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BACCARAT TIPS
Tip #1: Know The Rules
Whether you are playing Blackjack or Baccarat, there are rules that apply to each and every game in the casino, and since you are putting your hard earned money at risk, it only makes sense that you know the rules of the game you are playing. In Blackjack, know whether in this particular casino the dealer draws or stands on a soft 17 (If they draw, the advantage is to the casino, if they stand, the advantage is to the player). In Baccarat, there are specific "third card" drawing rules, which you should know and be aware of, as a dealer's mistake in drawing could cost you money! When playing Craps or Roulette, knowing the payoffs is very important. The dealers won't intentionally try to cheat you, but they are only human, and they do make mistakes. So, if you have $5 bet straight up on a number in Roulette, know that when you win, they owe you $175!! And when you make place bets or take odds behind the Pass line in Craps, know just how much you should receive for a payoff when you win. Remember, it's your money and your wager. You have a right to make sure you receive the correct payoff!
Tip #2: The one card placed faceup on the table indicates how many cards the dealer will burn. If the card turned up is a four of clubs, the dealer will burn four cards.
Tip #3: In baccarat, the casino takes a commission whenever a player wins a bet placed on the banker side. This is because betting on the banker has an inherent 1.06 percent advantage. Bets are paid at 0.95-to-1.
Tip #4: Twos through nines are counted at face value; tens and all jacks, queens and kings count as zero; and aces count as one. Suit is irrelevant in baccarat.
Tip #5: First and third cards are dealt to the player. Second and fourth cards are dealt to the banker.
Tip #6: For any total over nine, only the last digit is taken - for example, a total composed of a six of clubs and a six of diamonds is two. If either the player or the banker has a total of eight or nine, it's called a "natural" and automatically wins - unless the other hand also has a natural, in which case the two hands tie.
Tip #7: If the player holds a total of less than six or seven, the player draws.
Tip #8: With a total from zero to two the bank always draws; with a total of seven the bank always stands; with a total of three the bank draws, unless the player drew and its third card was an eight; with a total of four the bank draws, unless the player drew and its third card was an eight, nine or ace; with a five the bank draws, unless the player drew a third card outside the range of four through seven; with a six the bank stands, unless the player drew a third card of either a six or a seven.
It is a good idea to avoid tie bets altogether, since they give the house a significant advantage, close to 20%, in fact. By sticking to only the banker and player bets, the house advantage will remain at a minimum, thereby maximizing your chances of winning.
Betting on the player gives the house a 1.36% edge
Betting on the banker gives the house a 1.17% edge
Either way, the house has the edge and should win in the long run.
Some baccarat players believe in streaks and will bet on whatever won the last hand. This strategy does not give you better odds though as each hand is like the flip of a coin.
The Martingale Betting System
This dangerous sytem can dig you into a deep hole very quickly should you have a long string of losses.
It is an easy system to understand. You attempt to win 1 unit ($1/£1, or $5/£5, or whatever) on every hand. Your first bet is 1 unit on player or banker. If the bet is won, you start again at 1 unit. If the bet is lost, you double the next bet to 2 units. Winning at this stage gives you a win of 1 unit (1 unit lost followed by 2 units won). Should you lose again, then you double your bet again, this time to 4 units. And again, a win at this stage is of 1 unit (1 unit lost, 2 units lost and 3 units won). And so on until you win. Given a 'normal' sequence it should not be too long before you register a win which covers your losses and provides a win of 1 unit.
Also:
Even though baccarat is a low-strategy game, it never hurts to have some good tips in your pocket when you’re getting settled at the baccarat table. The following are some handy hints to keep in mind when you’re preparing for the game, to be sure that you have a thorough understanding of the way things work and the way you should bet.
As baccarat is a game of chance, many people do rely on superstitions to help them out, and that’s fine. However, if you are a superstitious person, just remember to bring some other ideas with you other than your lucky rabbit’s foot.
As there is a 5% commission on the winning bets you’ve made on the banker’s hand, you will need to pay this amount to the casino…only it is not paid right away, it is collected at the end of the game. It can seem a bit confusing at first, when you’re watching the chips moving back and forth, because you are responsible for making sure that you have enough to pay back at the end. It’s wise to either tuck some of the chips aside for each winning bet on the banker’s hand, or keep your numbers well calculated in your mind.
There are always scorecards and pencils available at baccarat tables, so these can be a very good way to keep track of the outcome of each hand and to remind your self how much of the money is not technically yours. You can also use these tables to be able to predict patterns and see if you can get a better hint as to what is coming in the next set of hands.
However, sometimes - more frequently than not - looking for patterns doesn’t’t work out, so you can save yourself the time and just keep the records for your own personal sake. Remember, this is a game that is completely random, so there are no solid patterns that will lay out the future.
Also, this is not a game where you are playing against other players. It doesn’t’t make any difference where everyone else is betting and how much money they have bet. Nor does it matter in which order the cards are dealt. Everyone at the table has the same chances and their actions do not affect the play of another participant.
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