Baccarat Strategy – Everything You Need to Know 

When it comes to gambling, a card game is what comes to mind first and that is with good reason. Card games are the most popular type of entertainment around the world, right next to slot machines. However, unlike a slot machine, which does not require skill, card games will allow you to lure the outcome based on skill and experience effect the outcome.

Gambling games using cards like poker and baccarat don't depend on your ability to shuffle cards, rather how you read your opponents bets at the table, your bets and strategy. This is why "poker face" is a saying we use to mean controlling your emotions while you play at the table.
 In terms of strategy for baccarat, you can learn how to read your opponents, but beating baccarat requires a plan for how to approach the game, and this is where online baccarat guides are very useful for Canadians.

Baccarat offers a unique potential to players due to a very low house edge. Baccarat is surprisingly simple to learn. That may explain its popularity in Canada, particularly in light of recent publicity regarding James Bond movies. You will find baccarat in almost every land-based casino throughout Canada – including Casino Niagara, Casino de Montréal, and River Rock Casino in British Columbia, and also many of the regulated online platforms too. Most Canadian online casinos provide you with baccarat and different variations of the game - including live tables, mini-baccarat and high limit options for seasoned players.

But availability is only the beginning. If your intention is to increase your chances of winning, it is worth gaining some help from proven strategies that can assist with that. Let’s examine some strategies and help you to pick one that is right for you and your playing style and objectives.

A Quick History of Baccarat

Before we discuss strategies, it's worth providing a brief overview of the games origins. Baccarat has a long and colourful history dating back to the 1400s.

Baccarat was invented by Italian gambler Felix Falguiere who originally called it "baccara"; Italian for zero - since the tens and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) all have zero value in this game. That rule still holds true.

At first, baccarat utilized Tarot cards but was then expanded to include a standard 52-card deck and then spread to France, where it evolved to the version known as Chemin de Fer. Other versions quickly followed, and by the 18th and 19th centuries, baccarat was very common across all of Europe.

Eventually the game made it to Cuba, which then made it to the United States by author and gambler Tommy Renzoni, who introduced it to Las Vegas. The same baccarat version is still a favourite popular now at Canada-based land casinos, and licensed online gambling platforms that meet provincial requirements.

Baccarat Game Play

Baccarat is one of the easiest casino card games to learn how to play, despite its premier name. It has only 3 possible outcomes each round, plus you do not need to have a basic knowledge of card games or gaming etiquette before playing. In fact, if you have never played a card game once before, you will learn to play baccarat in minutes.

Typically, baccarat is played with 3 - 6 standard decks of 52 playing cards. The dealer will remove the required number of decks from a fancy box called a shoe.

Basically, as a player, you just need to make a bet on one of the 3 options - the Player's hand, the Banker's hand

Points for cards:

2s - 9s = face value of card

10s, J, Q, K = 0 points

Aces = 1 point

If your total goes over 9, you minus 10. For example, if you have a total of 9 + 7 = 16, you become 6.

Based on certain rules, either hand could draw a third card.

The Player draws a third card with a total of 0-5, and stands with a third card value of 6-7.
The Banker's draw also depends on their total, and if the Player has a third card 'the Banker' has some complex rules of drawing.

Baccarat Payouts

Before we dive into strategies, it’s important to understand the payout structure. As mentioned earlier, there are three main bet types.

Player Bet

If the Player’s hand wins, the payout is 1:1. A $20 bet would yield another $20 in winnings.

Banker Bet

This bet also pays 1:1 but includes a 5% commission to the casino. So a $20 win nets $19, with $1 going to the house.