Baccarat Basics

Baccarat

As you get familiar with the game of baccarat, you might notice a few things that are different than what you’re used to. For example, you may have heard about Tie bets, Hovering state, Drawing the third card, and Point totals. You might have wondered how these things affect the game. Well, this article will help you understand the basics of baccarat. By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to play.

Tie bets

If you’re a high roller, you’ve probably made tie bets in Baccarat at some point in your career. This is a mistake, since tie bets only pay out eight to one, and the house advantage on these bets is very high – as low as 9%! As such, you should stay away from ties and stick to your main bets when placing your bets. You also need to know the right strategy for making a tie bet.

Hovering state

If you’ve ever played Baccarat, you’ve probably noticed that it tends to enter a “hovering state” every few hours. This is a natural part of the odds for baccarat games, and in itself, a trend. However, you shouldn’t plan your actions based on this state; instead, wait until the next shoe is dealt before deciding to take action.

Drawing of third card

The drawing of the third card in Baccarat occurs in certain cases, and determines the outcome of the hand. Usually, the winning hand has a higher point total than the other hand. A natural nine or eight wins over a hand with the same value, which is the banker’s hand. In baccarat, the shoe contains six or eight cards, and face cards, tens, and aces have no value. Counts of one, two, and three are more valid. If there are double digits, drop the left digit.

Point totals in baccarat

The point totals in Baccarat refer to the sum of the points on the hands of both players. When the point total of the Player hand is 8 or 9, the Banker’s hand must stand. Otherwise, the hand must be discarded. A tie occurs if the player’s total is 6 or 5.

House edge in baccarat

While there is a positive house edge in baccarat, the house still has the upper hand. The house edge is as low as 1.17 percent. For example, a $100 bet on the Banker will result in a loss of $1.17. Likewise, a $100 bet on the Player will result in a loss of $1.36. Still, the low house edge makes baccarat an easy game to beat.