Unlocking the Baccarat Secrets of Professional Players
Written by 
Baccarat is a game of chance, but there are things you can do that will improve your chances. Stick around, and you’ll learn more about Baccarat’s secrets to winning.
The Roadmaps of Baccarat
Baccarat roadmaps display a visual representation of the results of the previous games. They also help you see the trends and identify what outcomes will happen in the next round.
There are five roadmaps that adjust according to the game’s progression and shoe change.
You might find card counting in Baccarat useful for tweaking your roadmaps. You should know that it’s not the same thing as Blackjack card counting.
You won’t find recommended ways in which you should apply the information you manage to gain, and the general rule tells you that you are basically on your own.
Each road has its colour and symbol system, so you have to pay attention and learn more about each of them.
The table describes that they will always have 6 rows and a minimum of 12 columns.
Big Road
| Meaning | Symbol and colour |
|---|---|
| Banker | Hollow red circle |
| Player | Hollow blue circle |
| Shoe | Written in the top left corner |
| Tie | Green line across the last circle |
| Multiple ties | Green line with numbers |
| Natural winner | Yellow dot inside the circle |
This road has some additional rules:
- The term “Ping Pong” describes a series of alternating winnings between the player and the Banker.
- If the first round is a tie, there will be no circles, only the green stripe.
All the other roads are derived from The Big Road because it was the first one invented and is used even today in new casinos.
Bead Road
- Banker pair – Red dot on the top left part of the circle
- Player pair – Blue dot on the lower right part circle
- Tie – Green circle
The road starts in the top left corner of the table, and each round displays one circle (the winner).
The significant difference between the Bead and the Big Roads is the pairs.
The subsequent three variants are derived from the ones above. They show different patterns, making their rules easier to understand.
Big Eye Boy
- If there is a circle on the left side of the Big Road, you have to make a red dot on the Big Eye Road.
- If there is no circle, you must make a blue one.
This minimap starts after the second winning from Big Road’s second column. If there is a tie on that specific placement, you will create the Big Eye Boy from the first line of the third column.
Small Road
This map is somewhat similar to the previous one, except it starts on the second entry of the third column of the Big Road, and it will keep track of all details.
Small Road uses the same two colours, but the circles are hollow.
Cockroach Road
The Cockroach Road starts after the bettor played the first game from the fourth column, but in order to gather all the information needed to see a pattern, you must wait until the fifth column starts.
There is no connection between the red and blue on the Small, Big Eye and Cockroach Roads and the colours of the Banker and the Player. Usually, red shows the pattern and blue the quality of the shoe.
Why Are the Baccarat Roadmaps Used?
Professional gamblers use them to understand and predict the results.
Moreover, they use it as a form of keeping their minds focused on the game by identifying various patterns.
Bet with the Banker
- Betting with the Banker is the safest option you can get.
- The house edge of this bet is 1.06%, so your payout rate is 98.94%.
- Player hands lose 45.8% of the time, which means that the Banker wins 50.6%.
- Every bet has a 5% commission unless you’re playing at a no-commission table or the Banker wins with a 6.
- For every £100 worth of bets, you lose, in theory, £1.17 with the Banker bet and £1.36 with the Player bet.
Avoid betting on ties!
You may be tempted to try because it shows the biggest payout, 8:1. However, the chances of getting a tie are awfully low (9.51%), while the house edge is 14.4%. So, all in all, it’s not worth risking a bet on it unless you have extreme luck and money.
Baccarat Bets Overview
| Bet | Win Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Player | 44.63% | 1.24% |
| Banker | 45.86% | 1.06% |
| Tie | 9.51% | 14.4% |
Strategies and Systems
If you ask a novice Baccarat player what Baccarat strategy they use, they’ll be as confused as you were, but we’ve got you covered!
However, if you ask a pro player, they would probably name a few mathematical systems widely used in live casinos.
Martingale in Baccarat
The idea behind the Martingale system is to make the bettor win the most extensive sums by doubling every loss.
For example, let’s say you wager £10 and lose. According to Martingale, you should wager £20 next and £40 in case you lose the £20 bet as well.
The Martingale system works for every casino game, but only a few use it for Baccarat.
Downsides of this strategy
- If you are on a tight budget, it would be a good idea to leave this strategy for another time when your bankroll is more convenient.
- You’ll reach the table’s maximum if you keep losing.
- Some casinos forbid the Martingale System for all their games.
Fibonacci Strategy
Instead of doubling the amount lost every, you follow a specific sequence of numbers: Fibonacci. The rule for building the string is to add the last 2 numbers together. That’s why the sequence starts with 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55.
For example, let’s say that your initial bet is £10; in case you lose the next 3 rounds, the following stakes would look like this: £20, £30, and £50.
Fibonacci requires more math, but it’s not impossible to comprehend it.
Paroli System
The Paroli System focuses on winnings rather than how much you lose.
The theory says that you should double any won bet, but after 5 consecutive bets won, you should start over from the initial wager to minimise the risk of losing a large amount of money.
Professional players use Paroli for wagering on Player or Banker on ties or pairs bets.
D’Alembert System
D’Alembert System makes you choose a base and an initial bet. If you lose your first bet, you add the base bet to it, and so on, until you win.
If you win, you maintain your initial bet until you lose and raise. Additionally, when you win, you subtract your base from the total.
D’Alembert is a better choice for people who care about their budgets because the system believes that if you do it correctly, your losses and winnings will eventually even out.
Example
Base = £2
Initial bet = £5
If you win, your next bet would be £5; if you lose, it will increase to £7, then £9. If you win the £9 bet, you subtract £2 and bet £7.
The easiest way to remember the adding and subtracting rules is to choose the lowest chip you got as the base.
Is There More to Uncover?
Although it is one of the top choices in online casinos due to its easy game flow, Baccarat can be difficult for players who want to win.
The first step is to try exercising your roadmaps and improving your skills by learning theory.
After that, find an online casino with different minimum wagering tables that also offers sign-up bonuses. Pick a table and start completing the roadmaps; look for patterns. Subsequently, find a mathematical system that follows your budget, and learn and use it.