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Becoming a successful baccarat player doesn’t include just understanding the rules, playing the game by the book, following a strategy or learning the terminology. A true fan of the game knows how to separate fact from fiction. You want to understand the underlying principles and math – only then can you truly say you understand how to play baccarat successfully.
However, beginner players constantly trip up on the same old myths that have been around since the game was invented. Moreover, with all of the so-called baccarat tips available online, it can be hard to know who to listen to.
To help you with that, we'll go through some common baccarat myths and misconceptions. We'll explain why these are untrue (or true), hopefully helping you become a better player overall.
Myth #1: Card Counting in Baccarat
Myth: Some players think that they can use card counting methods in baccarat, just as easily as they have been counting cards in blackjack. This belief persists because baccarat and blackjack have some conceptual similarities.
Fact: Counting cards in baccarat is not wholly impossible. However, there are several strong arguments against trying to do so. First of all, blackjack card counting is all about keeping track of how many high cards are left in the shoe because high cards are more beneficial for the player. In baccarat, however, there is no such distinction, and cards are only as good or valuable as the cards that appear next to them. As such, counting cards in baccarat won't help you gain an actual advantage.
Secondly, online baccarat is determined by RNG, which makes card counting impossible. Even live baccarat often uses 8 decks per shoe with a relatively low deck penetration, which makes any possible predictions unreliable at best.
As such, counting cards would only really be possible in brick-and-mortar casinos, and would be nearly impossible to pull off even then.
Myth #2: Detecting Patterns
Myth: Detecting patterns means detecting when a natural hand will occur (a hand of two cards totalling eight or nine) based on a perceived pattern in how cards appear. Some players believe that patterns are observable and can allow one to predict future outcomes.
Fact: Baccarat is a game of pure chance with virtually no player skill involved. Although it’s a very interesting card game, you might just as well bet on a coin toss as far as predictions are concerned. Trying to figure out some sort of pattern falls squarely into the category of the gambler's fallacy – the false notion that previous outcomes of gambling games influence future outcomes. It's such a common pitfall for newbie gamblers that it has become a bit of a trope. Don't fall for it – casinos spend a lot of effort ensuring the outcomes are as random as possible.
Myth #3: Progressive Betting Systems
Myth: Betting systems allow players to ensure their victory by manipulating stake sizes. The most widely used progressive betting systems in baccarat are the Fibonacci and Martingale. The Martingale, for example, is about doubling your stake whenever you lose. Supposedly, if you keep doing so, you can never really lose because you'll make up whatever losses you incurred.
Fact: No betting system can ever allow you to really beat the house advantage. The game has the same RTP rate no matter your stake size, and that never really changes.
Most of them fail due to the same reason – they assume you have access to unlimited money, unlimited time, or both. For example, if we look at the Martingale, there is always a slim chance that you hit a long losing streak. That would require you to keep doubling your stake, which makes it grow exponentially. In just a few losses in a row, you'll probably run out of money to bet with. It's a thin line between increasing your bet from $1 to $100 with these systems. Therefore, in case you have such a bankroll, knock yourself out with the Martingale or Fibonacci systems. As for the rest of us with limited time and resources – we suggest betting less aggressively, especially if you're already losing.
Myth #4: Online Baccarat is Rigged
Myth: Some people still believe that online baccarat is rigged. According to them, it wouldn’t produce natural hands. The reason behind this is that the shuffling is rigged, just because the cards are not tangible and the shuffling is not visible. And this is not the case with baccarat only; sceptics believe all online games are rigged.
Fact: This is a false belief to which online casino players can testify. There are thousands of online baccarat players that have had natural hands with each baccarat session. Besides, online casino games are strictly controlled, regulated, and audited, at least those of reputable online casinos.
If you're still having second thoughts, consider this – casinos don't rig games because they don't need to. All casino games are designed in such a way as to provide the house with an advantage. the more players spend money on these games, the more the casino will earn because of the statistical advantage built into the game rules. You could say that they've been rigged from the start. As they say – the house always wins, and it will win without rigging the games and risking its license, reputation, and business.
