A Baccarat Strategy Can Shift the Odds in Your Favor

Baccarat has a reputation as a high-class casino game reserved for wealthy patrons. But a little research shows that the game offers some of the best odds in the house, second only to blackjack. And a simple strategy shifts the odds even more in favor of players.

Baccarat is a card game that takes place in one of the casino’s special high-roller enclaves, often behind velvet ropes or in private rooms. The game has a Zen-like minimalism: You bet on either the player or banker, and the side that gets closest to nine wins. Picture cards and tens count as zero, while aces are worth one.

There are from seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer’s area, depending on the version of the game. The dealer deals two hands of cards, the “Player” hand and the “Banker” hand. The player’s hand must always be closer to nine than the banker’s, and the game is won by whichever hand gets that close. The other possibility is a tie, in which case neither side wins.

Once all bets are placed, the dealer reveals a single card for the Player box and another for the Banker box. If the cards total more than nine, the first digit is dropped. For example, a seven and a six results in 15, so the total is 15 – subtract 10 and you get 10.

The banker wins the most money, but the house edge on this bet is relatively high at 14.6 percent. That’s why the game attracts hordes of high-rollers, including Kerry Packer, who lost $20 million during a single stay at Caesars Palace in 2000. The casino still made a profit from his mega-wagers, but it’s an indication of how much the game can take from players with no strategy.

A savvy gambler who has studied the game for years is able to adjust their bet size accordingly. They can also use past history to help them adjust their expectations for the next hand, but this is not foolproof and should only be used as a guide.

It is important for a player to set limits on how much they are willing to lose at the table. Then, when they reach their loss limit, they should leave the table and not return until they have enough money to comfortably recover from their losses. This approach will help players avoid falling into the trap of becoming addicted to gambling. It’s easy for the player to become absorbed in the drama and the thrill of the winning streak, but when that happens, the game is no longer fun. In the end, a player’s ability to keep their emotions in check is what makes for a winning game of baccarat. Ultimately, the guy who wanders into the game with no idea what he’s doing is typically the one who has the most fun, and usually wins the most money. Then again, that’s what casinos want.