Ways on Mastering Baccarat
Let’s Know How to be a Master of Baccarat!
In this article, we are sharing with you some sure-fire strategies that will help you ace your online Baccarat. Hopefully, this article can serve as a handy guidebook to yourself and other Baccarat players!
For Beginners on Baccarat, Maybe You’ll be Interested in this Article to Know the Playing Baccarat Game Rules in Detail at First
>> Asia Baccarat Casino Hub: Baccarat Gameplay Guide
An Introduction to Online Baccarat
If you are familiar with the game, feel free to skip this part of the article. But to our novices, we will begin with the basic introduction before diving into the science behind winning the game.
Baccarat is a card game played at casinos. It involves two hands, the Player and the Banker. The game has three possible outcomes:
1) Player – when the player has the highest score
2) Banker – when the banker has the winning cards
3) Tie
For each coup (the possible outcomes the game will come to), the Player and the Banker will be dealt with two cards from four, six, or eight decks shuffled together. Each card the Player or Banker receives has a value:
1) Cards from 2 to 9 are worth their face value
2) The tens, Jacks, Kings and Queens have no value
3) An ace is worth one point
In a Baccarat game, your goal is to get the highest hand value of 9. If the face value of your cards comes up to double digits, you can only use the rightmost digit on their sum as your final face value. It sounds complicated, but no need to frown your brows! Let’s look at the example below:
The Player receives two cards: 9 and 3
The Banker receives two cards: 10 and 7
In this example, the Banker is the winner of the game because the rule of Baccarat says, if the face value of your cards comes up to double digits, you must use the rightmost digit on their sum as the final face value. In addition to that, tens have no value in Baccarat. With that said, the Player only has 2 points, while the Banker has 7 (closest to 9).
Once the Player or the Banker gets a face value of 8 or 9, the coup will come to an end. Then, the winner will be declared. Alternatively, the drawing rules will become effective, and a third card will be dealt if the result ends with a tie.
Following the advancement of technology, online casinos in Malaysia offer players the option to play Baccarat online through their electronic devices. Now, players can play online Baccarat anytime and anywhere, without the distractions of a land-based casino.
The difference between traditional and online Baccarat is subtle. However, playing Baccarat online is much cheaper compared to playing on a land-based casino. This is suitable for low-stake players that wish to minimize the risks of busting their budgets. The best part is, playing Baccarat online lets players play for free, and at a very low stake too. This can come in handy when a player is testing out a Baccarat game in a new casino. Not to mention, when a player picks the right bets and a reliable online casino in Malaysia, he can find an online Baccarat with a very low house edge.
You can learn to play online Baccarat in a matter of minutes. Below is how you play Baccarat online.
Step 1: Choose a game, of course! Head over to any online casino in Malaysia, and pick a free online Baccarat. Most online casinos have more than one variant that players can try. Since it is an online game, you can play the game through your mobile phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet.
Step 2: On a free Baccarat table, you will have the bird’s eye view of the betting areas and the minimum or maximum stakes. This is when you choose your stakes. Select the chip values you want, and drag and drop the chips onto the sections of the table you want to bet on. When you are ready to play, press the DEAL button. Without hitting the DEAL button, the cards won’t get dealt automatically.
Step 3: The game commences. The Banker and Player attempt to score the best face value. If the Banker or Player has a face value of 8 or 9, both parties don’t need to draw an extra card. This move is known as Stand.
If the Player has a face value of less than 5, the Player will draw a third card. This move is known as Hit.
Step 4: You can choose to bet on either the Banker or the Player. The payout for a winning Player is 1/1; 19/20 for a winning Banker hand; and 8/1 if both hands end in a tie.
Step 5: Once the winner is declared, you will be paid your winnings immediately. Then, you have the option to double your bet, repeat the previous bet, or start anew.
Tips and Strategies to Win Online Baccarat
This is where it gets fun – learning the science behind winning any Baccarat games that you play! We will go through several tips and strategies on how you can beat online Baccarat, and rake in real money from winning non-stop. Although these tips and strategies are guaranteed to help you play Baccarat like a pro and win like nobody’s business, it is always a smarter choice for you to practice constantly. After all, haste makes waste, and practice makes perfect.
Once you are confident, apply the knowledge we share with you here and bet away! If you are feeling ambitious, you can also try your luck in real money Baccarat.
1. Never Bet on a Tie
When you are playing Baccarat, you are always playing against the house edge. With that in mind, it is always a good move to acquaint yourself with the house edge. That way, it can help you work out a better plan of action and keep your losses to a minimum.
In Baccarat (six decks), the Banker has a house edge of 1.06%, whereas the Player has a house edge of 1.24%. If we break down the math, you are supposed to use about 1.06 units for every 100 units bet on the Banker, and 1.24 units bet on the Player.