Myth #5: It is Hard to Win at Baccarat
Myth: There are casino players who wrongly believe that baccarat is one of the least profitable casino games. In some cases, players claim that baccarat is playable only by high rollers and elite players. So, they probably think it’s not worth playing if you don’t have the bankroll for it.
Fact: Baccarat is one of the easiest casino games with very simple rules and a quick turnaround. More importantly, baccarat is a casino game with one of the lowest house edges among those you would find at a typical casino floor. Playing the banker bet involves a house edge of just 1.06%, while the house edge for the player bet is 1.24%. This is much lower than games like roulette or slots. In fact, baccarat is only worse off than blackjack in that regard.
In some ways, the myth is true – it is statistically impossible to win baccarat in a casino, especially in the long run. However, this is intrinsically true for all gambling. Baccarat is one of the games where you will lose the least, though.
Conclusion
You might encounter a myth regarding baccarat, so don’t let yourself fall for any of them. At least not if you plan to be a successful baccarat player.
More myths will probably appear throughout the gambling community in the future. Myths focused on creating false impressions about the game, and unjustified quasi-facts. But facts are your strongest weapon, so stick to them and be realistic. Don’t fall for any myth without researching about it.
Just keep these basic principles in mind and you'll be fine:
- Baccarat, like most gambling games, is based purely on luck. There is no way to predict the outcome of a round.
- There is no bet, combination of bets, system, or strategy that will allow you to overcome the house advantage. The game rules were designed from the ground up to prevent exactly that.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If someone tells you that they have a fool-proof strategy to beat baccarat, remember that if such a thing existed everyone would be using it. Since not all baccarat players are millionaires and the casinos aren't banning baccarat, we can safely assume that there is no real way to beat it.
FAQ
Let’s debunk some more legends and misconceptions about baccarat.
- How do you play baccarat?
Start by betting on the Player, Banker, or the Tie. The Tie is also famous as the Draw or Stand-off. If you want riskier gameplay with hefty payouts, you can place side bets in some baccarat variants. The dealer then draws two cards for the Banker and the Player each. The goal in baccarat is to get your bet closer to 9 than the other. In most baccarat games, betting on the Banker requires a 5% commission as this bet has an advantage. However, in online baccarat, providers use RNG to remove this advantage and charge no commission. Face cards (pictures) and 10s have no value, whereas other cards keep their pip value. An Ace is worth 1. In baccarat, only single digits count. For example, if your score is 13, the total counts as 3.
- Why is baccarat dangerous?
According to Forbes, baccarat is dangerous to play because of its volatile house edge above all. Additionally, this is a game of luck, making people easily wager money with possibly no return. However, such a claim lacks any context in regard to gambling as a whole. Despite being chance-based, baccarat features some of the smallest house advantage figures among common casino games.
- Can you really win at baccarat?
You can win a round, sure. The basic bets win just under 50% of the time. However, in the long run, if you repeatedly play the game you will lose 1% more money than you earn, assuming you only ever play the banker bet. The best bet in baccarat is the Banker with a house edge of just 1.06%.
- What does baccarat mean?
Baccarat is a casino game of chance offering three main bets – banker, player, and tie. It is famous for its low house advantage which is also volatile, making it both a fan and casino-favorite. Baccarat is similar to Chemin (Chemmy) and Punto Banco and it originates from France. The word “baccarat” is a proper noun, which means that it has no meaning.
- How do you play the Punto Banco card game?
Punto Banco is a simplified variant of baccarat, making its rules similar yet simpler. US players usually prefer Punto Banco to other similar variations. In terms of rules, those in Punto Banco are fixed and there are no optional bets.
- Do casinos cheat at baccarat?
Firstly, casinos do not cheat at baccarat, at least not the licensed ones. Regulated operators adhere to strict rules that regulators lay down. So, we get the question “how casinos cheat in baccarat” and the answer is – they don’t. RNG software runs all online baccarat games, making all hands unpredictable. Also, any precious hand does not affect the upcoming ones. Of course, the game was designed to provide the house with a built-in statistical advantage. In short, casinos don't cheat because they will always win without cheating.