Baccarat Strategy and Betting Systems for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

You’d expect to find some games in every casino: roulette, blackjack, slots and, of course, baccarat. An iconic card game, baccarat has extra appeal due to its appearance in multiple James Bond films. 

In this guide, we’ll explore ways to approach baccarat gameplay and better understand strategies for managing your bets.

Baccarat: A Brief Overview

But before diving into the details, let’s start with a brief overview of the game. Baccarat is played with cards, and similar to blackjack, the player’s hand competes with the banker (occasionally referred to as the dealer instead). 

The aim of the game is to get a score that’s as close to 9 as possible without going over. The player’s hand and the banker’s hand both have two cards which are added together. If the score is in two figures, the first digit is dropped, e.g.,16 would become 6.

Before any cards are drawn, players bet on whether they think the player or the banker’s hand will win. There is also the ability to bet on a tie. 

There are some circumstances when an additional card may be dealt. You can read more about how to play baccarat in our in-depth baccarat game guide. 

Now that you know the basics of baccarat, it’s time to take a closer look at the strategies and systems you can use to play. 

Banker vs Player Bets - What You Need to Know

Unlike some online casino games, such as poker, there’s nothing you can do to influence the result of the hand that’s played. Baccarat is a simple game at its core, and players can’t change the value of their hands with strategy or systems. 

The only decision that needs to be made, and the only place where the Baccarat strategy comes into play, is how to bet and how much to bet. We’re going to examine the available choices in the following sections, starting with the type of bet to place. 

The baccarat betting slip will allow players to bet on either the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie. You can choose to sit out any round or place a bet; if you choose to place a bet, you can opt for any of the three possible wagers.

• A tie between a Banker and a Player
• Banker wins
• Player wins

Let’s start with the tie - this is an extremely tricky bet to win. It has the highest house edge of 14.36%, which compares poorly with other bets in Baccarat and other casino games. The payout odds are good at 8:1, but with the high house edge and lower statistical probability of a win, it’s difficult to succeed with this bet. 

Setting aside any more complex betting options just leaves a choice of betting on the banker or the player. Statistically, the chances of success are very similar, but the banker has a slight advantage. 

The house edge is also lower for the banker’s hand, just 1.06% compared to 1.24% for the player’s hand. 

Due to all of the above, the payout for the player’s hand is marginally higher than a winning banker’s hand. Betting on the player pays out at 1:1, while the banker’s hand will net you 95% of your stake. 

There’s very little to choose between the player and the banker’s hand. Many players choose to bet on the banker due to its slightly lower house edge, but this does not eliminate the inherent risks of the game. 

Basic Baccarat Strategies

Although baccarat relies heavily on luck, players can manage their betting approaches to have a more structured gameplay experience. You can’t influence the outcome of the cards, but you can control how you bet and how you manage your bankroll. 

The most successful players aren’t those who enjoy the best luck; they’re the ones who take a seat at the table with clear strategies. This should cover every element of your gameplay, such as:

• Set your total playing budget and bet size.
• Limit the length of your session.
• Set a max win target, and do not chase more winnings when reaching it.
• Decide how much you can afford to lose.
• Choosing baccarat games with fewer decks may slightly reduce variance, but outcomes remain random and unpredictable.
• Choose whether to bet on the player, banker, or both - intuition rarely gives the optimum outcome, so think about how you will play in advance,

One way to choose whether to bet on the banker or player is to use one of the established baccarat strategies. These are:

• One-Sided: pick either the banker or the player and only bet one party’s hands.
• Zig-Zag betting: alternate between the player and the banker on each bet, starting by betting on the opposite of the last result.
• Streaky Betting: keep betting on one hand while they are winning, and switch to the other hand when the streak is broken.

Having a strategy is only part of the best way to play baccarat. Betting systems can help structure gameplay, but always remember they do not alter the randomness of outcomes or ensure profitability.

How to Use Betting Systems in Baccarat

Betting systems are more specific and rules-based, and while no system can guarantee a win, they can be very helpful in structuring your play. For beginners who are unfamiliar with balancing gameplay and budgets, having a defined betting system can be very valuable.

