How to Win at Playing Baccarat

Apart from the game of poker that we love, there is one other popular casino game that we like a lot, namely baccarat.

Baccarat is a game of chance, which means that no strategy on earth can help players to definitely win a game of baccarat. While they have to rely heavily on Lady Luck and hope for the best, baccarat players are not completely helpless.

In fact, smart baccarat players have devised ways to improve their chances of winning.

Understand the Rules

First, players should understand the rules of baccarat, which are fortunately very easy to grasp. Baccarat players are required to create a hand that is stronger than that of the dealer, but without exceeding the numerical value nine. The strongest baccarat hand equals nine and it is also called "natural nine"; and a player who gets the natural nine emerges as the winner of the game.

Players should also understand that there are several types of baccarat and that, although these are based on the standard rules of baccarat, they vary slightly.

Baccarat experts advise players to play a few games of baccarat in the free play mode till they thoroughly understand the rules of the game.

Quit at the Right Time

Successful baccarat players know exactly when to quit; they know better than to press their luck. Baccarat has the habit of separating players of their money if they play for a long time, owing to which players must stop playing when they have made a nice profit. They should not go on and on with the hopes of making millions because they will lose whatever they have won.

Understand Baccarat Bets

Baccarat challenges players to make 3 types of bets-the Player Bet or a bet that the player's hand will win, the Banker Bet or a bet that the dealer's hand will win, and the Tie Bet or a bet that the game will turn out to be a tie.

The Tie Bet is the most dangerous of all these bets because it has a high house advantage of 14 percent. The safest bets are the Player Bet and the Banker Bet. However, if players win the Banker Bet, they will have to pay 5 percent of their winnings to the house. In brief, players can increase their chances of winning if they steer clear of the Tie Bet and place either the Banker Bet or the Player Bet.

Players can also look for casinos that take less than 5 percent as commission on winning Banker Bets.

Number of Decks

The number of decks used to play baccarat varies from casino to casino. The chances of winning the Banker Bet are greater if players play a baccarat game using fewer decks. Usually, baccarat is played using 8 decks, but players can find casinos that use fewer decks.

Manage Bankrolls

Players who want to make a profit playing baccarat should know exactly how to play within their bankroll limits. Before wagering on a game of baccarat, players must decide how much they can afford to bet, how much they can afford to lose, and how much they should win before quitting the game.