When it comes to simplicity in online casino games, baccarat can contend with any other game. The simple nature of the game gives it broad appeal and as a result, many players have endeavored to compose winning strategies.
Amid all those efforts, the odds of winning at baccarat remain unchanged and the intrigue builds. When it comes to games of chance like baccarat, there is no secret solution.
Despite the fact that you can’t crack the game like a safe, there are still some strategies and tips that are well-tested and can enhance your enjoyment of your baccarat play. BetMGM is the best place to learn these secrets.
What is Baccarat?
Baccarat is one of the most common card games you’ll find at any physical or within online casino apps. While there is debate over exactly where the game originated, it was a popular game in Europe as far back as the 19th century.
The game play is quite simple. The cards represent a scoring system, with the numbered cards through nine representing their face value and all other cards having no point value.
In the game, your objective is to bet on which hand has the higher value between the dealer and the player. You can also bet on a tie.
Several variants of the game have sprung up over time but the basic point system and bet types have endured.
Why is Baccarat So Popular?
In addition to baccarat being easy to play and commonly available in casinos, baccarat is popular because there have been many depictions of the game in pop culture. A stellar example of this is baccarat in the “James Bond” film franchise.
All the different bet options and the potentially lucrative payouts don’t hurt, either. The classic game of baccarat hasn’t always been the same, though.
What Is The History of Baccarat?
There is some debate about the earliest origins of baccarat in the 21st century. However, most sources agree that the first incarnation of the modern game was first played in Italy in the 16th century.
The game spread across Europe in the subsequent centuries, then onward as Europeans explored Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The formalization of commercial gambling facilities, including baccarat tables, has been largely responsible for preserving the game since then.
How To Play Baccarat
Baccarat is quite simple in its game mechanics. There is a banker and a player, both of whom get dealt playing cards.
Your objective is to predict whether the banker will have the higher value hand, the player will, or there will be a tie. That’s really all there is to it, on the most basic level.
Of course, to be a better baccarat player, you need to learn how the scoring system works, the probabilities of each possible outcome, and all the baccarat side bets you can make during the game. The best teacher in this regard is experience.
Live Casino Baccarat
If you have played baccarat in a brick-and-mortar casino, you might think that the only way you can replicate the experience is to visit such a facility again. To a large extent, however, that is not the case.
BetMGM offers experiences like First Person Baccarat, which gives you many of the same elements of physically being at a baccarat table from anywhere you want to play. Not only is there a live dealer but the cards and all other game elements are real as well.
The rules of the game are almost identical to what you will find in most land-based casinos as well, completing the realism. BetMGM is the best online casino for baccarat because of the attention it has paid to enhancing the experience.
Baccarat Bankroll Management
As far as managing your bankroll in baccarat goes, most of the concept is identical to managing your bankroll in any other form of gambling. It comes down to setting a budget, deciding how many hands you want to play, and how much risk you are comfortable with.
Baccarat bankroll management is important to allowing you to play for longer periods of time or to take bigger risks. It will keep you from chasing losses or burning through your budget in just a few hands while also giving you the chance at big wins.
The trick is to budget some bigger wagers into your play, mixing that up with less risky bets. Side bets are a great way to diversify your plays.
What is the Baccarat Dragon Bonus?
A dragon is one of the most well-known side bets in baccarat. With this wager, you are betting on the difference between the losing and winning hands after all cards have been drawn.
To win the dragon bonus in baccarat, you need to pick either the banker or the player. If the side you selected gets a natural win or an unnatural win by more than four points, you win.
Your payout depends on how large the difference between the hands is. The bigger the difference, the better your win.
How Do You Win Perfect Pair In Baccarat
In baccarat, another popular side bet is the Perfect Pair. This is a popular side bet because it sidesteps the entire matter of the totals of the hands in the game.
Rather, you are wagering that each of the first two cards that either the banker or the player is dealt will be exactly the same. The cards must be of the same rank and suit.
For example, two jacks of spades or two threes of hearts will do the trick. Again, the bet only pays out if the first two cards dealt to either side match.
How Does Online Baccarat Work?
If you want to play baccarat online, BetMGM is ready to accommodate your wishes. You’ll find exciting baccarat games on the app with gameplay essentially identical to what you’d discover at a physical casino.
Getting started is easy, as you only need to register for BetMGM then search for baccarat games in the app. Playing online is a fantastic way to learn about the game and perfect your strategy.
Just like at a land-based casino, you bet on the outcome of the deal. Many of BetMGM’s baccarat games also afford you the option to place various side bets.
Baccarat Side Bets
While baccarat’s simplicity makes it appealing, that also bears the potential for the game to become monotonous. One way that BetMGM addresses that is by allowing different side bets during the game.
