Betting on Ties in Baccarat: Is it Worth It?

Baccarat is a game of pure chance. This means the result of every hand is entirely created by the luck of the draw. The simplicity of the game makes it popular all over the world. There are three main betting outcomes in baccarat—banker,player, and tie. The tie bet in baccarat is a bet on the player’s and the banker’s hands sharing the same hand value. While a tie or a draw seldom happens in baccarat, it can happen. And if you time your bet accordingly, you could win 9:1 or 8:1 odds on your wager. Is it worth betting on a tie, though? Is it worth adding to your strategy? Let’s find out. 

What is a Tie Bet in Baccarat?

Baccarat (also known as punto banco) is a card game dealt from a shoe with 6 to 8 decks. The dealer draws two hands for the “banker” and the “player.” Bettors can wager on three main betting outcomes in the game as follows:

• Player. This is a wager on the player’s hand to win the game.
• Banker. This is a wager on the banker’s hand to win the game.
• Tie/Draw. This is a wager on both hands to have the same hand value, ending in a tie or draw.

Essentially, if the banker’s and player’s hands share the same number of points, they are tied. Bettors who wagered on the tie bet will win a payout corresponding to 8:1 or 9:1 of their wager. The tie bet is among the highest-paying bets in baccarat, but there are some important details you need to know before betting on a baccarat tie or draw.

Do Tie Bets Pay Out More?

Another reason why baccarat is such an unrelenting draw is its low house edge, giving players a decent chance of winning over time. This is particularly the case when betting on the banker to win. The banker bet has a 51% chance of winning compared to betting on the player bet, whose odds of winning are 49% when the tie bet is excluded. There’s very little in the way of strategy being involved in baccarat compared to roulette or blackjack.

So, is betting on a tie with its 8:1 or 9:1 odds payout better? On the surface, betting on a tie result can be among the highest-paying bets in baccarat. However it is also way more risky, that’s largely because ties or draws are much less likely to happen than the banker or player winning outright. 

The 8:1 or 9:1 payout on a baccarat tie is strictly better than a lot of casino wagers. The high payouts on landing a draw can add a dose of thrill to a particularly big hand. While most land-based and online casinos will pay out 8:1 or 9:1 on a tie, a bet on the banker or the player pays out a comparatively lower 1:1. 

That said, while tie bets can pay out a higher rate than a wager on the banker or player to win, the odds of a tie bet actually happening during the game are substantially lower than the other two main outcomes. This is why many professionals don’t see landing a tie as worth betting significant—if any—amounts of money on.

Is It Possible to Lose on a Tie Result in Baccarat?

If a game in baccarat results in a tie between the banker and the player, all bets are returned. For instance, if you placed a bet on the banker or player to win, and both hands share the same points value, then it is considered a tie, and your wager is returned to you in full. This result is called a “push.” If you bet on a tie result, and the game ends in a tie, then you win your bet. The high house edge on betting on the tie result (approximately 14%) means casinos wouldn’t be in the business of paying out many bettors when a tie occurs. However, ties can be considered as a standalone bet in some Punto Banco variants. And while tie bets can be paid out at a higher rate than a straight banker or player bet, experienced players very seldom bet on the tie.

However, if you bet on a tie result, and the game ends in the banker or player winning, you lose your wager on the tie bet.

Baccarat Tie Bet: The House Edge

While the payouts baccarat provides players aren’t comparable to winning the lottery, the game itself still gives some of the most rewarding payouts, house edge, and odds compared to other table games. Baccarat odds focus on your chances of winning a particular wager and how often you can expect that payout returned should your bet win.

Meanwhile, the house edge in baccarat refers to the average profit the casino can reasonably generate from each game. It can be referred to as the casino’s commission for offering that game.

The house edge on a banker bet is very low at 1.06%. Meanwhile, on a player bet, the house edge slightly increases to 1.24%. On the other hand, the house edge on a tie bet skyrockets to a substantial 14.36%, introducing a greater risk of losing your bet. The tie bet offers a higher payout than a banker or player bet. 

Removing the tie bet from the equation, the odds between a banker or player winning any given game of baccarat equates to 51% for the banker and 49% for the player. Tie bets represent a higher risk because they rarely happen. Players who often bet on ties are significantly more likely to lose more games and more money than they are likely to win. 

