In baccarat, there are three standard betting options: the banker, the player, or a tie. All versions of the game, including creative online baccarat titles, stem from that basic premise. For this reason, it’s vital to understand the role of the banker in the game and how that role affects your wagers.
Some versions introduce some unique baccarat banker stipulations, and those rule tweaks can alter the odds. BetMGM Casino is a great place to familiarize yourself with these changes.
Banker Bet in Baccarat
While there are many interesting baccarat side bets, it’s best to stick with the basics when it comes to the baccarat house edge. In traditional games of baccarat, the banker bet has the lowest house edge at just 1.06%.
The banker has an advantage in baccarat because the rules around the banker’s potential drawing a third card are less rigid. Some baccarat variants do alter those rules somewhat, so it’s always best to check on any such rule tweaks before you start playing.
Verifying the rules is the simplest of all baccarat strategies to master the game. Similarly, the banker has one of the simplest roles in baccarat.
The Role of The Banker
People who take on the task of learning how to play baccarat often confuse the banker with the caller and/or dealer in the game. It’s important to distinguish these roles.
There are some versions of baccarat in which the banker is a casino employee, like traditional Punto Banco. Even in such games, though, the banker isn’t dealing cards to themselves or announcing results.
In other versions like Chemin de Fer, bettors can take turns acting as the banker for each coup. The banker’s role in all of these variants is simply as the player’s opponent and the competitor that bettors are either betting on or against (excluding tie bets).
The banker may make decisions on whether to take a third card in some variations of baccarat, while others dictate when that must happen and eliminate choice. Baccarat odds show exactly why the banker bet is the safest bet in baccarat.
Why Does the Banker Have an Advantage in Baccarat?
These rules are quite simple and highlight that baccarat is more a game of luck than skill. This makes winning at baccarat is as challenging and simple as correctly predicting whether the banker will have a higher hand than the player, vice versa, or if there will be a tie. Statistically speaking, the most likely outcome is that the banker will have the better hand.
In standard baccarat games, whether the banker takes a third card depends on the total of the cards in the player’s hand. For example, if the banker’s hand is a total of six, and the player’s third card is a six or seven, they draw a third card. Because of this, the banker is more likely to hit an ideal total of eight or nine.
Which card comes up in those instances is completely random. A good baccarat betting strategy accounts for that element of chance.
Should You Always Bet Banker?
In terms of becoming a better baccarat player, one way is to avoid the most common mistakes players make in baccarat. Being religiously dedicated to the banker bet is among those errors.
While it’s the most likely to hit, bettors pay for that security in terms of potential return. With traditional rules, bettors pay a 5% commission to the casino on winning banker bets.
That means over time, even if all your banker bets hit, you’ll fail to realize a profit by placing the banker bet every time. Mixing in some riskier wagers, perhaps even baccarat side bets like the Dragon Bonus bet, is essential to walking away with more than you started playing with.
Banker vs. Player: Odds
Baccarat odds and payouts range from mild to wild. The gap between the banker and the player wagers in many baccarat variants can be small.
Standard rules put the house edge for player bets at 1.24%, just slightly higher than the banker bet’s 1.06%. The traditional probability for the player bet hitting is 44.62%, close to the banker bet’s 45.85%.
Tie bets represent the other 9.53% of coups and carry a 14.36% house edge. The reward escalates with the risk, though, as players enjoy an 8:1 payout on winning tie bets at most casinos.
You can find games that stick to these norms and some creative twists on baccarat at BetMGM, which is one reason why BetMGM is the best online casino for baccarat fans. Baccarat lovers also highly value BetMGM’s frequent valuable promotions and stellar player bonuses.
Those bonuses are yours to enjoy as soon as you register for BetMGM. You can’t bank on the banker bet hitting every time, but you can take BetMGM’s commitment to player satisfaction to the bank.
