positive systems boost your winning streaks. We'll take you through the different systems to help you understand how they work. The following are the most common and reliable betting strategies in baccarat:
The Negative Progressive Baccarat Strategies
Many players prefer the negative progressive baccarat systems because they can help you recover all lost bets in a single sweep. With these systems, you must increase your bet whenever you lose. Though they are reliable strategies, they must be handled with great care.
Moreover, it requires players with huge bankrolls since you cannot determine how long a losing streak will take. Another risk of these strategies is that you can hit the game's betting limit and thus, prevent you from playing. These are the negative progressive baccarat strategies:
The Martingale Strategy
The martingale is the most popular negative progressive system in baccarat. The idea in this strategy is quite simple - You double your losing bets and reduce all winning bets by half.
For instance, if your first bet amount was $5 and luckily you win, you must bet again with $5. If you lose in the next round, you double the stake to $10, and if you lose again, you increase the amount to $20. If you win in the next round, you return to the original bet of $5.
From this example, you can see how the player recovers the losses with a single win, and it works well if you are lucky enough.
The D'Alembert Strategy
Another popular negative progressive strategy is d'Alembert. Basically, this system requires players to increase the stake by one chip after a loss and reduce the amount by one chip after a winning hand. The exciting thing about the d'Alembert strategy is that you choose a betting unit. For instance, you can pick $10 as your starting stake, and if you win, the stake remains the same, and if you lose, you must raise your stake by one unit.
For example, if you stake $10 and lose the first hand, you increase the amount to $20. If you lose again, the amount will increase to $30, and if you win, you go back to the original bet of $10.
Unlike the Martingale, the d'Almbert system is not designed to help you recoup losses in one round. But you can gain profit in the long run.
The Labouchere Strategy
The Labouchere system is more complex than other negative progressive systems we've shared. This strategy is known by other names like cancellation, cross-out, American progression, or split martingale. It was developed by Henry Du Pre Labouchere, a renowned British politician and publicist. Like other systems, the goal is to recover losses in the long run. To learn and understand how it works, you must keep track of all your bets in writing.
The first step is to choose how much you want to win, and then you split the amount into a sequence of numbers. The first bet amount is the sum of the number on the left and right sides of the sequence. If you win, you cross out the numbers and then proceed to wager with the first and last numbers. However, if you lose, you must add a new number to the sequence.
For example, if your goal is to win $100 - You split this amount into a sequence of numbers as follows: 10-20-10-10-10-20-10-5-5. The first stake will be (10+5) = $15. These numbers are canceled if you win and you proceed to a new stake (20+5) = $25. But if you lose, you add your stake to the number on the right side of the sequence. Your goal is achieved once all numbers in the series are canceled.
The Fibonacci Strategy
Leonardo Fibonacci (1170 to 1250) is the brain behind this negative progressive system. He was a great mathematician of the Middle Ages. The Fibonacci system is very common in baccarat and roulette games. The good thing about this strategy is it's less risky, affordable, and easy to control.
The sequence has a long sequence of numbers, with each number being the total of the two that precede it. The following are the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, and 1,597. To use the sequence, you must start with a single unit like $1. You move to the next number in the series, which is $1 if you lose. If you lose again, you proceed to the next number, $2.
The strategy rules require players to go back two numbers and place a stake of equal size. This system doesn't return your losses with one win but keeps you ahead by only winning c.a ⅓ of the hands played.
The Positive Progressive Baccarat Strategies.
As the name suggests, these systems are the opposite of the negative progression strategies. They require players to increase the stake when winning and reduce the amount on a losing streak. Many online casino players choose this method because it is easy to use.
Moreover, it can be applied to almost every online casino game. These strategies are designed to keep losses at a minimum when on losing. Below is the most popular positive, progressive betting strategy:
The Paroli Strategy
The paroli strategy is commonly referred to as the reverse martingale system. It has been around for more than 400 years, and it's still efficient in baccarat and other games. The system is based on a set of rules that have no direct influence on the results. With this strategy, you start by choosing a bet amount that acts as the basis of your progression.
It is recommended to use a figure that is bigger than 2%, such as $1. The amount doesn't change after you lose, and the second-hand starts with another $1 stake. But if you happen to win the second hand, you must 2x the amount of the winning bet to proceed with playing baccarat. Do understand that there are several variants of the Paroli betting strategies, but the rules are the same.
The Parlay Strategy
Parlay is an easy-to-follow positive, progressive betting strategy. The first step when using this betting system is to set a betting unit. If you are lucky to win, the stake is doubled by adding the previous win. Players are free to continue doubling in this manner until they lose. In that case, you return to the original bet amount.
For example, if you stake $10 on the player bet and win, the amount will be $20 in the next game round. If you win again, the stake becomes $40. If you lose in the next round, the amount goes back to $10.
The 1-3-2-4 and 1-3-2-6 Strategies
The 1-3-2-4 and 1-3-2-6 strategies are based on capitalizing on the winning streaks. They are the simplest as you need to follow a set sequence. When using the 1-3-2-4 system, you start with 1 unit on the player bet and baker bet. If you win, you increase to 3 units on the next bet; if you win, again, you place 2 units. Lastly, if you win, again, you increase to 4 units. Likewise, the 1-3-2-6 system follows the same style, only that you will increase to 6 units and not 4 units in the last game round.
For example, if you bet $10 on the player bet in baccarat and you lose on the first bet round, you must stake the same amount in the second hand. So if you win, your next stake will be $30 ($10x3). You must follow this system until the numbers in the sequence are all used up.
