If you’re into bacarrat, you know exactly why you play it, and you probably have the bankroll to back up your reasons. I play bacarrat probably 20 percent of the time I’m in a casino. I’ve been somewhat successful, but ever since I learned, I was interested in improving my game and fine-tuning some strategy to give a bit of an advantage in the future. And what did I realize? Ther’s not a whole hell of a lot you can do.

The more you play, the more you come to understand bacarrat is not a game of intense strategy. Sorry enthusiasts, but it’s the truth. Here, however, is a look at what little strategy there is.

Don’t be on the tie. This is probably one of the first things you hear when learning the game. Bet on the player or bet on the bank, the difference is negligible (1.29% house edge vs. 1% house edge). But if you bet on a tie hand, the house edge balloons to almost 16%. Makes no sense to bet on the tie, ever. Don’t do it.

Depending on your feeling on giving up commissions to the casino (usually 5%), the banker bet is actually the best odds for the player, even after factoring the commission you’d have to pay if you win the hand. Many sites and regulars recommend only betting on the bank because of this, but I feel it’s more of a personal preference of which rules set suits you the best. If you go the bank route, rest assured you’ll be bored out of your mind after the first 20 minutes, but the offset to that is that playing this side consistently yields some of the best odds in the casino. Of course, you’re still talking about losing money over the long run, but for what it offers, if you hit a strong run in the short, it can pay off nicely.

Also, maximize your odds by playing the lowest number of decks you can find, and obviously with the lowest percentage commission (somne casinos are only 4%). You probably won’t find this played with fewer than six decks in an actual casino, but six is better than eight. Online, you might find fewer decks, but I’d be wary.

The rest is just money management, which is universal to all games. You have to set goals, ceilings for winnings and losses, and just practice self-control.

Baccarat is a nice change of pace, and you usually find yourself with a different crowd than poker or blackjack, but if you’re looking to really sink your teeth in a game you can strategize for months and months, you probably need to look elsewhere.