Baccarat House Edge Explained
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Do you want to know how online live casinos make money from Baccarat? The house edge in Baccarat ensures the casino gets a percentage cut from all bets placed. Our guide will teach you more about the Baccarat house edge. Keep reading to see how you can apply different strategies to lower the losses and change the odds in your favour.
- Baccarat House Edge in Irish Casinos
- Where Does the Baccarat House Edge Come From?
- Baccarat House Advantage Compared
- How to Get an Edge in Baccarat
Baccarat House Edge in Irish Casinos
| Decks | Bet type | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Player | 1 to 1 | 1.2864% |
| 1 | Banker | 19 to 20 | 1.0117% |
| 1 | Tie | 8 to 1 | 15.7461% |
| 1 | Tie | 9 to 1 | 6.3845% |
| 2 | Player | 1 to 1 | 1.2565% |
| 2 | Banker | 19 to 20 | 1.0389% |
| 2 | Tie | 8 to 1 | 15.0228% |
| 2 | Tie | 9 to 1 | 5.5809% |
| 4 | Player | 1 to 1 | 1.2421% |
| 4 | Banker | 19 to 20 | 1.0517% |
| 4 | Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.5915% |
| 4 | Tie | 9 to 1 | 5.1017% |
| 6 | Player | 1 to 1 | 1.2374% |
| 6 | Banker | 19 to 20 | 1.0559% |
| 6 | Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.4382% |
| 6 | Tie | 9 to 1 | 4.9314% |
| 8 | Player | 1 to 1 | 1.2350% |
| 8 | Banker | 19 to 20 | 1.0580% |
| 8 | Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.3596% |
| 8 | Tie | 9 to 1 | 4.8440% |
Baccarat Edge as the Deck Number Increases
The table above showcases the house edge Baccarat for bets on the player, banker, and tie. You can see that the house advantage remains relatively constant even as we add more decks of cards. Check out more about the baccarat table layout in our article.
Keep in mind
Listed values are valid both for land casinos and online casinos with Baccarat.
Up to 8 decks are shuffled together in a game. Still, with any number of decks, the casino won’t profit more than 1.28% for bets on the player and 1.06% for bets on the banker, which are the most commonly used types of bets.
Even as we hypothetically shuffle 20 decks of cards into the game, the house edge Baccarat doesn’t change sensibly.
The constancy of the house edge in Baccarat and the lowest house advantage of 1.05% make it attractive from a player’s point of view.
Important
Only Blackjack, Craps, and Poker can compete with Baccarat in terms of payout odds. Still, Baccarat is considered to be more volatile than Blackjack and Poker because no form of skill can influence its outcome.
Baccarat Edge Convergence for Tie Bets
Betting on a tie may not be the best idea
Tie bets have a 15% house edge in Baccarat, meaning the odds are quite blatantly set against you when you place this bet. There is a probability of just 9.6% that the hand will result in a tie.
Recommendations for Craps play with better odds
- Through our verifications, we saw that these odds that affect the average House Edge appear in 95% of mobile casinos available in Ireland.
- A similar percentage of 90% appears in Irish casino apps as well.
How to Calculate the House Edge in Baccarat
Baccarat’s built-in house edge refers to a casino’s mathematical advantage over a player.
This percentage is calculated as the average number of scenarios you’re sure to lose against the dealer, considering millions of possibilities (stemming from how the 52 cards in a deck can be randomly distributed during the game).
To calculate the exact numeric house advantage, consider the number of card decks used in the game.
However, as shown above, the variations in house edge baccarat won’t affect the winning probability of your bets much.
Remember the payout odds
- The standard player bet pays even money or 1:1 odds
- The banker offers 19:20 odds
- The payout odds for the tie bet are usually 9:1, depending on the casino rules
Where Does the Baccarat House Edge Come From?
Important
The main piece of the action in baccarat is comparing who has the better hand – the player or the banker.
You already know that the casino’s advantage for player and banker bets is roughly the same because both outcomes have approximately the same chance of occurring.
Still, this comparison may result in a tie, so the main Baccarat bets are not even-money propositions.
House Edge in Baccarat: How It Works
- Just like the number zero in Roulette makes it that Red/Black bets don’t have 50%/50% chances, the tie outcome affects the even-money payout odds in Baccarat
- The casino is ensured to profit in the long run because there’s no reliable way for players to predict who will get the better hand or when a tie will occur
- Similarly, even-money odds in Roulette are imperfect because there is one case in which both outcomes (Red/Black) lose – when the ball lands on zero
Game Rules in Irish Casinos
- Baccarat’s main aim is to correctly guess the winning hand between the banker and the player
- Players can wager on the banker, player, or a tie
- You place a wager on either of the two and then 2 cards are dealt and compared
- The hand with a score of 9 or closest to 9 wins (also called a natural)
- In some instances, a third card is dealt
Face cards have zero value, and aces count as 1. As an example from CasinoAlpha, if you get a King and a 7, you have 7. However, if you get an 8 and a 6, you don’t have 14 but 4.
The right digit is automatically taken as the value because the score cannot be bigger than 9.
The crucial difference between casinos is the rules that decide when each side can take a third card.
Usually, a chart explains under what conditions the player’s or banker’s hand can get a third card.
When the value of the player’s and the banker’s hands is the same, bets get refunded, except if someone at the table has wagered on a Tie.
Lack of Player Input
Baccarat is a guessing game with pre-set rules about when a card is taken and how to compare the player’s and the banker’s results.
That means betting in baccarat always comes down to luck.