The house edge for a Tie is an astounding 14.4%. Unless you are the French Spider-Man that loves taking high risks by scaling skyscrapers without a safety harness, betting on a Tie is never the risk you should take in Baccarat.
In comparison with other online casino games, Baccarat has some of the lowest and best house edges.
2. The Banker vs. the Player
If you have done your research, you will come to notice that many websites encourage its players to place bets on the Banker instead of the Player because it has better odds. Well, this guidebook is going to agree otherwise.
When playing Baccarat, it is always best to bet on the Player. This is because the commission imposed on Banker bets lets you get less value back.
Here’s a scenario:
If the Player loses four times in a row and wins the fifth hand, the breakdown of math for the worth of each bet is:
First bet – RM 10
Second bet – RM 20
Third bet – RM 40
Fourth bet – RM 80
This means the Player has bet and lost RM 150 in total. Now, hypothetically speaking, the bet the Player places next is on the Banker at RM 160, and the bet wins. The payout will reach a total of RM 320 (RM 160 from the bet and RM 160 from the win).
Once you deduct the 5% Banker’s commission, the Player gets a total payout of RM 304 only.
This calculation tells us that even though the player has won, he has experienced a net loss, nonetheless.
3. Pay Close Attention to the Odds
Every online Baccarat table is different than the other. Therefore, before you sign up for any new online casino in Malaysia, make sure to check out the odds of winning first. The payout for Player bets is constant (1:1). What you need to take note of is the commission for a Banker’s bets. The commission varies among online casinos; some offer less than 5% commission while others can be as high as 25%.
4. Play Shorter Sessions of Online Baccarat
In the long run, the odds will go against you. That means the longer you play a Baccarat game, the more it will consume your bankroll. To make the most out of your gaming experience, you should keep each session of Baccarat game short, so you hit the sweet spot of winning money and steering clear from losing all of your chips.
For example, if you place bets on the Player consistently, chances are you will win four or five rows continuously. But, if you play for a longer time, the number of Player wins decreases gradually and ends up with a mathematical probability of 44.6% only. 6.
5. Managing Your Bankroll
There’s a Chinese saying that goes, don’t wear a hat bigger than your head. This idiom implies that a person should never take on a commitment that he cannot fulfill.
When betting, always make it a priority to have sufficient money in your bankroll for rainy days. Most importantly, never attempt to recoup your losses. Many players become fuelled to recover from their losses by betting exceeding their bankroll.
It’s human nature that you get frustrated when you suffer from losses, but after all, a game is a game. If losing is inevitable, you are guaranteed to ace some matches and win real money too! Also, this pointer doesn’t just apply to Baccarat, but other games and bettors alike.
6. Peruse the Terms and Conditions
When it comes to money, don’t skip to the checkbox immediately and tick it before reading the terms and conditions.
Before making a deposit, go through the terms and conditions of the casino bonuses on offer thoroughly, because a majority of online casinos do not allow the game of Baccarat to count towards any wagering requirements.
If the online casino imposes a wagering requirement, you will likely bet a lot more than if you were to bet at other casino games.
7. Card Decks Influence the Outcome of Your Game
The most optimum way to play Baccarat is when the player plays the least decks. This is because its house edge is proportionate to the number of decks placed in the dealing box (shoe). It’s hard to find a Baccarat game that plays with one deck only, though.
When a player is playing a single-deck Baccarat game, the house edge is 1.01% on the Player bet, 1.29% on the Banker bet, and 15.75% on a Tie bet. If it is a six-deck Baccarat game, the house edge is 1.24% on the Player bet, 1.06% on the Banker bet, and 14.44% on a Tie bet. For an eight-deck Baccarat, the house edge for the Player and Banker bet is similar to that of a six-deck Baccarat. Its house edge for a Tie bet is 14.36%.
The odds for a player’s hand to win in a Baccarat game are 44.62%. For a player’s hand to lose, the odds are 45.85%. The chance for the game to end with a tie is 9.53%.
8. Mini-baccarat Raises a Red Flag
A Mini-baccarat is a smaller and lower-stakes version of Punto Banco Baccarat (a Baccarat game played in land-based casinos in the US, UK, and Australia. Punto Banco is also a popular live-dealer game).
Unlike traditional Baccarat, a Mini-Baccarat:
a) has lower limits
b) doesn’t allow its players to pick up the cards. The dealer deals the game.
c) has a smaller-size table
d) is a fast-moving game. A player normally plays 40 decision in an hour. But in Mini-baccarat, some dealers handle anywhere between 150 to 200 decisions.
