Baccarat is a casino game played on a table with a maximum of 14 players, often in high-limit rooms. It uses eight decks of cards, which are dealt from a dealing shoe. The goal of the game is to bet on a hand – either Player, Banker or Tie – with a total closest to nine. The numbers on the card (known as pips) represent their numerical value, with face cards counting as zero and aces counted as one.
When the first two cards are dealt, the dealer will reveal them to the players. If the total is 8 or 9, the hand wins, and all placed bets are paid out. Otherwise, a third card may be drawn. This is called a “natural,” and it ends the round.
Unlike most casino games, the house edge in Baccarat is a relatively low 12 percent, and the game has been popular with high rollers since its introduction in 1959. However, many operators are concerned that long-term, baccarat isn’t profitable enough, and they’re considering ways to reduce its house edge and increase profitability.
To do so, they must first understand what’s going on with their baccarat game. A basic understanding of the derived roads – which are trends that appear in the game – is a good place to start. The derived road system is complicated and takes a while to learn, but once you have it down, you can create a profitable baccarat strategy in no time.
The simplest way to lower the house edge in Baccarat is to always bet on the Banker. While the Banker bet pays a higher commission (5 percent), it has a much greater chance of winning than the Player or Tie bets. In fact, it’s only a degenerate gambler that would bet on the Tie bet – and even those people should know better than to risk their entire bankroll on such a poor wager.
Another way to decrease the house edge is to use a 1-3-2-4 betting system. This system allows players to stretch their bankroll across more baccarat rounds and prevents them from making large bets during losing streaks. The 1-3-2-4 system is a reinvention of the 1-3-2-6 strategy, and it works in similar fashion to keep players from losing too much money.
While these strategies can help you lower the house edge in baccarat, it’s important to remember that the game is still volatile. The longer-term average for baccarat hold rates is around 12 percent, but that number can vary considerably month to month and quarter to quarter. That’s why it’s essential to use your casino management software to monitor the results of your baccarat games and make decisions accordingly. WynnBET’s casino platform is the ideal tool for doing just that. With our baccarat software, you can get the same excitement as a real casino floor in the palm of your hand. Try it today!