What are Baccarat Bets and Side Bets

Baccarat is a game that’s really easy to get into, mainly because it boils down to three primary betting options. These three bets are the core of baccarat and what most players stick to.

Beyond these main bets, players can also place side bets, which add an extra layer of thrill. While side bets can offer massive payouts, they come with a significantly higher house edge because they're less common occurrences.

To truly enjoy baccarat and potentially find success in Singapore’s online casinos, understanding both the main and side bets is key.

Types of Bets in Baccarat

As mentioned, baccarat typically features three main bets: backing the player's hand to win, backing the banker's hand to win, or betting on a tie.

Each of these main bets carries different payouts and house edges. It's crucial for players in Singapore to be well-informed about the likelihood of each bet winning.

Betting on the Player

When you bet on the Player, you're essentially betting that the player's hand will score higher than the banker's hand. If the player's hand value is closer to 9, it wins.

Betting on the player is a solid choice in baccarat, sitting just behind the banker bet, which is generally the most preferred option.

Betting on the Banker

Betting on the Banker is often considered the best bet due to its low house edge, typically around 1.06% regardless of the number of decks used. The banker's hand is statistically more likely to win, partly because it acts last.

While the banker bet is a smart inclusion in any baccarat strategy, remember to factor in the standard 5% commission on winning banker bets.

Betting on a Tie

Betting on a Tie in baccarat presents both allure and risk. The main drawback is that ties are infrequent – both the banker and player hands must have the same score, like a pair of 6s.

However, precisely because ties are rare, they come with attractive payouts that some players might find appealing for a strategic bet.

Baccarat Side Bets Explained for Singapore Players

Side bets are extra wagers you can place during a game of baccarat. While there are numerous side bets available, we'll focus on the most popular ones for players in Singapore.

It's important to understand that side bets are generally considered high-risk, which is why many players in Singapore opt to avoid them when playingonline baccarat games.

Pair Bet

The pair bet in baccarat is a wager on whether the first two cards dealt to either the player or the banker will form a pair (two cards of the same rank). Payouts for pair bets are usually around 11:1, but the house edge can be as high as 11%, depending on the specific online casino in Singapore. You can place a Pair Bet on the player's hand, the banker'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.