PlayFallsview Caino Guide | Baccarat

The Goal of the Game

You can sum up Baccarat as a simple guessing game. Out of the two hands dealt on the table, your job is to guess if the Banker’s hand or the Player’s hand will win. Whichever hand has the highest number of points wins.

 

Understanding the Table

Hands

There are two sections on the felt — the Player’s Hand and the Banker’s Hand. Each one comes with its own betting area. And no matter which one you bet on, both hands are dealt onto the table.

Betting Area

There are three boxes that you can place your chips on — Player, Banker, and Tie.

Understanding the Cards

Picture (or Face) Cards and Tens

These are worth 0 points each.

Number Cards

Number cards are worth their face value from two to nine (2-9) points.

Aces

Aces are worth one point.

Adding Points

If you’re familiar with Blackjack points, you’ll need to think differently for Baccarat. That’s because as soon as a hand hits double digits, you drop the first digit. It’s impossible to have 10 points in Blackjack.

 

Let’s look at an example. Let’s say you have a hand of 9 and 7. Conventional wisdom says this is worth 16 but, in Baccarat, it’s worth 6. That’s calculated by adding 9+7 = 16 and then dropping the first digit  (1) so you’ve got 6 points.

 

The goal is to get as close as possible to 9.

Placing a Bet

Banker’s Hand: You’re betting that the Banker’s hand will win. This pays even money (1 to 1), but the dealer takes a 5% commission.

Player’s Hand: You’re betting that the Player’s hand will win.

Tie: You’re betting that the Player and Banker will have the same total. This bet pays 8 to 1.

Dealing the Cards

  1. The dealer drops one card into the Player box. Then, one card into the Banker box.
  2. The dealer drops a second card into the Player box, and another one into the Banker box.
  3. Points for both hands are tallied. If either the Player or the Banker has 8 or 9, it’s a “Natural” win and the game ends. All bets are paid out.
  4. If neither the Player or Banker have an 8 or 9, a third card is dealt. Exactly when a third card is dealt depends on a few factors.

Third Card Rules for the Player's Hand

  • 8 or 9 points -> No cards drawn
  • 6 or 7 points -> No cards drawn
  • 0 to 5 points -> Third card drawn, unless Banker has 8 or 9

Third Card Rules for the Banker's Hand

  • 0 to 2 points -> Third card drawn unless Player has “Natural” 8 or 9
  • 3 points -> Banker draws if Player’s third card is 0 to 7 or 9
  • 4 points -> Banker draws if Player’s third card is 2 to 7
  • 5 points -> Banker draws if Player’s third card is 4 to 7
  • 6 points -> Banker draws if Player’s third card is 6 or 7
  • 7 points -> Banker stands
  • 8 or 9 points -> No third card drawn due to the “Natural”

Baccarat Odds

Before you sit down to play Baccarat — before you choose to bet on the Player, the Banker, or a Tie — it’s important to understand the odds of the game. Let’s go.

 

About House Edge

When you hear players talk about house edge, they’re talking about the mathematical advantage the casino has in a specific game. In Baccarat, the house edge is 1.06%. That’s one of the lowest you’ll find at the tables. And that translates into some of the best odds available to players.

Comparing House Edge

With an edge of 1.06% for the Banker’s hand and 1.24% for the Player’s hand, Baccarat comes with an extremely low house edge. The game offers much better odds than Roulette, which has a 5.26% house edge. Only Blackjack is lower at just 0.5%. But even with great odds, it’s important to know that the house holds an advantage.

Banker and Player Odds

The Banker’s hand will win 45.8% of the time in Baccarat. That’s slightly better than the Player’s hand, which comes in at 44.6%. Ties occur just 9.6% of the time. 

If you factor out the tie, you’ll find that the Banker’s hand wins around 51 percent of the time. While that one percent might seem like an insignificant advantage, it still means that you’re looking at better odds than a coin-flip. For that reason, Baccarat players tend to put their money on the Banker’s hand to win.

Odds of a Tie

Betting on a Tie might seem lucrative. After all, it pays out 8 to 1. But did you know that a Tie bet wins only 9.6% of the time? That all translates to a high house edge of 14.36% when you bet on a Tie. Remember, if you don’t bet on a Tie, but the Player and Banker hands are the same, it’s considered a push. So, while you won’t win that hand, you won’t lose your bet either.

Baccarat Strategy

When it comes down to it, Baccarat is nothing but a guessing game. It’s fun and exciting, but there’s no decision to make after you’ve placed your bet. For that reason, there really isn’t any strategy you can employ to help you win. But there are some smart playing strategies you can follow.

Ignore Patterns

A lot of players tend to look at Banker and Player win streaks and bet accordingly. Some choose to alternate between Player and Banker. Others tend to switch when they think one of the spots is due for a win. But the truth is everything is random, so patterns don’t mean a thing.

Know the Odds

The Banker hand wins slightly more than 50% of the time, so many consider it a good bet. But remember, because of the slightly better odds, the house takes a 5% commission.

Never Chase Losses

You’re never due for a win. So always consider Baccarat a form of entertainment. Be prepared to lose. Remember, the house always wins in the end.

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