Baccarat Strategy Unveiled: A Winning Blueprint for Australian Players

Baccarat is a thrilling and popular casino game played in brick-and-mortar casinos and online. Baccarat is gaining popularity in Australia, and more tables pop up in online casinos.  If you’re a regular at casinos, whether online or the real deal, you’ve probably seen the name baccarat before in casino lobbies or when you’ve been reading up about all the games you can play. You may have even given it a try a few times, but do you understand the rules for playing baccarat? And more importantly, do you know any strategies to win when playing baccarat online?

The great thing about card games, as opposed to pokies, is that you can apply strategies that could improve your win potential.

The better you understand the game rules, the easier you can follow along, and the more effective you’ll be at implementing these strategies to improve your chances of a winning outcome. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide that outlines the game rules of baccarat to help you get started and understand the various strategies baccarat players use when playing online. Keep reading as we guide you through the most popular online baccarat strategies players worldwide employ to help you improve your win potential.

Baccarat has long been a popular game amongst casino players, a simple card game where players bet on one of three possible outcomes – either the player’s hand wins, the banker’s hand wins, or there is a tie. The player and banker do not represent the bettor and casino in baccarat, but rather two positions on the table. 

There seem to be conflicting views regarding the true origins of baccarat, with the French and Italians laying claim to its conception. We can be sure it was played hundreds of years ago in Europe and has undergone many changes from its humble beginnings to become the popular casino game enjoyed by players worldwide today. 

Its modern format remains easy to follow with its three basic betting options. However, many casinos offer different variants of baccarat that include unique features that make them appeal to different players. 

Some of the more popular variants aside from the standard single-player game include multi-seat baccarat, in which multiple players play at the same table, the scaled-back mini-baccarat game that attracts many beginners, as well as faster versions and more suspenseful and engaging games like baccarat squeeze.

You can also play engaging live dealer games on some online platforms, which offer you the same great gameplay but in a much more immersive and authentic casino environment. These variants all follow the same basic rules of play, which we will outline below.

Baccarat is a casino table game played using traditional playing cards. There are two different positions on the table: the player and the banker. The objective of the game is to simply predict which of the two hands will have a total value closer to 9 when the round ends. This is the highest hand value in baccarat.  Traditionally, in many card games, the picture cards hold a high value. In baccarat, unusually, Kings, Queens and Jacks all carry zero value. Aces are low and have a value of one point. The remainder, the numbered cards, each hold their face value.

The value of a hand once the cards have been dealt is the sum of the card values held. If the total is 10 points or over, only the second digit counts to bring the hand back down to a single-digit value. So, for example, 16 is a total of six. How to play is quite straightforward; you simply follow the steps below:

Like with any casino game, the best chance you have of coming away winning is to learn how to play the game properly. The first step to applying a strategy that can improve your chances of winning baccarat online is to learn the rules, make sure you understand the odds, and read up on the casino house edge and what it means for you.  

If you want to play baccarat and win, then it stands to reason that you’ll need to fully grasp the rules of the game. Below, We have outlined the key rules to remember when playing baccarat at online casinos. If you want to learn to play baccarat and win, keep reading.

Baccarat game objective. The objective of baccarat is to correctly predict the hand that will end the round with the highest point value. The highest hand is 9 points. Once a hand goes over 9 points, only the second digit counts. You can bet on either the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie. 

How the cards are dealt. When you have finished betting, the round begins. Each hand is dealt two cards, starting with the player. These cards are placed face up and compared. If either hand has a total value of 8 or 9 points at this stage, then the hand wins the round, and the game ends.

The third card rule. If there is no natural winning hand, the game proceeds to the third card. First up is the player’s hand. If the player’s hand is below 5 points, it takes a hit, and a third card is drawn. If the player’s hand stands, it’s the banker’s turn, and the same rules apply. The hands are then totalled up and compared to determine the winner. 

How to calculate hand values. To determine the hand values, you add the face value of the number of cards in the hand, including aces, worth one point. Any hands totalling more than 9 points lose the first digit to become a single-digit value again, so if your hand adds up to 12 points, your hand value is 2.

Understanding your betting options. The three betting options you can place on baccarat online are backing the banker’s hand in, backing the player’s hand to win, or betting on a tie. The house edge varies for each hand, with the banker having the lowest and a tie the highest. 

