The 7 best baccarat strategies all players should know

Contents

• How to play baccarat online
• The basic baccarat strategies
• Our top 7 baccarat-winning strategies
• Practical tips for using baccarat strategies
• Try a baccarat-winning strategy at Mr Bet New Zealand

Baccarat is one of the most iconic card games in the online casino world. It has just three possible bets, a low house edge, and requires only luck to win. How do baccarat strategy techniques work if Kiwi players don’t rely on skills?

Improving your time at the table isn’t about how you play your hand but your chosen wagers and stakes. Understanding the various baccarat games and betting tactics is the best way to boost your confidence and make the experience more fun.

Are you ready to learn seven techniques to tip the odds in your favour? Read on for our guide to the best strategies and a few nifty tricks that enhance baccarat and make it more rewarding.

How to play baccarat online

Before we cover any strategies, let’s recap how to play a standard round of baccarat. While the game might seem intimidating, thanks to the glitz and glamour surrounding it, the rules are as simple as it gets.

The dealer does all the heavy lifting while you sit back, place your bet, and wait for the cards to decide your fate. Here’s how to participate in the game:

1. The object of baccarat is to have the hand closest to nine.
2. Face cards and tens count for zero, while the ace is worth one point. Other cards are equal to their face value.
3. If your score is above nine, drop the first digit.
4. Make a wager on the player or banker’s hand or a tie. 
5. The croupier deals two face-up cards to each side. 
6. If either hand is worth eight or nine, the round ends on a natural win. 
7. Any side with cards totalling 0–5 receives a third card.

The basic baccarat strategies

It’s also essential to have a decent knowledge of the game’s standard bets before learning any advanced techniques. Brush up on these baccarat basic strategy sequences involving which wager to avoid and the one that provides the greatest chance of success.

Banker is the safest bet

Betting on the banker is the safest bet, as it has the best chance of winning the round because of the playing order. The odds of winning with this wager are approximately 45.86%, with a house edge of 1.06%.

The player bet typically has successful odds of 44.62% and a house edge of 1.24%. These figures make the banker’s hand more likely to give you a win, despite the house’s 5% commission on these wagers.

Avoid wagering on a tie

While tie bets pay out at 9:1, their chances of hitting are low. The wager is only likely to be successful 9.52% of the time and has a high house edge of 14.36%. Avoid it entirely because you won’t often collect winnings from this option.

Our top 7 baccarat-winning strategies

Try one of our top seven winning baccarat strategy sequences to apply higher-level tactics than just avoiding or sticking to specific bets.

Remember that even the most creative techniques often result in deficits. Baccarat is a game of chance, and no strategy changes the house’s odds. Only play while it’s enjoyable, and take any losses in your stride. 

1. The Martingale baccarat strategy

The Martingale is popular in other casino games like roulette or craps but can also be effective in baccarat. The tactic is easy to follow and involves repeating your bet after a win and doubling it after a loss:

1. Place a $2 bet on the banker’s hand.
2. Should the banker win, repeat the wager during the next round. If the hand loses, double your next stake to $4.
3. If you lose your $4, increase your bet to $8 for the following round. On a win, repeat the $4 stake.

This strategy can result in success, but it has positives and negatives. Should you encounter a losing streak, your stakes could increase quickly, and you could use up your bankroll. A series of successful wagers often nets you a significant profit.

The Martingale is an excellent approach for players willing to place high bets after incurring some losses. Apply flexible wager limits and stick within them to make the strategy more manageable.

2. The Paroli baccarat strategy

The Paroli technique works in the opposite way of the Martingale. You take advantage of winning streaks instead of trying to make back any losses. 

Set an initial stake and keep it the same after an unsuccessful bet, but double it on a win. Some players only choose to increase their wagers after achieving a certain amount of gains. Here’s how to use the Paroli baccarat strategy:

1. Make your first bet of $5 on the banker.
2. If you win the round, double your next stake to $10. On a loss, keep your wager at $5 for the next hand.

Continue using this pattern for as long as you wish to stay in the game. The system offers a relatively low possibility of significant losses, but wins are small unless you experience a hot streak. This method is well-suited to newcomers or those who prefer to take only a few risks.

3. The Fibonacci baccarat strategy

This strategy comes from the naturally occurring mathematical sequence. Fibonacci adds the series’ two previous numbers to reach the pattern’s next digit. In betting, it starts at one and can continue forever:

1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233

When applying this technique, think of your initial stake as a unit. After a loss, move up to the following number in the sequence. Should you win, move back two numbers. The method might seem complicated, but it’s easy to understand after some practice:

1. Wager one unit on the player’s hand, such as $3.
2. If the player loses, bet $3 again as the number one repeats in the pattern.
3. Should your wager be unsuccessful again, wager two units equal to $6.
4. After another losing round, bet three units of $9. 
5. If your $9 stake wins, move back two steps in the number series and bet $3 in the next round.