The Lowdown on Baccarat Systems

You will come across baccarat “systems” claiming that using them can help you consistently beat the house like some would in craps or roulette. Other bettors swear by employing the Martingale strategy and the 1-3-2-6 Baccarat system. However, one thing is almost always true: the house wins.

Tips for Baccarat Systems

The house edge remains the same no matter what baccarat system or strategy you wish to employ. As we mentioned earlier, the house edge on a banker and a player bet is a minimal 1.06% and 1.24%, respectively, while the house edge on a tie is a little bit over 14%. Clearly, no system claiming to be a profitable one for baccarat will advise you to bet on a tie as a regular part of your strategy.

Card Counting in Baccarat: Does it Work?

Card counting might be a useful strategy in blackjack. However, card counting in baccarat doesn’t give you any particular edge. Plenty of baccarat systems will often tell you to wait for patterns and bet on streaks. This isn’t a bad strategy to employ as long as you remember that streaks ultimately mean nothing since previous results have no bearing at all on how “likely” a win can be predicted. 

Over the long run, betting on the banker will win more and pay out more often than betting on the player, making it the best bet even in tables where a 5% commission is paid to the house on banker wins. That totally excludes gambling on a tie since it happens too seldom to become a profitable part of your baccarat arsenal. This might not sound like a thrilling or exciting way to bet, but it becomes less of a gamble when you consider baccarat offers some of the best odds. In terms of statistics and probability, tie bets are often NOT worth it.

The Final Word

So, should you bet on the tie in baccarat if you want to get the biggest possible payouts? Statistically speaking, you should place the majority of your bets on the banker because of its lower house edge. However, if you’re gambling purely for entertainment and leisure, there’s nothing wrong with taking a flutter on a tie bet in the hope that you luck out on a game ending in a draw. Other experienced players who play high-stakes baccarat would sometimes bet on a tie on a hand with a big wager in order to offset a potential loss or to enhance the sensation of pinching the cards in the hope of a tie.

Tie bets in baccarat are a complete gamble and shot in the dark, but they can introduce an element of thrill that can pay out big on the off-chance that they hit. If you’re feeling lucky and feel like a draw is coming up any time now, you may want to take a rare bet on a tie and win a substantial payout for your instincts. Tie bets in baccarat should never be seen as anything more than a flutter with a potential big payout and certainly not something a player would bet on as part of their regular baccarat bankroll management strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Baccarat

What are the odds of winning at baccarat?

Remove the tie bet from the equation, and baccarat gives bettors wagering on the banker to win a 51% chance of winning, and those betting on the player to triumph will win approximately 49% of the time. This means that all things being equal, betting on the banker to win will be more profitable than betting on the player to win or a tie to happen.

Is baccarat strickly a game of luck?

There is no skill involved in the game of baccarat as it is a complete and total game of chance. That’s what attracts people to the game. There are no skills involved in baccarat, and the results depend only on the cards a dealer draws for the players’ and the banker's hands. In baccarat, there is nothing players can do to improve their chances of winning besides the luck of the draw.

Does a tie bet in baccarat pay out the highest?

Yes. The odds of winning a wager on a tie result is 8:1 or 9:1. However, the probability of this result happening is a low 14%. Therefore, most bettors who bet on the tie are players with large bankrolls who can afford lower-probability bets in exchange for enhancing the gaming experience.

Is it possible to win when betting on a tie result in baccarat?

While the odds are statistically unfavourable to a tie bettor, it is absolutely possible to win on a tie or draw result in baccarat. 

Is there a baccarat strategy that works?

While there are several betting strategies out there, the truth is that there isn’t any bulletproof strategy to win at baccarat since the result of every baccarat game is determined purely by the luck of the draw. However, there are basic bankroll management tactics that players can implement to minimise their losses. One of these tactics is refraining from wagering money on bets that have a low likelihood of hitting due to high house edges. This includes betting on a tie in baccarat.

Does baccarat hold more risk than other casino games?

As earlier mentioned, baccarat offers one of the lowest house edges in the realm of casino games. The house edge of betting on the Banker, for instance, can be as low as 1.06%. This low house edge makes it an ideal game for beginners and experts alike to play.