Baccarat is a casino attraction for many people. They think it’s a game only high rollers or intelligent and suave patrons like James Bond can play. But the truth is that baccarat is a simple game that anyone can play, regardless of economic condition. But first, let’s go over the Baccarat house edge.
The Baccarat House Edge
With a Player or Banker win being the most likely outcome of a round, it’s easy to see why the house advantage in baccarat is so low.
It’d be like tossing a coin over and over again — the number of heads and tails would eventually balance out.
However, you might wonder, why isn’t the house edge in baccarat zero? The explanation is in the Banker’s small hand advantage.
Without getting into complex theory, the Banker plays its cards second, giving it an advantage similar to that found in blackjack, where the player may break before the dealer has even begun to play.
As you’ll see, it’s a small benefit:
- The house has a 1.36 percent advantage over the player
- The house has a 1.17 percent advantage over the banker
- 14 percent house advantage
Cutting The Baccarat House Edge
We shouldn’t be greedy and strive to entirely erase the house advantage. If we did, no casino would be able to make a profit, and so would cease to exist. Instead, we should try to play in such a way that we have the smallest possibility of losing.
We can see from the three odds above that we should avoid betting on a tie right immediately. Yes, if it strikes, it pays out 9 to 1, but the odds are that the house will clean up in the long run.
Although it may appear small, the difference in house advantage between Player and Banker bets is significant over time.
Of course, if you just want to play 20 or 50 rounds (also known as coups), you will not notice the difference. You would, though, if you were a dedicated player who had played thousands of rounds of baccarat.
As a result, the best approach to reduce the house edge is to place a Banker bet. Nothing in gaming is as simple as that. However, there is a catch to the Banker advantage.
You do not get a direct 1:1 return on your money because the house edge is lower. You get your original stake back, plus a 95 percent profit, rather than 100 percent.
Many players assume that this commission adjusts the odds of Player or Banker winning, but the house edge remains high, therefore Banker is always the better choice.
Another Way to Reduce The House Edge in Baccarat?
No, is the short answer. You don’t have any other options for affecting what happens. Betting tactics such as the Martingale Strategy are favored by some players.
Others search for trends in the previous ten or more rounds in the hopes of controlling what happens next. Of course it isn’t possible.
As a result, take the game at its face value. Enjoy the fact that you don’t have to do anything other than reach out and place your bet; the dealer will take care of the rest.
Cannot Affecting The Outcomes
You cannot make any decisions to impact the outcome of a round of baccarat, unlike a game like blackjack, where you can choose to take another card or stand.
Before the cards are dealt, you have only one option: to wager on the Banker, the Player, or a Tie. After you’ve placed your wager, the dealer will deal cards to Banker and Player to see who can get closest to the magical number of nine.
While there are certain complexities to whether an extra card can be taken or not, you won’t have to worry about it because the dealer will handle everything for you. All you have to do now is sit back and relax with a beverage in your hand, hoping to make some money.
The odds of the Player or Banker winning are practically similar — with one exception: a 9 to 1 probability of a round ending in a tie.
In the end, that is some information about Baccarat house edge which is helpful for players. Now, you can play it confidently.