It’s worth mentioning, however, that betting systems are not exclusively for use by newbies. Even the most experienced players use them in all types of casino games, such as roulette and blackjack, in addition to baccarat. 

Below, we’ve set out some of the most common systems used in baccarat and how they can be used even by beginners. 

Martingale

The Martingale system is used in many different types of casino games and is based on a progressive betting model. It also has uses outside betting, such as in trading or with long-term investments. 

The system was originally created by a French mathematician, Paul Pierre Levy, but it was popularised by John Martingale, a casino owner, which is where the name comes from. 

The Martingale system is based on a mathematical concept known as Mean Revision, which means that the long-term outcomes will be close to the average or the mean. In baccarat, the assumption is that outcomes tend to average out over time, but this does not guarantee individual wins or profits.

Therefore, using the Martingale system, you progressively increase your bet, doubling it every time there’s a loss. When you win, you return to your original bet and start again. 

While this approach aims to recover losses with an eventual win, it carries the significant risk of exhausting your bankroll before achieving success. This assumption can be reassuring, but it can also be daunting to see your stake increasing, especially if you’re on a losing streak. 

Of course, the risk is that your budget will run out before the win hits, leaving you with losses. This is why bankroll management is essential, but even with tight discipline, there’s no cast-iron guarantee that you’ll end up in profit.

Labouchere

The Labouchere system is another progressive betting system created (and named) after a roulette player, but works well for baccarat, too. 

It’s a little more complex than Martingale and requires concentration for players to complete it successfully. Similar to Martingale, the theory suggests that losses can be recouped by the size of the win. However, unlike Martingale, you’ll need more than one win to wipe out a run of losses. 

Before starting, you’ll need to decide on a run of numbers. You’ll do this by determining how much you want to aim to win and dividing this into a sequence of numbers. For example, if you wanted to win €40, you might opt for a sequence of 6-7-8-9-10.

With Labouchere, you bet a stake which is equal to the first and last numbers in the sequence. In our example, this would be 6+10, giving an initial stake of €16. If you win this bet, you cross these numbers off, leaving you with 7-8-9. You then bet again with the new first and last numbers 7+9 = €16.

If you lose a Labouchere bet, you place the value of the losing stake at the end of your number sequence. Your next bet will be the value of the first and last number in the sequence again. So, in our example, the bet was €16; if this bet was lost, the new sequence would be 6-7-8-9-10-16. The new bet would be the first and last number: 6 +16 = €22. 

This sequence of betting continues until you use up all the numbers in your sequence. At this point, the system aims to offset losses, though outcomes depend heavily on winning streaks and budget management. 

You can divide your goal winnings into a longer sequence of smaller numbers if you prefer, but this can make it harder to achieve due to the increased variance. 

The disadvantage of Labouchere is that the value of the bet can rise quickly, and you might either wipe out your budget or exceed the table betting limit. Keeping track of the number sequence can also be challenging if you hit a long losing streak!

D’Alembert

If you like the theory behind the Martingale system but are concerned about the value of the bet spiralling too high, D’Alembert might be a preferable alternative. It is a progressive betting system that has similarities with Martingale, but the increases are smaller and less aggressive. 

You start by deciding on the size of a unit. This will be determined by your overall budget. It doesn’t matter if your unit size is €1, €10, or €100; the principle of the D’Alembert system is the same. 

You begin by betting a single unit. Every time you lose, you increase the bet value by one unit. Every time you win, you decrease the bet value by one unit. The increases are gentler than with the Martingale system, which can make it more appealing for baccarat beginners. 

As with all betting systems, there is no guarantee that D’Alermbert will leave you in profit, but compared with flat betting, the results are more favourable. 

It can take longer to recoup losses using this system as the wins tend to be smaller. However, slow and steady sometimes wins the race, and many players have enjoyed some success using this system. 