As you consistently alter your stake based on each hand’s outcome, the Fibonacci can be an engaging online baccarat strategy. Placing more conservative wagers after wins can recoup losses made during the game.

4. The Labouchere baccarat strategy

The Labouchere is one of the more complex techniques recommended for more experienced baccarat players. It’s similar to the Martingale strategy but geared towards small wins rather than large payouts.

Begin by deciding how much you’d like to win and dividing it into any sequence of numbers. You later add these digits, with your initial bet being the sum of your series’ first and last numbers.

On a win, cross those digits out before placing your next bet. Calculate the following stake by adding the remaining first and last numbers. Should you lose the round, add the losing wager amount to the end of your series.

If you get through all the numbers in your list, write another sequence and begin again. Here’s how to implement the method:

1. Decide how much you’d like to win and write down your number sequence, for example, $30 into 2 – 4 – 6 – 8 – 10.
2. Take the figures from each side of the series and combine them to reach your initial stake of $12. Wager on the banker.
3. If you win, cross out the numbers and repeat step two.
4. Should the banker lose, don’t remove any digits from your sequence. Add your last stake to the end, making it 2 – 4 – 6 – 8 – 10 – 12.
5. Perform step two again with a $14 bet.
6. Continue the technique until you cross out all of your numbers.

This baccarat winning strategy is a fast way to make your desired profit, but it features a high risk of depleting your bankroll. After a few losing hands, each stake quickly increases, or your number list gets unreasonably long.

5. The d’Alembert baccarat strategy

A French theorist from the 18th century created the d’Alembert baccarat system to prevent steep losses while recouping unsuccessful bets. He designed it around the assumption that your wins and deficits eventually even out.

Determine an amount to represent one betting unit. It shouldn’t exceed 1% of your available funds to prevent running through your bankroll too quickly.

Increase your wagers by a unit after each loss, and decrease by one on a win. Should you place a successful bet in the first round, use a stake of one unit again:

1. Set your wagering unit, let’s say, $2. Place a bet on the player.
2. If the player’s hand wins, wager $2 again.
3. Should you lose, increase your next stake to $4.

The technique continues until you achieve your desired profit or want to quit the game. It’s best for short-term play, as you could deplete your gaming fund before sustaining a winning streak.

6. The flat betting baccarat strategy

This method is the best baccarat strategy for simple playing. Rather than adjusting your stake based on a round’s outcome, wager the same amount every hand:

1. Bet $5 on the banker.
2. Whether your wager is successful or not, bet $5 during the next round.

Flat betting in baccarat is easy and effective. While it doesn’t recoup losses with significant wins, it’s much less risky than other techniques. 

7. Baccarat card counting 

Card counting in baccarat involves tracking the hands dealt over multiple rounds to raise your odds of placing a successful wager. When you perform the strategy correctly, it could help you select the most profitable bet.

The technique works during live croupier games but isn’t viable for other online versions as it requires a shoe. You should track the cards from a new dealing box to gather as much information about the decks as possible.

After the croupier deals the hands, add or subtract to your count depending on the cards’ value:

• Ace, 2, or 3: +1
• 5, 7, or 8: -1
• 4: +2
• 10 or face card: 0

Over time, your count changes based on the cards dealt. Use it to help determine which bet to place. Wager on the player with a tally of 16 or higher and bet on the banker with 15 or lower.

The process isn’t as complicated as it seems. If you’re up against the banker and one other player, the strategy works like this:

1. You receive a queen and a 5 (count = 0).
2. The croupier deals the other player an ace and a 4 (count = 3).
3. The banker’s hand is a king and a 4 (count = 5).
4. Your tally is 5, so bet on the banker in the next round.

Even the best baccarat card counting strategy only reduces the house edge by a small margin. If you perform the method well, it could give you a slight advantage in the game.

Practical tips for using baccarat strategies

Are you ready to try one of these strategies during your next round of baccarat? Keep the following points in mind to help you perfect your approach:

• Don’t look for patterns: Baccarat is a game of chance. While it’s enticing to track trends, they are often misleading. Instead, focus on making educated wagers.
• Practice before using your bankroll: We offer many baccarat demo versions that don’t require your playing funds.
• Set yourself limits: Determine how much you’re willing to lose and walk away once you reach the figure to protect your money. 

Try a baccarat-winning strategy at Mr Bet New Zealand

Our top seven baccarat strategy options all work equally well in fate’s hands. Select the one you’re most comfortable with to enjoy a stress-free and entertaining gaming experience.

Visit the table section of our New Zealand online casino for an enormous collection of the best baccarat titles. Apply your new skills and appreciate this fantastic game at Mr Bet.