When understanding the card values in baccarat, it’s important to remember that they do not follow the usual format of most traditional card games. In baccarat, the highest-value card is the 9 of any suit.

High-value cards aren’t always the best for a hand to hold as the objective is to end the round with a hand value totalling as close to 9 points as possible. Each card has a point value as follows:

• Any suit cards between 2 and 9 are worth their face value,
• Ace is low and holds a value of 1 point,
• King, Queen & Jack are each worth zero points. 

If you are looking for the best strategies for playing baccarat online, then you’ll be delighted to know that due to the nature of table games, there are many popular strategies that you can try when playing online baccarat. 

Remember that baccarat is still a game of chance, and so these strategies do not guarantee you will win. However, if you understand the game rules fully, you can make better-informed gambling decisions to improve your game and hopefully increase your chances of winning.  These techniques are all designed to help you make the most out of your gambling experience and help you maximise your win potential. We’ve looked at some of the most popular baccarat strategies available, each focusing on different methods that suit different players so you can determine the best fit for how you like to gamble online.

First up, we are going to take a look at the Martingale System. This is considered a high-risk strategy that stems back to France in the 18th Century. The theory behind this system is that you bet on a progressive basis, doubling your wager amount after each loss so that the first win should theoretically recoup all of your previous losses. This method will not be suited to most players and certainly not beginners or those with limited funds. A strategy like the Martingale System requires a large bankroll as the betting increases exponentially. Still, there is no guarantee that you will win anything before you churn through your balance—high risk but with the potential for a big reward. 

Another progressive betting system is the Paroli System, but the inverse meaning is that it’s a positive, progressive system. In this strategy, you increase your bet after every win until you have achieved three consecutive wins. The idea here is to take advantage of winning streaks and minimise losses during losing streaks.  With the Paroli System, you have a base wager amount that you double following a win and double again following a second and third consecutive win. Any losses, and you return to the base wager. This system is more suited to a smaller bankroll because losses will occur more gradually.  

Another popular strategy for playing baccarat online is the 1-3-2-6 System. Perhaps not as catchy as the previous two, but this positive progression betting system is certainly no less interesting and follows the pattern in its name for increasing your bet amount following a win. You begin with a set bet amount. If that bet wins, you play the next hand with 3x the initial amount. Following another win, your next bet would be 2x, and if that one comes in, the final bet of the progression is 6x your initial bet. If at any time you hit a losing bet, you return to the initial fixed bet amount.

Mathematicians out there will be familiar with the Fibonacci sequence, as will many scientists, artists, and designers, appearing as it does in the natural world. It’s a number sequence whereby the next occurring number is the sum of the preceding two. Another negative progression gambling system, the Fibonacci System, involves increasing your bet amount in accordance with the Fibonacci sequence following each loss. This makes for another high-risk strategy with exponentially increasing wagers that could see you burn through your bankroll quickly.  

The Labouchere System is the most complicated of this list. It involves writing down a sequence of numbers and betting the sum of the first and last numbers in the sequence. The theory is that the potential profit is the combined total of the numbers in the sequence.If your bet wins, you cross the first and last numbers out. If you lose, the bet amount is added to the end of the list. This process is repeated until all numbers have been crossed out. The theory behind the Labouchere System is that as you cross out two numbers after each win and add only one after a loss, you won’t need to win the expected amount to complete the list and come out in profit. 

In this guide, we have addressed the value of learning the online baccarat rules and looked at the many popular strategies players adopt to improve their chances of winning. Many of these strategies can be applied to other online casino games and table games like blackjack and roulette, so make sure you read up on how else you can apply these strategies and in which games. Now, back to baccarat – it’s time we look at how you can apply your knowledge and place bets on baccarat. The first thing you must do is select the best real money casino for you, and don’t forget to check out the welcome bonuses on offer! Be sure to read our reviews for the welcome bonuses and no deposit bonuses available to Australian players. 

Ok, great; hopefully, you will now have a solid understanding of the rules of baccarat and the different outcomes that are possible from any one game. The advantage of having this knowledge for Australian players of online baccarat is that you can make better-informed gambling decisions, which can help you maximise your win potential. If you are new to online gambling, it’s always best to learn the rules of any game you wish to play before placing real money bets. We offer a bunch of resources to help you learn how to play the various casino games available online and the top online casinos available to players in Australia. We recommend doing your homework before you start playing.

