5 Baccarat Tips That Turn a Profit

Baccarat is hands down one of the coolest casino games on the planet. I can’t sit down at a baccarat table without instantly looking for a Bond movie’s villain.

Being hip isn’t the only reason to cozy up to the table, though. Baccarat can be profitable and has a relatively low house edge, under 2%. Let’s examine 5 baccarat tips that turn a profit.

Baccarat Simplified

Baccarat is a simple game to learn. You only have 3 possible bets the banker bet, the player bet, and the tie bet.

To further simplify matters, forget all about the tie bet completely. I’ll go over why in a moment.

The cards 1-9 are all worth face value, Aces are worth 1, and 10-K are valued at 0. The players and the dealer are all dealt 2 cards face up.

The object is to get closer to a value of 9 than the banker. However, if you go over 10, the first digit is dropped.

If the player were to have 5 or higher and stood, the banker then takes a card if their hand is less than 5.

Finally, if either a player or the banker has been dealt 8 or 9, everybody stands. This makes the action on the baccarat table move pretty quickly, and as savvy gamblers know, that may get expensive.

Baccarat Strategies

As I mentioned above, there are only 3 betting options in real money baccarat. By eliminating the tie bet, you effectively need to choose between the banker’s hand and the player’s hand on each hand. 

The player bet has a house advantage of 1.24%, almost as good as playing basic strategy in blackjack. The banker bet slightly edges the player bet with a house advantage of 1.06%.

Yes, there’s a 5% commission on the banker bet, but that’s already factored into the house advantage.

There are a few betting strategies that players use at the baccarat table. If you’re familiar with my style at all, I tend to stay away from most betting systems.

Let’s look at the common systems for the sake of exhausting every possible angle.

The most common betting strategy you’ll see in any casino is the Martingale System. The Martingale is a negative progression system where, after any loss, you immediately double your bet into perpetuity.

There are some major downsides to this betting system. Still, the most glaring is that as few as 8 consecutive losses could quickly wipe out your entire bankroll. Let’s assume you have a limitless bankroll; it’s entirely feasible that the table limit will be reached before you get another win.

The 1324 Baccarat Strategy is another of the betting systems that promise you’ll never lose again. Unfortunately, the casinos would simply shut down all of the baccarat tables and install penny slots in their place if that were the case.

Last but not least is the Paroli System. The Paroli aims to take advantage of hot streaks and maximize your profits.

While the Paroli System is more apt to make a profit than the other two, it also carries much higher volatility. That volatility is enough reason for me to steer clear.

What about strategies that will actually allow players to leave the table with a long-term profit?

Here are my 5 baccarat tips that turn a profit.

1 – Bet with The Banker

Many gamblers sit down at the baccarat table and intuitively take the player bet. Their intuitions are steering them in the wrong direction.

It seems to go against every fiber of their being actually to bet on the “casino”. How in the world does anybody look around at the massive structures in all of their luxury and opulence and bet against that?

The banker bet does carry a small commission that scares some players away, but 5% seems like a small price to pay when you’re almost assured of winning.

In fact, the banker bet will win slightly more than half the time. It’s the 5% commission that wipes out the differences on betting the player.

If you stick to the banker bet at the baccarat table, you’re guaranteed to see more profits from the game, which leads me to my next point about betting at the baccarat table.

2 – Avoid The Tie Bet

The casinos are full of sucker bets. Most casino games actually have pretty even odds when played conservatively.

Sure the house always has an advantage, and because of the edge, they never have to worry about losing money.

Even if the house only takes 2% of rolls, spins, or hands. That 2% is a tremendous number and basically gives the casinos a license to print money.

Now factor in all of the total sucker bets, and the profits soar. Baccarat is actually pretty friendly; it only has one true sucker bet.

The tie bet pays out at 8:1. The casino can offer such a high payout because they have a huge advantage.

The house edge on the tie bet in baccarat is over 14%. To put that in perspective, the penny slots on the strip, which are known for being a spectacularly poor investment, have a house edge under 12%.

Avoid the tie bet by any means necessary; this will vastly improve your chances to make a profit.

3 – Get In, Get Out

Baccarat is a game all about striking while the iron is hot. Most veteran players adopt a get in and get out quick approach.

Baccarat, by its nature, is a game of hot streaks and cold runs. Savvy gamblers know to get on a table, and if the cards run hot, they must perfectly time their exit to maximize profits.

I know a few professional gamblers that love baccarat more than anything in the world. One of these die-hards once confessed that he had to become an elite poker player to fund his baccarat habit; he has done quite well.

He’ll never spend more than 20 minutes at a baccarat table. In fact, if he’s not feeling the heat in the first 10 minutes, he may find another table.

Baccarat is extremely lucrative when you can find an uptick and run with it for a time, but you absolutely must get out before the fall comes. The fall always comes.

4 – Find Games with The Fewest Decks

Most brick and mortar casinos have standardized casino baccarat into a game played with 8 decks of cards.

Any card counter on the planet will be glad to explain the complexities of keeping an accurate count with that many decks.

However, if you’re lucky enough to stumble across, some tables can make counting much easier by offering games with 4 decks.

If you’re a decent card counter, you may look into a skill known as edge sorting. This unique casino skill can give a player an almost criminal advantage over the casino.

5 – Become A Bankroll Savant

Proper bankroll management is a vital skill for any gambler who wishes to be successful. Bankroll management is even more critical for any player hoping to turn a profit playing baccarat.

Baccarat players need to break their bankroll down to the specific session they’re playing. For example, playing a $20 per hand, you’ll take $400 or 20 hands to the table.

It’s understandable that players’ bet sizes will vary, but 20 hands are a solid place to start. If you lose, it’s time to take a break.

I don’t care if you just lost $200 playing at $10 per hand, and you’ve got $30k in your coat pocket. Take a break.

Preferably longer than the time it takes to go to the restroom and come back. Go out for a walk, play a round of golf, get a massage, go up to your room for a shower.

It really doesn’t matter how you spend the time; take at least a 30-minute break. As I stated earlier, baccarat is a game where striking when the iron is hot is imperative.

Give a cold table time to heat back up or, better yet, find a new table completely. Taking a solid break after a losing streak will preserve your bankroll and clear your head for the next run.

Taking this time to clear your mind and reset will prove to be a profitable move in your baccarat career.

Conclusion

Baccarat can be one of the most electrifying games when playing in the casino. Use the 5 baccarat tips that turn a profit on your next trip to the casino and come home a winner.

Be sure to enjoy the ride. Casino gambling is built for entertainment, first and foremost.