What are Baccarat Bets and Side Bets

Baccarat is a super straightforward game, mainly because it offers three simple betting options. These are the core bets in baccarat, and most players stick to these.

Beyond the main bets, you can also place some exciting baccarat side bets for an extra thrill. While these side bets can offer massive payouts, remember that they also come with a significantly higher house edge because they're less likely to land.

Understanding both the main Baccarat bets and the side bets is key for any South African player wanting to have a blast and also win big.

What Kinds of Bets Can You Make in Baccarat?

As mentioned, there are three main bets you can place in the game of baccarat; betting on the Player’s hand to win, betting on the Banker’s hand to win, or betting on a Tie.

Each of these main bets comes with different payouts and house edges. Knowing the probability of each bet is crucial for any savvy South African gambler.

Betting on the Player

When you bet on the Player, you're essentially backing their hand to be higher than the Banker's. If the Player's hand value is closer to 9, you win.

The Player bet is considered the second-best option in baccarat, sitting just behind the Banker's bet, which is the most favoured one.

Betting on the Banker

Betting on the Banker is generally seen as the smartest move. The house edge is a mere 1.06%, no matter how many decks are used. This is the most popular bet in baccarat because the Banker always acts last, giving that hand a slight statistical edge to win.

It's a solid strategy to include the Banker's bet in your game plan, but keep in mind the standard 5% commission that's usually applied to winnings from this bet.

Betting on a Tie

Betting on a Tie has its ups and downs. The biggest hurdle is that ties are quite rare; both the Banker's and Player's hands need to have the exact same score, like both getting a 6.

However, because a Tie bet is so uncommon, it offers some seriously good payouts, which can be a treat for some players looking for a big score.

Get to Grips with Baccarat Side Bets

Side bets are extra wagers you can place while playing Baccarat. While there are loads of different side bets out there, we'll focus on the most popular ones for this guide.

It's vital for players to know that side bets are pretty risky, which is why many players steer clear of them when playingonline baccarat games.

The Pair Bet

A pair bet is a wager that the first two cards dealt to either the Player or the Banker will form a pair (e.g., two 7s). The payout for a pair bet is typically around 11:1, but be aware that the house edge can be as high as 11%, depending on the casino you're playing at. You can place a Pair Bet on the Banker's hand, the Player's hand, or both.

All Black/ Red

The all black or red side bet is a wager on whether the hand will contain only black or red cards.

The all-black bet offers a 24:1 payout with a house edge of 6.53%, whereas the all-red bet has a slightly lower payout of 22:1, but the house edge is 14%.

Big/ Small

There are other side bets that can be seen in many online casinos, like Big and Small. The big and small bets are to bet on the total number of cards in play. This bet is strongly dependent on how the player’s hand is played. If, in the end, there are 4 cards on the table, the small bet wins, but if there are 5 or 6 cards, the big bet wins.

Bellagio Match

The Bellagio match is a side bet on whether the hand will get three of a kind. The Bellagio match has a payout of 68:1 for the banker’s hand, and 75:1 for the player’s hand. The house edge varies from 5.27% to 8.57%.

Dragon Bonus

It is about either hand winning with a natural hand with an exact point margin. The higher margin, the bigger payout:

• 9 points - 30:1
• 8 points = 10:1
• 7 points = 6:1
• 6 points = 4:1
• 5 points = 2:1
• 4 points = 1:1
• 3 points or fewer = Loss.

The house edge for the dragon bonus is usually about 2.65% for the player’s hand, but it goes up to 9.37% for the banker’s hand.

Lucky Bonus

Lucky baccarat bonus bets are among the most exciting side options that the game offers. This is a wager for the banker's hand to win while being worth 6 points. The game has a great payout of 18:1, with a house edge of just 2.34%.

Matching Dragon

The Matching dragon is a wager about how many cards of a specific rank the banker and the player will be dealt. The matching dragon side bet has a house edge of $16.99 = %. Here are the payouts for the matching dragon side bets in baccarat:

• 6 cards = 100:1 payout
• 5 cards = 60:1
• 4 cards = 40:1
• 3 cards = 20:1
• 2 cards = 3:1
• 1 card = 1:1
• No cards of a specific rank = Loss

Bets to Avoid

Side Bets alongside Tie Bet are not likely to happen often. So, for every player who is tempted to create a strategy, in which his chances of winning are as high as possible, side bets and tie bets have to be excluded.

Overall, betting on a tie and side bets in Baccarat is something that any player should avoid, in order to keep his chances of being profitable in the long term.

When to place side bets in Baccarat?

The baccarat side bets can work against the player in most cases, as they have a huge house edge, and the high payouts usually don’t cover the losses. But, if the player has a good side bets betting strategy, they can really bring some fascinating profits in the long term. Unfortunately, that requires a huge budget and a lot of patience.

Are Side Bets Worth it?

Even beginners are aware of the fact that most online casinos offer baccarat tables with side bets available, and these bets have to be avoided. The statistical odds of any side bet happening are so low that in the long term, it’s nearly impossible to come into profit.

Conclusion

Baccarat is a game that offers a range of different bets for players to choose from. The straightforward way to approach the game is by sticking to the main banker, player, and Tie bets. On the other hand, if the player is seeking more excitement, there are some baccarat side bets in addition to the main ones.

Side bets have higher payouts but are a lot riskier. So, it’s recommended to stick to the main three. The benefit of knowing both baccarat bets and baccarat side bets will give the player a clear vision of what odds he has to win and increase them.