1-3-2-6

Unlike many other systems mentioned here, 1-3-2-6 was explicitly designed for baccarat. It’s a simple system that requires you to follow the same format of bets for the whole of your gameplay. 

Similar to D’Alembert, you’ll need to decide on the value of a unit before you start. Once again, it doesn’t matter if the value of the unit is small or large, provided the top bet of 6x your unit value remains within the table limits. 

You begin by placing a bet equal to one unit. The next bet is equal to three units, then two units, and finally six units. On the fifth bet, you revert to one unit and cycle through the sequence again. 

You only move through the sequence when your bet loses; if it wins, you instantly start again from one unit. 

This betting system works very well for any type of gambling involving even bets, so it can also be used for roulette effectively, too. The only problem with baccarat is that betting on the banker gives a 95% payout, not 1:1, and the system doesn’t factor that in. For that reason, players might find it better to bet on the player’s hand with this system. 

Integrating Betting Systems With Baccarat Strategy

While betting systems and strategies can help organize your approach, they cannot overcome the house edge inherent in baccarat. Understanding exactly how you’re going to play and how much you will bet takes any impulsiveness out of your betting, which is a much safer way to play.

For example, if you’ve set your budget and unit price in advance, using the D’Alembert system will be easy. You can opt for a One-Sided strategy while adjusting your stake up and down to match the mechanics of the betting system. 

A good strategy and clear betting system will mean you always know exactly what bet to play. Some players choose to look for patterns in outcomes, but baccarat results are random, and such patterns are not predictive.

The Importance of Bankroll Management

Bankroll management is crucial for all casino games, but it’s particularly important for fast games like baccarat. With simple rules and quick gameplay, you can play multiple hands every hour, which can rapidly lead to heavy losses.

Bankroll management means that you decide on the size of your budget before you start playing and how much you want to bet on each hand. If you’ve got a betting system in place, the value of this bet may increase, so you’ll need to factor this in when calculating your starting bet. 

Betting too high at the start means that you could invalidate your betting system by exceeding the table limit before you hit a win, or you could wipe out your whole bankroll. Experienced players typically recommend betting no more than 2% on your first bet, regardless of the playing system you use. 

It’s also a good idea to decide how much you want to win, and when you reach that amount, walk away. It’s very tempting to chase losses or try to recoup wins you previously had. 

One strategy is to keep a tally of what you’ve bet that’s separate from any winnings. When you have spent your initial betting budget, it’s time to stop playing, even if you’ve got healthy winnings. This is often known as the “two-pocket strategy” of bankroll management; your bankroll goes into one pocket, and your winnings go into the other. You can only bet from your bankroll pocket; when it’s empty, you can’t place any more bets. 

This two-pocket system can ensure that big wins or big losses don’t unduly influence your overall bankroll management. It also gives you a better chance of finishing the session with some winnings still in your pocket!

Conclusion

The great thing about baccarat is that it’s a simple game, and there’s no right or wrong way to play. There are many betting systems with their roots in mathematical theory. Not all of these will suit every player, so it’s a good idea to experiment to see which one you feel the most comfortable with. Using demo games to try out the systems is an excellent idea for beginners; these can be found at many online casinos. 

Dovetailing strategy into a betting system will give you a great playing experience, and don’t forget that you can try out different strategies in the same way as betting systems. All of this will give you a unique experience at the baccarat table and allow you to enjoy the gameplay to its fullest. 

Disclaimer: The strategies and systems discussed here are for informational purposes only and do not guarantee winnings. Gambling involves risk, and players should only wager what they can afford to lose.

FAQs

What hand wins the most frequently in baccarat?

Statistically, the banker’s hand has a slightly higher chance of winning, so this is often considered the safest bet to place. 

Can you use patterns for your baccarat strategy?

As baccarat relies on random cards being dealt, there is no way to reliably use patterns to determine future results. Some players opt to use patterns in their strategies, but it doesn’t offer any guarantee of a win.

Are any betting systems available for baccarat?

Yes. There are many betting systems that are compatible with baccarat, such as Martingale, Labouchere, D’Alembert, and 1-3-2-6.