In this guide below we are going to take a look at the most popular strategies which can be applied to the game of baccarat. Even though there is not a great deal of skill required in baccarat it does not mean that, as a player, you have no control at all. Using a favortie strategy could help improve your returns, and they also add an extra element of excitement to your games.
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Why Bother Using a Baccarat Strategy?
Fundamentally, a betting strategy is a plan to achieve a goal. In gambling the word strategy and system are frequently interchanged, although a betting system is more a set of rules that you would follow that dictate just how much you should bet and in some cases, which bet you should place.
But do they work? The simple answer would be that no strategy or system used when playing baccarat can guarantee a win, after all if there were one that was foolproof, we would witness the demise of all land-based and online casinos pretty quickly.
Nevertheless, this fact does not mean that you can do nothing to increase your chances of a win.
Know Your Game
On the most basic of levels, it is vital that you are aware of the rules before you play any betting game. Beyond learning the rules and being familiar with the game, there is then a role for betting strategies, which hopefully will help your bankroll stay fat, which will let you play for longer, giving you more hours to achieve that winning streak.
Even if there is no magic formula to win at baccarat, learning the rules then trying the strategies all add to the fun and excitement of this top-rated game, made famous by the Bond movies, remaining synonymous with them today.
Comparing Baccarat Betting Strategies
Within Baccarat, there are three betting systems that can be used. The first we are going to look at is the Negative Progression System that is based on the concept that if you increase your bet when you lose and decrease it when you win you will come out on top by recouping all of your previous losses and of course hopefully make a profit too. However, be aware that if you hit a long losing streak, your bets can quickly become very big, meaning you will need a big bankroll to cover them.
The Martingale Betting Strategy
The Martingale is one of the negative progression systems widely used in the game of baccarat. Using this strategy, you will need to keep your bet the same after a win, double your bet after a loss, and return to your original bet after you win. Below shows the method of this strategy.
- Bet 2 and win – bet 2 again
- If you then lost – bet 4
- If you lost again – bet 8
- If you then won the next round – return to your original bet of 2
The D’Alembert Betting Strategy
This is another negative progression system, but instead of doubling up your bet after a loss you increase your bet by one unit after a loss.
- Bet 2 and win – your bet stays the same
- If you lose – bet 4
- If you lose – bet 6
- If you then win – return to your initial bet of 2
The Fibonacci Betting Strategy
The Fibonacci is also a negative progression betting system that is based on the famous sequence of numbers that appear throughout the natural world. Here each number is the sum of the previous two with the first ten numbers of the Fibonacci sequence being – 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 and 55.
- Start with a one unit bet – say 2
- If you lose move to the next number in the sequence which would be one unit again – bet 2
- If you lose again move to the next number in this case two units – bet 4
- Move through increasing your bets in line with the numbers until you have a win
- When you have a win, move back two numbers in the sequence.
Positive Progression Betting Strategies
A positive progression system of betting is opposite to the negative we have looked at. These strategies require you to increase your bet when you win and decrease it when you lose. Easy to learn and to follow, they can be used when playing most casino games on and offline. The whole idea of a positive progression betting strategy is that they can help you make the most of any winning streak whilst hopefully keeping your losses to a minimum if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself on a losing streak.
The Parlay Betting Strategy
A fairly simple positive progression betting system that is easy to use on all of your favorite games.
- First choose your bet – say 2
- If you win double your bet – 4
- Win again double your bet – 8
- If you keep on winning, keep on doubling your bet unless you are getting close to the maximum win amount, In this instance bank your winnings.
- Once you begin to lose return to your original bet amount – 2
The 1-3-2-4 Betting Strategy
This type of betting system takes its name from the order in which bets are placed during your game of baccarat. You need to follow the sequence and only ever move to the next number after a winning hand.
- If your betting unit is two and you lose – bet 2 (the same)
- If you bet two and win then move along the numbers – bet 6
- Follow this system until you lose a hand and go back to the start
Flat Betting Explained
The expression ‘Flat Betting’ is used when the player bets the same amount on every hand – there is no consistent change of numbers or bets, which is a big contrast to other strategies but it is a great way of controlling how much is spent, ensuring that the player stays well within budget.
Baccarat Betting Cheats
All the above betting strategies are accepted and can be used freely. However, some techniques are considered cheating – sometimes as a definite cheat whilst others lie within a ‘grey’ area.
One massive court case involved Phil Ivey, where there is even a movie, ‘The Baccarat Queen’ being produced about it. The massively controversial technique used by Phil Ivey is called edge sorting which involves the player identifying imperfection on the back of playing cards in order to gain an advantage.
When Phil Ivey used this technique to his games at London’s Crockfords Casino he won more than $10 million. He also employed the same technique at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City where he won in the region of $9.6 million. Each of the casinos took Mr Ivey to court and after long battles both casinos won their cases.
Other Baccarat Betting Cheats
- The False Shuffle must have the player and the dealer working together. In this cheat the dealer falsely shuffles the shoe and the player he is in league with can then identify the unshuffled cards then increase his bets at the appropriate times in the game.
- Card Counting requires the player to keep an accurate track of the shoe so that they know when it is in their favour. Keeping track of the ratio of high to low value will help the player know whether to bet on their own hand or the Bankers. Technically this technique is not illegal but it is frowned upon by casinos who usually remove any player caught counting cards.
- Card Marking is where a player marks specific cards usually by bending them slightly or sometimes with a substance they have on their hands – this is to make certain cards easily identifiable to only them.
- Past Posting is a term given to a player who uses sleight of hand by adding chips to a bet after winning. This cheat works best when the player and dealer are working together.
A Summary of Baccarat Betting Strategies
Although it is known that there is no such thing as a sure win baccarat formula using them can certainly reduce the house edge to make your games go slightly more in your favour, but there is no-one who should claim that they can remove the house edge entirely – that simply is not possible.
Strategies do add another element to your games of baccarat – that of excitement and fun as well as maybe edging you towards a win, so they are well worth trying at least once during your gaming time.
