Unlike blackjack, players have no say when to hit or stand; because of this, baccarat is a game of chance. This does not mean that there are no useful strategies involved with it. Consider several factors to improve your game.

Losing Strategy

It is a common misconception that betting on streaks is a winning strategy, this is not so. There are only three combinations possible in a game of baccarat: banker wins, player wins, or tie. Because multiple decks of cards are used, card counting is ineffective until the bottom of the shoe. This essentially makes card counting worthless in a game of baccarat. This means every round is considered to have equal odds of either banker or player winning, with the odds of a tie being lower. Since the outcome of a past hand has no appreciable affect on the next hand, choosing strategies based on trends are going to lose. There is, however, a winning strategy.

Winning Strategy

Since the only variable you can control is where to place your bet, knowing the odds is the only effective strategy to playing successful baccarat. The odds break down like this:

Bank: 1.01% House edge.
Player: 1.29% House edge.
Tie: 15.75% House edge.

These numbers are based on the drawing rules, which are designed to produce these results. The number of card decks used also affects the odds, with six decks producing a higher advantage of bank over player.

With these numbers in mind, the only winning bet is on bank. Because of the odds, bank winnings typically have a commission of 5% on winnings.

Look for casinos that use fewer decks and have lower commissions. These are the places where your odds will be the best.