Baccarat Odds
One of the reasons that Baccarat is so popular with High Rollers and High Stakes players, is that the house has a very low edge in this game. It still has an edge of course- all casino games do, but compared to say roulette or slots, your odds are more favourable as the casino skims a relatively low % of the money wagered for its busines.
It's also a simple game to learn and play so there is no reason why Baccarat should be the preserve of the high stakes players- anyone can play baccarat.
Often you will see Baccarat tables and rooms in Vegas and Macau sectioned off from the public. There is alot of glamour associated with this game- that's because generally baccarat is popular with the serious players and there is generally alot of money flowing around (not to mention the beautiful people).
As with any casino game, it is important to understand the different odds for all the bets so that you can compare these withthe payout that the house offers. This way you can select the best baccarat bet.
Whats's the Best Bet in Baccarat?
The house edge for the banker bet outcome is a mere 1.17%, while the house edge for a player bet is slightly more, but still a reasonable 1.35%. But most casinos charge a 5% commission on winning banker bets, so include that into your calculations
What about betting on a Tie?
We don't recommend putting a wager on a tie.Although the payout is higher (8:1, compared to 2:1) the house edge is a lot steeper.
What about the Number of decks?
An important thing to consider when choosing which game to play, the number of decks being used is often unwisely overlooked. Below you will find the advantage of playing games with fewer numbers of decks being used. The number of decks used is displayed on the far left column, followed by the bet outcome in the middle, and finally the probability of these outcomes on the far right:
| Bank Bet | Player Bet | Tie |
| 1 deck 45.96% |
44.68% |
9.36% |
| 4 decks 45.88% |
44.63% |
9.49% |
| 6 decks 45.87% |
44.63% |
9.51% |
| 8 decks 45.86% |
44.62% |
9.52% |
The most favourable probability is with only 1 deck being used.