Handling 200 decisions with a house edge of 1.06% or 1.24% can be disastrous if luck is not on your side! But, if you are going to play Mini-Baccarat anyway, you should only place bets on the Banker. The strategy for playing a Mini-baccarat is to bet on the Banker until it loses. Then, continue with the game until the Player loses and falls back to betting on Banker. In theory, this will reduce in half how many decisions you face.
9. Counting Cards in Baccarat
A majority of players think Baccarat is not a countable game, but that is not true. Unless you are playing other casino games like Slots or Roulette, you can count any card game, and counting your cards will always give you an upper hand in the game you are playing.
Yes, card counting is not as effective in Baccarat as it is in Blackjack, but it still does its job in helping players increase their chances of winning by giving them an idea about the cards their opponents have.
For instance, in a single-deck Baccarat game, 50 cards are put out. This means only two cards remain, and we already know which ones these two cards are. If you can count (and memorize) the first 50 cards, you will be able to tell what the remaining cards in the deck are.
This is the fundamentals of card counting. But the players aren’t only the witty ones. Casinos are aware of this card counting method too, which is why they implement the eight-deck Baccarat game to prevent the players from card counting. Unless you have a memory of a bitter girlfriend, it’s impossible to count and remember 416 cards.
In general, if a player has more high cards, he has a higher chance of winning. On the other hand, if the deck consists of low cards, the Banker has a better chance of winning.
Instead of counting, players can assign a value to card groups (calculate/identify how many high cards or low cards are left in the deck of cards).
We’ll take a look at some of the ways we can count cards in Baccarat. No gruelling math or calculations, though.
If you are dealt with:
a) A, 2, 3 – Add 1
b) 4 – Add 2
c) 5, 7, 8 – Minus 1
d) 6 – Minus 2
e) 10, J, Q, K – Neutral, no need to do anything
Upon counting, if the result ends up being 16 or higher, you should bet on the Player. If it is 15 or lower, bet on the Banker instead.
Card counting lets you know which side is more likely to win the round. But, because this is a simple and more practical card counting method, it doesn’t promise an accurate result every time. Nonetheless, it is always better than playing by luck or by guessing. There is another card counting method called card counting Baccarat side bet or Baccarat insurance card counting. This counting method is commonly used in Insurance bet, where the players can insurance a round if the first two cards of the banker are 8s or 9s (or the other way round). Card counting Baccarat side bet lets players see what is dealt for the first two cards.
You can test the effectiveness of the card counting system by trying it out at a live Baccarat game at any online casinos with live dealers. But to be perfectly honest, this system has its shortcomings because both the Player and the Banker are the same when it comes to favourable cards. Therefore, you will need to play Baccarat many more rounds before you make a profit and see the real money come in. This doesn’t mean the method is ineffective, it simply means it is slower, as compared to other card counting methods like Blackjack.
Epilogue
To be good at playing Baccarat online takes a combination of luck and skill. If you are dealt bad cards, that is luck playing tricks with you. But with skills, you can outdo your luck, calculate your odds, and determine your chances of success in a Baccarat game. It’s like card counting, it’s not heavy math, but it takes skills to notice the cards being dealt to yourself and other opponents.
Another way you can make sure to have a great gaming experience is by choosing the right online casino. It’s a lie if I say all online casino Baccarat is not rigged, because the truth is, some of them are! The trick here is to play live online Baccarat game, hosted by an online casino that is registered and licensed.
Online casinos in Malaysia are regulated by a gaming jurisdiction, and these people are best at what they do – monitoring. Any suspicious act or modus operandi did by an online casino will immediately be pointed out. With that said, your chances of being cheated are almost imperceptible.
You can pick a reliable and competent online casino for online Baccarat by looking at certain criteria such as:
1. The safety and security of the online casino (it should have the latest SSL encryption to protect a player’s data. The online casino should also be audited by reputable and independent testing bodies.).
2. The selection of Baccarat games (an online casino should offer more than one variation of Baccarat game, such as No Commission Baccarat, Punto Banco, or live dealer Baccarat.).
3. Bonus offers (the online casino rewards you with all types of bonus offers such as free bonus cash.).
4. A variety of banking options (you can deposit cash using a range of safe and secure banking methods. You should also be able to withdraw your winnings within a day or two too.).
5. Great customer support (the online casino has a 24/7 customer service through email, phone, or a live chat feature to provide support and assist you when you have queries/problems.).
We hope that players and gamblers alike can make full use of the strategies we have written in this article, and up their game in playing Baccarat online. Like any other online casino games, it takes time and a whole lot of practice to be good at playing. On top of that, some games work hand in hand with good luck. So, if you’re on a losing streak, learn to take a deep breath, walk away, and play again when you are in a better headspace! Nothing gets done right when you are in a bad mood. Most importantly, learn to enjoy the process and the game!