Winning at Baccarat Online

Although baccarat play at brick-and-mortar casinos in the West is down, participation among Western gamers at online casinos is up, and industry analysts expect that trend to continue.

The Allure of Baccarat

Baccarat is a fun, fast casino game and relatively simple to learn and master. Individual hands complete quickly, so the game does not require a big investment of time. In addition, the game has a very low house edge: 1.06 percent for bets on the banker’s hand and 1.36 percent for bets on the player’s hand. Bets on tie have a much higher house edge of 14.4 percent, but that is offset by a payout that is nine times the stake.

Playing the Game to Win

Some believe that you can establish trends in a baccarat game, but that is fool’s errand. Previous baccarat hands lend no useful information for upcoming hands. Instead, place your wager on the banker or player hand based on the cards shown. Always make the play that is backed by the mathematics. Stay consistent. You may have runs of bad luck, but if you play within your bankroll, you will never be down very much and be able to keep on playing.

The Meta-Game Online

Do not overlook the opportunities that are available to you online. Online casinos offer welcome bonuses, reload bonuses and loyalty programs that can help to offset the house edge even further and help to offset the commission paid during wins. Keep in mind that online casinos will often limit bonuses from baccarat due to the low house edge. Nevertheless, any bonus is bankroll in your pocket, and even if you receive only free slot spins, that is a positive edge in your favor and will help you to win or at least break even over the long term.