Baccarat is one of the most misunderstood games in a casino, but this game provides a lot of fun and challenge for players. Often times we get asked how to win at baccarat,  so let’s explore. This game is often attributed to high rollers and large, risky bets. Baccarat is actually easier to understand than people believe it to be. The game works by placing the banker’s hand, and the player’s hand face up and the player bets on the banker’s hand, player’s hand, or a tie. The bet is based on which hand is going to be closest to nine.

There are some tips that can help players, especially new players, develop an understanding and win at baccarat. The important thing to remember is that no one hand is too poor to lose. The third card makes the difference so any hand can win.

While there are three betting decisions that can be made, the reality is that you only want to bet on the player or the banker because the tie hand has a large casino advantage so never bet on the tie. The banker often has an advantage over the player because of the rules about the third card so betting on the banker is the best bet to make. The banker has to stand on a seven, eight, or nine so they are likely to win, but the advantage is not huge. Each shoe consists of 82 hands. Of these hands, 38 will be won by the banker, 36 by the player, and eight will tie.

One thing to watch out for is the commission. Since the banker has an advantage, the casino puts a commission on the banker bet to deter this bet. Look for low commission tables when playing, but the banker bet is still a good one even with the commission.

Most tables use six to eight decks. Keep an eye on the cards being played. If the deck has lots of twos through fives, bet on the player. If it has lots of high cards, bet on the banker.