If you have an abundance of pure luck, then Baccarat is your game. Baccarat is played using a fixed set of rules for the player and the dealer. Calculations have been made that show the odds of the player winning are 44.62%, losing 45.85%, and tying 9.53%. Thus it would seem advantageous to bet on the house winning virtually every hand.

To even out the odds, the house charges a commission (usually 5%) on winning bets placed on the house. How should this change the way a player wagers?

Factoring in the commission, you are still slightly better off betting that the house will win. This assumes the commission is the usual 5%. However, should the commission change then you have to adapt your strategy. If the commission is less than 5% then it is always advantageous to bet on the house, while if the commission is more than 5% it pays to bet on the player winning.

Removing the tie hands in the event there is no payoff, the odds of the player winning are 49.32% and for losing 50.68%. For various commissions we can calculate the following average payoffs then, assuming 100 wagers of $1 were made.

4% Commission	Betting on the player	Betting with the house
Winning	$49.32	$50.68 * 96%	$48.65
Losing	$50.68		$49.32
Difference	-$1.36		$0.67
You lose less by betting with the dealer.

5% Commission	Betting on the player	Betting with the house
Winning	$49.32	$50.68 * 95%	$48.15
Losing	$50.68		$49.32
Difference	-$1.36		-$1.17
You lose less by betting with the dealer.

6% Commission	Betting on the player	Betting with the house
Winning	$49.32	$50.68 * 94%	$47.64
Losing	$50.68		$49.32
Difference	-$1.36		-$1.68
You lose less by betting with the player.

Baccarat sometimes allows for a bet to be made for a tie, and sometimes doesn't (mini baccarat typically played online usually does). Although the odds of 8 to 1 may sound appealing, it is considered one of the worst wagers in the casino, so don't bother making this bet part of your baccarat strategy.

You can test out your baccarat strategies right now at Hotspot Casino. They offer a great version of online baccarat you can play for real money or just for fun. They do allow tie bets and take a 5% commission on banker bets, a great rendition of Baccarat online.

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