As discussed, baccarat is a simple and easy-to-understand game, and when it comes to betting in online baccarat, there are only three common ways to bet. A winning hand in baccarat is the one that, at the end of a round, is closest to 9 points without going over. As there are only two hands in the round, you are essentially betting on whether you think the banker’s hand or the player’s hand will score 9 points and win the round. 

The only other option is for a tie, but it’s worth remembering that the likelihood of the two hands drawing is considerably less. Naturally, if you choose to bet on the tie, you will be rewarded handsomely if it comes in. 

The Banker Bet

As discussed, due to the rules on when the banker’s hand takes a hit, the banker’s hand winning is the most likely outcome of a round of baccarat, but only just. The Banker’s positional advantage and the rules that govern when the Banker must draw a third card mean the odds favour the banker, so the house edge is slightly lower.

The Banker’s hand is completed last, giving it more chances to win than the Player’s hand. In addition to that, the Banker’s decisions depend, for the most part, on the cards drawn to the Player side.

The Player Bet

If you bet on the player winning the round, you still have pretty good odds of winning, but they are slightly lower than betting on the banker. This results from the third card rule that the player draws their third card before the banker does theirs.

At the same time, if you bet on the player’s hand winning and the bet comes in, you will get a better payout than if you bet on the banker and the banker’s hand won. 

The Tie Bet

Betting on the tie when playing online baccarat is thrilling as the odds of the bet coming in are considerably lower than the player or banker.

As a result, it means you would get a much better return if you bet on the tie and it comes in. However, it’s worth remembering that due to the nature of the game, the house edge on the tie is significantly higher, too. 

Choosing the right bet for you will depend on your preferences as a player, but it’s always advisable to set a limit before you begin playing and only bet with what you can afford. 

Setting yourself limits when gambling online is key to maintaining responsible gambling practices. Online casinos are immersive and engaging spaces offering you heaps of fun, so it can be easy to get caught up in the action and forget to manage your bankroll. This is where setting limits at the start of your session can be handy as you can set them, then get as immersed in the gameplay as you like, and you know you won’t go over your budget. We recommend you always exercise responsible gambling and seek help if you need it. 

Setting aside money for betting on Baccarat is an excellent strategy for protecting your bankroll. It’s good practice to ensure you only play with the funds you can afford. Remember the old saying that all good things must come to an end? Well, that also applies to a winning streak! Setting yourself a loss limit will help you ensure you don’t lose any money you can’t afford and keep you in control of your game.

A simple strategy to consider is betting with the banker, and it’s a great place to start if you are a beginner online baccarat player. As discussed, due to the predetermined rules of online baccarat, the odds favour the banker’s hand being the winner. The probability of the banker’s hand winning a round of baccarat is 45.86%, which is slightly higher than that of the player’s hand at 44.62% and much more so than a tie, which is 9.51%.

An all-in bet is when you bet all your remaining chips in one round. Playing online baccarat could refer to the remainder of the set amount you have given yourself to play baccarat, or the remainder balance in your online casino account. Either way, it is not an advisable strategy. Firstly, the probabilities above show that there is not much between the banker’s and the player’s hands, meaning you cannot bet either way with any certainty. Additionally, there is still a nearly 10% chance that the bet will tie. This provides enough uncertainty to make it a risky bet, particularly if you intend to use your remainder balance. It is more advisable to bet smaller amounts across more games to ensure you get a decent length of gameplay without overspending your budget and ultimately improve your overall online casino experience. If you place an all-in bet and don’t win, that will end your game abruptly. 

Well, there you have it: a comprehensive all-you-need-to-know guide on playing baccarat online and the various strategies you can employ to improve your game and increase your chances of winning. Each strategy follows different methods that will suit different gambling styles. It’s advisable to take your time when deciding the best strategy for you and consider all the points listed above. 

One thing that remains the same across the board is that regardless of your skill level and experience – you could be a complete novice or a baccarat pro – you must always exercise responsible gambling practices to ensure you remain safe while playing online. Remember that baccarat is a game of chance, and so there is no way you can predict the winner with absolute accuracy. 

This is why we always recommend you only play with funds you can afford and never bet beyond your means. Online gambling is supposed to be a fun experience and should be treated as such, not as a way to secure an income. Take advantage of an operator’s reality checks and set limits before you begin – not just wager limits, but time limits, too. 

If you stick to these simple tips and follow the rules carefully, you can thoroughly enjoy playing baccarat and other popular table games in online casinos across Australia.