There is no decision-making from the bettor except to select the bet type and wager amount. The banker/dealer carries out all activity.
Banker Commission
Betting on the banker’s hand offers better-winning odds because the banker’s outcome has a 45.8% chance of occurring, compared to 44.6% for the player having a better hand.
Casinos have compensated for this with a standard 5% commission on any winnings from a bet on the banker.
Winning banker bet example
Suppose you’ve wagered €20 on the banker’s hand, and you win the round. In that case, you’ll get €39, your €20 stake back, plus €19 in winnings. €1 is the 5% commission.
Look for no-commission Baccarat games to escape this fee on winnings. Such titles are often featured on new online casinos that aim to attract more players.
Baccarat House Advantage Compared
Let’s see how the Baccarat house advantage compares to other games.
Blackjack vs Baccarat House Edge
- In Blackjack, the casino’s advantage can be limited by the player’s decisions, which makes it a game of skill
- The house edge in Baccarat tends to be fixed (1.05%-1.26%-15%) because your decisions can’t affect the outcome
- The maximum house advantage at Blackjack casinos is up to 2%
- Still, it can drop to about 0.5% when played correctly. When split bets are permitted, it can decrease to even 0.15%
- Blackjack is certainly preferable – it has a much better payout potential when played with the perfect strategy
Roulette vs Baccarat House Edge
European Roulette has a built-in 2.70% house advantage for even-money bets, considerably lower than American Roulette with 5.26%.
The cause for the big difference is in the extra double zero digits found on the American Roulette table, which reduces the probability of winning and spikes the edge in the casino’s favour.
Tips
You can find both types of games at the best online casinos, but we recommend sticking with the European variant.
The main bet in Baccarat is also an even-money proposition, just like the Red/Black wager, but the Roulette house advantage is considerably higher – almost double figures.
Ultimately, it all boils down to Irish players’ preference, but playing baccarat and betting on the banker is technically more advantageous than betting on Red/Black in Roulette.
Craps vs Baccarat House Edge
- The casino advantage in craps depends on the type of bets you are making
- For the don’t pass line and pass line wagers, the house advantage is 1.36% and 1.41%, respectively
- These bets are the options with the lowest house advantage available in Craps
- Still, other Craps bets can raise the edge over 10%, for instance, straight-up bets and other combinations
- Baccarat’s house advantage of 1.06% for the banker bet can be considered more appealing than what Craps offer from a statistical standpoint
Low house edge Baccarat: nothing guarantees a round’s wanted outcome
You can optimize your chances and see genuine improvements if you choose games with a better RTP rate (or a lower house advantage) and stick to the likelier outcomes.
You shouldn’t forget that you’re playing a random game of chance designed for the casino to profit.
No matter how attractive Baccarat odds may seem on paper, you’re always up against real-life uncertainty and the dire prospect that the house always wins.
How to Get an Edge in Baccarat
Still, there are a few ways Irish players may exploit it in their favour, and you can also see how you can win at mini-baccarat after reading our guide.
Go for the Bet with the Lowest Edge
Out of the three possible wagers, you should prioritize the banker bet, which enables the lowest Baccarat house advantage of 1.06%.
You will probably have to pay the 5% commission for winning bets, but there is a reason for this fee – the fact that the banker’s hand wins in most cases.
Do Not Go for Tie Bets
Especially for new Irish players, it might be tempting to wager on the tie bet because of the high payout potential.
In reality, the tie is the least expected outcome in baccarat.
From a statistical aspect, betting on a tie is not at all a wise idea.
Wager Small Amounts
You should start with small bets since you’re playing a game that’s entirely based on luck. The best choice for the first sessions is to try it out using €10 no-deposit bonuses.
Sketch out a staking plan before playing and stick to betting the same amount every time.
Baccarat casinos that we recommend are Irish licensed, so you’ll have a full suite of responsible gambling tools to use.
Did you find out guide useful?
Do you have any more additional questions about the house edge in Baccarat? Let us know all your thoughts in the comment section below!
F.A.Q.
Why do I always lose at baccarat?
Several factors can influence your performance in baccarat, but the worst practice is when you keep betting on a tie. Stick to the bets with the lowest baccarat house advantage: betting on the banker or player.
Can you beat the house in baccarat?
Yes, it’s possible to beat the house, but it all comes down to guessing between three possibilities. However, you can’t use any skill or strategy to beat the house edge baccarat. Your guess depends solely on luck.
Why does a banker have an edge in baccarat?
The banker’s hand wins more frequently because the banker acts second to the player, most importantly in the drawing phase.
The banker knows the player’s third card and can deduce their hand’s total, so they have a slight advantage, approximately 1.2%.
What is the house edge in baccarat?
When betting on the player, the house edge baccarat is 1.25%. For bets on the banker, it is 1.06%, while for the tie, the casino gets 14%.
Should I always bet on the banker in baccarat?
The math says the banker wins more often, but only by a slight margin, 45.86% versus 44.62%. Betting consistently on the banker will not make a very significant difference in the long run.
Can you predict baccarat?
No. Baccarat is a game of chance, so there is no mathematical way to forecast the outcome of any hand. Even tactics based on card counting and edge sorting have been of limited use.
How do you count cards in baccarat?
There are different card counting methods for baccarat, but experience has shown that counting cards gives no serious advantage. Pre-set rules dictate when a third card is drawn, so the player’s input is practically nonexistent.
What is edge sorting in baccarat?
Edge sorting is a technique of bypassing the casino’s advantage. Players look for imperfections on the cards, helping them recognize certain low- or high-value cards and thus gain an advantage.
