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12 Baccarat Tips for Winning More Often

If you're a fan of baccarat, then you've chosen to participate in one of the world's most exclusive games of chance.

It's also likely that one or more of the following is true:

• You're rich.
• Your name is James Bond, and you have a fondness for shaken martinis, exotic women, and killing boatloads of enemy agents.
• You enjoy risking large amounts of money on games of chance that offer little in the way of strategy.

Fortunately, you can live in a shack in the mountains and still enjoy the excitement of online baccarat (as long as you have an Internet connection). In fact, the online version of baccarat can be surprisingly affordable at times, which should come as welcome news to anyone who's ever been turned away from the roped-off gaming area at a land-based casino.

For those who'd like to maximize their profit potential, I've put together this list of 12 baccarat tips for winning more often. While there's no guarantee that your next session is going to make you wealthy, you should at least increase your overall chance of having a good time.

1. Avoid the Tie Wager

The tie bet in baccarat offers a tempting 9 to 1 payout, but it also carries a terrible 14.36% house edge. Don't fall into the trap of being seduced by this option, as your odds of generating a profit are slim to none. That's just bad strategy.

2. Get a License to Kill

For decades, baccarat was the casino game of choice for fictional superspy James Bond. Even when Ian Fleming's creation lost, you could always count on him scoring in the bedroom with some sultry woman that he'd met on the casino floor. This all changed with the release of Casino Royale, as baccarat was replaced by the wildly popular Texas Hold'em. Even so, anyone with a white tuxedo and a Walther PPK handgun is bound to enjoy success at the tables.

3. Wager on the Banker

Even though a winning wager on the banker requires the player to pay a 5% commission to the house, it's still the smart play over the long term. This is due to the 1.06% house edge for the banker bet versus 1.24% on a player wager.

4. Know the Rules

Baccarat tends to have a consistent set of rules, but I have seen variants that deviate from the norm. Slight payout fluctuations can also exist, and this can have a direct impact on the overall house edge of the game. Before you start playing, take a long look at all these elements to find the version of the game that best meets your needs.

5. Don't Worry about Taking Notes

At land-based casinos, players are provided with note pads in order to keep track of previous results. Some online casinos offer a similar service, but you're just wasting your time. Each hand of baccarat is the equivalent of betting on a coin toss, and all the record keeping and analysis in the world isn't going to change that.

6. Know the Minimum Bets

Baccarat is usually viewed as a game for people with lots of disposable income. While this isn't always true, there are plenty of tables that live up to this reputation. Before you start throwing money around, always take a moment to familiarize yourself with the minimum possible wagers. This can prevent you from having to look for another table, as well as losing a big chunk of cash on your first (and last) hand.

7. Avoid Progressive Betting Systems

Positive progression systems require the player to increase their wager with each win, while negative progression systems advocate increasing bets after each loss. Both are meant to provide big paydays, but these systems are inherently flawed. If you want your money to last as long as possible, you're better off skipping these flights of fancy. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.

8. Beware of Mini-Baccarat

While traditional baccarat tends to move along at a slower pace, those who play at brick-and-mortar establishments should keep an eye out for mini-baccarat. Sure, the game offers lower table minimums than their counterparts behind the red ropes, but the speed of play can sap your bankroll in no time. And speaking of speed...

9. Take Your Time

Online gamblers can play hundreds of hands of baccarat each hour, and this can put a major dent into their bankroll. If you want to get the most out of your experience at the virtual tables, try to establish a leisurely pace and never get in a hurry to play additional hands. Slow and steady doesn't always win the race, but it does give you a chance to better enjoy what's going on around you.

10. Money Management and Profit Goals

Money management requires the player to determine how much they're willing to lose in a session. When that number is met, then it's up to the gambler to have the resolve to walk away. Profit goals are similar, but they involve quitting a session after a pre-determined amount of money has been won. Both of these require a great deal of discipline, but they also make a major difference over the long term.

11. Avoid Card Counting

At a land-based casino, you can employ card counting to keep track of which cards are still in the deck. This isn't an exact science, but it's been proven to allow dedicated gamblers to generate larger profits than usual. This doesn't matter online, though, as the virtual decks are reshuffled after every hand to eliminate the potential for counting cards.

12. Use Free Games for Practice

No matter what casino game you're thinking of playing, it always helps to make a few test runs before risking your hard-earned cash. Luckily, a number of free baccarat programs are available online, and this is a perfect way to learn the rules and develop tactics. Just don't overdo it, as you're missing out on a potential cash reward each time you opt to play for fun.