Baccarat Strategy – How to Reduce the House Edge in Baccarat

If you’ve ever visited a casino (whether it be a sticky-floor California card room or the tuxedo-laden casinos of Monaco), chances are you’ve seen baccarat tables. This glamorous card game is one of the most popular games in Europe, and thanks to a recent boom in online gambling, it’s more accessible than ever to Americans. Baccarat is played with large chips and a special table that’s separated from the rest of the gambling floor. Baccarat has a reputation for being an intimidating game to play, but the truth is it’s actually fairly simple and requires no skill.

The game starts with three to six standard 52-card decks that are shuffled and placed into a dealing machine called a shoe. The cards are then dealt out and the player wagers on either the banker or player hand. Regardless of the side you bet on, the goal is to get your hand closest to nine. If neither the player nor banker has a total of eight or nine in the first two cards, a third card is drawn. If either the player or banker has a total of 6 or 7, they stand.

Whether you’re playing baccarat at a casino or at an online gambling site, it’s important to know the rules of the game. Aside from the fact that a win is a win and a loss is a loss, there are specific rules regarding the drawing of a third card and when both the player and banker hands should stand or draw. These decisions are covered by the game’s rules and actioned by the croupier, so it is not a matter of strategy to follow these rules – although you should do so to avoid confusion and make the best decision for your hand.

While baccarat is one of the safest and most profitable casino games to bet on, certain bets come with a higher house edge than others. To avoid losing money on this game, it’s best to stick with a winning streak and stop when your profit reaches a pre-determined amount. This is known as a ‘win limit’ and should be set before you start playing.

Another way to reduce the house edge is to practice good stake management. It’s recommended to use a unit size for each wager and limit your overall outlay to 200 units per session (followed by a break). This schedule will help you manage your profits while keeping your losses in check.