Aside from the Dragon and Perfect Pair, there is also the Panda 8. With that wager, you are betting on the player to win with a three-card hand that totals eight.
Building on the Dragon, there is the Dragon 7 wager, which is like the opposite of the Panda 8. To win, you need the banker to win with a three-card hand that adds up to seven.
Different baccarat variants will give you specific side bet options. The best thing to do is check the rules of the specific game title before beginning to play.
New players on BetMGM will always be able to use their amazing casino welcome bonus to fund their baccarat play. That can help limit the damage to your bankroll as you explore all the options.
Online Baccarat Strategy
While some players may say that counting cards can give them a slight edge in baccarat, there isn’t much hard evidence to support that. Additionally, playing online eliminates much of that advantage even if it is real.
Your best strategy in playing baccarat online is to manage your bankroll wisely and budget opportunities to put down riskier bets amid your safer plays. That way, you give yourself the best chance of capitalizing on some good luck.
How Much Does A Pair Pay In Baccarat?
In a standard game of baccarat, a successful bet on a pair pays out 11 to 1. That means if you wagered $10 on this side bet and won, you’d collect $110.
While that sounds great, it’s important to remember that a rule of thumb with gambling is that the better the payout, the longer the odds of that outcome. To win this bet, you need the first two cards that either the banker or the dealer are dealt to represent a pair.
Traditionally, the pair bet hits whether it’s a pair in terms of rank or suit. For example, two threes regardless of suit or two clubs regardless of rank would qualify as a pair.
The important thing to remember is that the pair must happen within the first two cards dealt to either side of the game. A pair bet is a great example of ways that you can mix up your wagers and keep things interesting.
Is There A Strategy To Baccarat?
When deciding how you want to bet on baccarat, the question really isn’t whether there is a strategy involved in the game itself as much as your wagering choices. That’s because the game itself is one of random outcomes that you can’t influence.
When you bet, how much you bet, and what bets you place are the real strategy of the game. If you come out ahead, it will be because you took a risk at the right time.
That’s why as you plan your budget, it’s a good move to give yourself some room in your plan to put down some bigger bets. Just be sure to offset that with some less risky wagers so you stay within the confines of your overall budget.
Is Baccarat Or Blackjack More Profitable?
Making a profit in both baccarat and blackjack really come down to the luck of the draw. You can make an expertly crafted betting strategy in both games and if the cards don’t fall in your favor, still fall short in terms of coming away with more money than you started with.
With that being said, baccarat can be more lucrative if you get lucky than blackjack. One way to look at the comparison is the probability of a tie in baccarat versus hitting 21 in blackjack.
In traditional games, a tie occurs in baccarat on about 9.6% of hands. In standard blackjack games, a 21 is dealt around 4.8% of the time.
That’s important because in regular baccarat games, a tie has a much better payout than betting on either the banker or the player. Usually, a tie pays out 8 to 1 or 9 to 1, while betting on the banker or player pays out 1 to 1.
So, placing a riskier bet in baccarat turns into a win about twice as much as the ideal hand occurs in blackjack. These numbers suggest that over time, you’re probably better off playing baccarat than blackjack.
On any single hand, though, it’s more a matter of what game you enjoy more. Personal preferences carry weight in comparing baccarat to other games, too.
Baccarat vs Craps
You’re browsing through BetMGM’s huge menu of online casino games and you don’t have a lot of time. You want to get into a game quickly but you can’t decide whether you should play baccarat or craps.
Just as you really can’t go wrong with either for enjoyment, it’s pretty much a push between these games as to your immediate and long-term prospects. The house edge in these games, with the exception of the tie in baccarat, is almost the same.
The bigger differences in these games come down to energy and pace. Craps tends to be a more social and fast-paced game while baccarat generally is comparatively relaxed and methodical.
The great thing about playing at BetMGM is that you don’t have to commit to either on a long-term basis. You can play either at any time and switch it up as much as you like.
Roulette vs Baccarat
If you get ready to expand beyond baccarat, another popular casino game is roulette. Probably the most obvious difference is the game mechanics; you’re betting on the result of the spin of a wheel in roulette versus card hands in baccarat.
However, there are other differences you should note. The house edge in roulette can be significantly higher because there are many more bet options compared to baccarat.
That’s not to say that you can’t make a profit playing roulette, but you’ll need to get lucky more often than you would playing baccarat over time. At the same time, if you’re looking for a challenge and the option to diversify your plays to a greater extent, roulette is worth a spin.
BetMGM has baccarat variants that can mimic some of the elements of other casino games, like Speed Baccarat. After a few hands, you’ll discover why many players love the game.
