With the rising popularity in online casinos, there is now an increase in interest in table games that were not traditionally big online games. One such game is baccarat. Typically seen as a more luck and less skill based version of blackjack, baccarat can be intimidating for new players – especially if in person. Online can be the right way to try out a new game in a low pressure way. If you’re thinking about getting into the game, be sure to know these aspects of baccarat strategy.
Come check out these helpful hints and remember to always bet responsibly.
Playing Online Baccarat? Remember These 3 Things
Understand the Drawing Rules
There are alot of different variations of baccarat that are played in person and online. The most popular is punto blanco, which is a version in which both hands are played out by specific rules with no choice whatsoever. Both the Player and the Banker hand follow a set of rules until the winner of the coup is announced. While punto blanco generally follows the same drawing rules, the diversity of versions online can make the rules vary. When playing any version, a drawing table is typically available for your reference.
Knowing these rules is vital to making the most of your game. This is because the edge can play one way or the other based on the drawing rules. Which brings us to our second major point…
Stick with Banker Bets… Mostly
The house often scares gamblers away from the Banker side bets using a commission. That commission is typically set at 5% or not far away from there. Looking at any gambling situation and knowing that 5% is a loss no matter what makes it seem like the worse side of the bet. In turn, the Player side looks much more attractive.
This is done on purpose because the Banker side actually has much better odds in most versions. The house edge for the Banker side typically sits around 1.06% after paying the commission. On the other hand, the Player side has a house average of 1.24%. While the house is always favored, you actually wind up much better with the Banker.
The Tie bets can also be very tempting due to the big payout. However, similarly to playing individual numbers on a roulette wheel, the payout is infrequent and has a much higher house percentage.
Be Wary of Side Bets
Online casinos will sometimes offer dozens of different kinds of baccarat, and drawing rules aren’t the only thing that can vary. Much like in blackjack, some of these online casinos offer side bets for things like “Player Pair” or “Perfect Pair”. In those you can get a taste of a jackpot or a huge payout if you match two of the cards in the Player hand.
While having a lottery ticket like this can be fun, it’s not a sustainable playing style. The house edge on these are massive. As a result, they should be treated like an occasional fun treat and not a feasible strategy.
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If you’d like even more info on Casino Games like online baccarat, be sure to check out the Sports Gambling Podcast and all of the casino articles over on SGPN.
