Baccarat strategy
You cannot change the cards, so a baccarat strategy comes down to three choices: which bet, how much, and when to stop.
What you can and cannot control
- Cannot control: the cards, the drawing rules, who wins the hand.
- Can control: which bet you place.
- Can control: how much you bet each hand.
- Can control: your budget and when you stop.
Decide your budget and your stop point before the first hand is dealt.
The drawing rules are fixed. See baccarat rules.
Pick the cheapest bet: Banker
| Bet | Pays | Wins | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 0.95 to 1 (5% commission) | 45.86% | 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 | 44.62% | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8 to 1 | 9.52% | 14.36% |
| Player or banker pair | 11 to 1 | 7.47% | 10.36% |
8 decks, exact count of every possible deal. Ties push Banker and Player bets.
- Banker: house edge 1.06%, even after the 5% commission.
- Player: house edge 1.24%.
- Tie: house edge 14.36% – about 14 times more than Banker.
Example: for every hundred dollars bet, Banker costs $1.06 on average, Tie costs $14.36. Most side bets cost even more, so skip them. Full numbers: baccarat odds.
Scoreboard patterns do not predict the next hand
Bead plate
Big road
Example: Banker won five hands in a row. The next hand, Banker still wins about 45.86% of the time and Player about 44.62% – the same as always.
The roads only record past hands. No "secret pattern" changes the cards. Read more: baccarat scoreboards and the gambler's fallacy.
Betting systems do not change the house edge
Example: with the Martingale you double after each loss. Start at one chip, lose ten hands in a row, and your next bet is 1024 chips.
Systems only change how wins and losses are spread out. Each hand still has the same edge, so the expected loss stays the same.
Run any system in the system tester and compare the average result with the house edge.
Bet size and limits
Bet the same small amount each hand so your budget lasts longer.
- Set a budget you are fine losing.
- Set a time limit and a loss limit.
- Stop when you reach either one – do not chase losses.
Can you beat the game? See can you beat baccarat.
Questions
Is there a strategy to baccarat?
Only in your choices: pick the Banker bet (house edge 1.06%), avoid Tie and side bets, and set limits. No strategy changes the cards or removes the house edge.
What is the best baccarat strategy?
Bet Banker, keep bets the same small size, and stop at a set budget or time limit. This keeps costs lowest, but the house edge still wins over time.
Does the secret baccarat pattern strategy work?
No. Each hand is dealt from the shoe with no memory of earlier results, so patterns on the scoreboard do not predict the next hand.
Why should I avoid the Tie bet?
The Tie bet has a house edge of 14.36%, about 14 times more than Banker. It pays a lot when it hits but costs much more on average.
Is Player a bad bet?
Player has a house edge of 1.24%, only a little higher than Banker at 1.06%. Both are far cheaper than Tie or side bets.