The best thing about these systems is that you risk 1 and 2 chips of your stake in round 1 and round 2. Please note that bet rules apply in both baccarat strategies.
The Oscar's Grind
The first mention of Oscar's Grind strategy was in Allan Wilson's 1956 book Casino Gambler's Guide. The system was created by Oscar to help in low-risk betting progression. He divides the game into sequences, where you aim to win 1 unit in each sequence. It all starts with $1, and the amount remains the same if you lose. But you increase the stake by 1 unit if you win. The grind restarts once you make 1 unit profit.
Reverse D'Alembert Strategy
In reverse D'Alembert's strategy, the betting system is reversed upside down. You must raise your stake by 1 unit for every win and reduce it by 1 unit after every loss. This betting system is pretty simple and can be profitable during a winning streak. The challenging part about this system is that you need to win more to strike an even balance.
Flat Betting System
The flat betting system is the simplest of all baccarat strategies. Players are required to stake the same amount over and over, regardless of the outcome. In baccarat, the banker bet has an attractive house edge of 1.06%. This is a profitable strategy if you are on a winning streak. The problem with this system is that it can get boring with time. There are no specific rules to follow or a pattern. The unpredictability in this system is what makes it a good choice for baccarat players.
Land-Based vs. Online Baccarat Strategy
The first thing to do when choosing a baccarat strategy is to decide whether you are going to play at an online or land-based casino. Of course, you must adjust your system when playing baccarat at these casinos.
The advantage of playing at brick-and-mortar and live dealer casinos is that you can use card counting in your favor. Baccarat games use a shoe, so you can track the cards that are dealt and know when to raise or reduce your stake.
The average betting range for a standard baccarat game is $5 to $20 at most casinos. It's hard for players to hit the maximum bet limit at baccarat tables.
On the other hand, it is impossible to count cards in online baccarat games. Moreover, the minimum odds are relatively low in many online casinos. Regardless of your choice, make sure you understand the strategy rules before applying them.
Best Winning Baccarat Strategy Tips
Now that you know the different baccarat strategies and betting systems, it is equally important to know the tips and tricks to win. We have highlighted a couple of tips from expert players. They include:
Start by Setting Win and Loss Limits
The first thing before you think of playing real money baccarat is to set your win and loss limits. This way, your bankroll will be safe, and it also helps to enhance your winning strategy.
Play Low House Edge Bets
Of the three bets in baccarat, the banker bet is the best as it comes with a low edge of 1.06%. Another good option is the player bet which has an edge of 1.24%. The worst option is the tie bet, with an advantage of 14.36%.
Use an Optimal Baccarat Strategy
The best thing about baccarat is that you can apply different strategies to maximize your winning opportunities. The martingale system is highly recommended for high rollers since it's based on increasing the stake. You can opt for other strategies like paroli, parlay, 1-3-2-6, and 1-3-2-4.
Learn Money Management Skills
Bankroll management is a skill that every gambler must learn. As you are aware, there are occasional losing streaks and winning streaks in baccarat. The objective is to have enough money to take you through these moments.
Go for Casino Bonuses and Promotions
Many online casinos reward new players for registering and depositing. These bonuses range from free spins, welcome, reload, referral, and VIP bonuses. Make sure you read and meet the bonus terms and conditions before you can cash out.
Play at Mini Baccarat Tables
Many variations of baccarat are available at online casinos. If you are a beginner, the best option is to start with the mini-baccarat game. It's beginner-friendly, and the rules are pretty simple. You should avoid the big baccarat and midi baccarat games because they are more complex.
No Best Bet in Baccarat
There is no best bet in baccarat; it depends on what you are after. You can choose to go for small but regular wins or unpredictable outcomes.
Always Have Fun and Take Your Losses in Stride
The fact is you will experience losses even with the best betting strategies. The most important thing is how you react to these losses. Some people leave the table when losing while others continue playing. Make sure you play in short sessions and always accept the losses positively.
Card Counting May Not Be Effective
Even though card counting can be profitable, we don't recommend it in online baccarat. At many online casinos, the decks are shuffled after every deal, making it impossible to count cards.
Play Baccarat with Fewer Decks
The good thing about baccarat games with few decks is that they have a lower variability of the next card. It's easy to track with fewer decks while playing baccarat online.
Play Commission Free Baccarat
Commission-free baccarat games are the best because there's no charge for banker bets. However, the player should understand that the payout of the banker bet has been adjusted to raise the edge to 4.07%.
Cheating in Baccarat Games - Is it Possible?
The strategies we have shared in this guide can be used at any online casino without the worry of being arrested. However, several techniques have been used by players over the years to cheat. The most popular cheating methods are:
- Edge Sorting: This method requires players to study the back of cards to identify inconsistency in cards, thus, giving players a better edge.
- Card Counting: It is illegal to count cards in many casinos. This style involves tracking the high and low-value cards in the deck, so you know whether to wager on the banker or the player.
- Past Posting: The technique consists in adding betting chips to a wager after winning.
- Card Marking: Some players have been caught with marked baccarat cards. This is a way of making the high and low cards easily identifiable.
- False Shuffling: This cheating method requires the player to lias with the dealer. It's self-explanatory where the dealer pretends to shuffle cards, and then the player identifies the unshuffled cards.
What is the Best Baccarat Betting Strategy
By now, you are probably wondering which is the best baccarat strategy to use. The best strategy will vary depending on many factors. First of all, it depends on what you want to achieve in the long run. Moreover, it depends on whether you are ready to try bigger risks or go for slow and progressive strategies. Whether to use the positive or negative progression strategies solely depends on you. As we've said before, ensure you understand the ins and outs of a particular system before trying it on any casino games.