What are Baccarat Bets and Side Bets

Baccarat is a super straightforward game, primarily because it offers just three betting options. These three bets are considered the core of baccarat and are typically what most players stick to.

Beyond the main bets, players can also place side bets in baccarat, which ramp up the excitement. While these side bets can offer massive payouts, they also come with a higher house edge because they are less likely to hit.

To truly enjoy and succeed at baccarat, understanding both the main bets and the side bets is key for any player in Ghana.

What Are the Main Baccarat Bets in Ghana?

As mentioned, there are three primary bets 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 has different payouts and house edges. Their probabilities of occurring also vary, so it's wise for bettors to be well-informed.

Betting on the Player

When you bet on the Player, you're essentially betting that the Player's hand will be stronger than the Banker's hand. If the Player's hand value is closer to 9, it wins.

The Player bet is generally considered the second-best option in baccarat, as it's the inverse of the Banker's bet, which is typically the most favoured.

Betting on the Banker

Betting on the Banker is often seen as the optimal choice, boasting a low house edge of just 1.06% regardless of the number of decks used. This bet is popular because the Banker's hand often has a slight statistical advantage, partly due to the order of play where the Banker acts last.

While it's a smart move to include Banker bets in your strategy, remember that a small 5% commission is usually applied to winnings from this bet.

Betting on a Tie

Betting on a Tie has its ups and downs. The main issue with a Tie bet is that it's quite rare – it only happens when both the Banker's and Player's hands have the exact same value, like both scoring a 6.

However, because Ties don't come up often, they usually offer very attractive payouts, which can be a draw for some players looking for a big win.

Exploring Baccarat Side Bets for Ghanaian Players

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

It's important for players to know that side bets are considered quite risky, which is why many cautious players avoid them when playing online baccarat games.

The Pair Bet

A Pair bet is a wager on whether the first two cards dealt to either the Player or the Banker will form a pair. The payout for a Pair bet is typically 11:1, but watch out for the house edge, which can be around 11% depending on the online casino. You can place this 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.