Skip to main content

Baccarat Myths – Debunking the Biggest Lies

Zane | May 12, 2023 | Updated on: April 17th, 2025

Baccarat is one of the most elegant and misunderstood games in the casino world. With its roots in French nobility and modern popularity among high-rollers, it’s no surprise that the game has collected a long list of myths, superstitions, and false beliefs—especially online.

In this guide, we’ll break down the most common baccarat myths, explain why they’re misleading, and help you play with facts, not fiction. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, understanding these misconceptions will make you a smarter, more strategic gambler.


Baccarat Myths – Debunking the Biggest Lies

Myth #1: Baccarat Is Rigged at Online Casinos

One of the most persistent baccarat myths is that the game is rigged, especially in online casinos. This couldn’t be further from the truth—as long as you’re playing at licensed and regulated sites.

🔐 Here’s the Reality:

  • Online baccarat uses Random Number Generators (RNGs) that are independently audited by companies like eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and GLI.

  • Live baccarat games use real decks of cards, dealt in real time by professional dealers—streamed directly to your screen.

  • Reputable casinos publish their payout percentages and fairness certificates.

If you’re playing on a licensed platform, the odds are transparent, and the gameplay is legit.

⚠️ Warning: Baccarat can feel rigged during a losing streak, but that’s just variance.


📈 Myth #2: Betting Systems Guarantee Wins

This myth is dangerously common, especially on forums or social media groups where players preach the gospel of Martingale, Paroli, or Labouchère as foolproof strategies.

🤨 The Truth:

  • No betting system can change the odds of the game

  • Strategies like Martingale can recover losses temporarily, but a long losing streak will destroy your bankroll

  • Betting systems manage risk, but they don’t increase your chances of winning

Even the most mathematically sound systems rely on luck. Baccarat is a game of probabilities—not predictable patterns.

🎯 A smart strategy helps you last longer and lose slower—but no system guarantees profit.


🔄 Myth #3: Past Results Affect Future Hands

This is the classic gambler’s fallacy, and baccarat players fall for it all the time—especially when staring at roadmaps like the Big Road or Bead Plate.

🧩 False Belief:

“If Banker wins five times in a row, Player must be due.”

📉 Reality:

  • Baccarat outcomes are independent events

  • The shoe does not “remember” past results

  • Streaks are natural clusters in random sequences

The game doesn’t care about trends, and neither should your bets.

❌ Betting against streaks or “chasing the flip” is a fast way to empty your bankroll.


🎭 Myth #4: Superstitions and Rituals Affect the Outcome

From blowing on cards to rubbing rabbit’s feet, superstition runs rampant in baccarat—especially at live tables or high-stakes games in Asia. But no matter how theatrical or symbolic these rituals are, they do not influence the result.

🧙‍♂️ Common Baccarat Superstitions:

  • Tapping cards for luck

  • Folding cards to “squeeze” better results

  • Waiting for “lucky tables” to open

  • Switching tables after a loss

While these habits might boost confidence or provide comfort, they have no statistical impact on game outcomes.

🎯 Baccarat is ruled by odds, not omens.

🧠 Myth #5: Card Counting Works in Baccarat

Card counting is a proven strategy in blackjack—but baccarat is a completely different beast. While some claim to count cards to predict when to switch from Banker to Player, the practical value is next to zero.

🚫 Why Card Counting Doesn’t Work in Baccarat:

  • Card values don’t vary in impact the way they do in blackjack

  • The deck has a fixed drawing structure, so even if the count changes, you can’t adjust your actions

  • The edge gained is tiny—often less than 0.1%, and not worth the effort

Some online gamblers get sucked into this myth thinking they’re beating the system, but in reality, they’re just wasting mental energy.

🎯 Instead of counting cards, focus on consistent bankroll management and smart bet selection.


🔍 Myth #6: Baccarat Is Only for High-Rollers

Thanks to its appearance in James Bond films and VIP casino lounges, baccarat has built a reputation as a game for elite players only. But that’s outdated.

🎯 What’s Changed:

  • Online baccarat is accessible to anyone with a smartphone and internet

  • Many tables have minimum bets as low as $1–$5

  • Mini-Baccarat and RNG versions make it easy for casual players to enjoy

Baccarat is actually one of the most beginner-friendly games at online casinos, thanks to its simple rules and low house edge.

💡 In 2025, you don’t need a tux or a thick bankroll to enjoy baccarat—you just need a good Wi-Fi signal.


🎥 Myth #7: Live Dealers Can Cheat or Influence the Game

There’s a common online myth that live dealers can manipulate baccarat outcomes, especially in live casino games. This stems from misunderstanding how live dealer platforms operate.

🔐 Truth About Live Baccarat:

  • Live dealers work for licensed, regulated providers like Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and Ezugi

  • Games are streamed live, but cards are drawn from pre-shuffled, tamper-proof shoes

  • Dealers have no control over which cards appear—everything is transparent and recorded

  • Most studios are monitored by independent third parties and are subject to strict licensing rules

If you’re playing at a reputable online casino, live baccarat is as fair as it gets.

❗ The only thing “rigged” in live baccarat is your own impulse to bet emotionally.


🤯 Myth #8: You Can Win at Baccarat Every Time

Let’s bust the most dangerous myth of all—the belief that there’s a secret to always winning at baccarat. Some YouTube “gurus” or shady systems claim this, but it’s flat-out false.

🔎 Reality Check:

  • Baccarat is a probabilistic game, not a guaranteed formula

  • You can’t remove risk, only manage it

  • All strategies have losing streaks

  • The house always has an edge, even if it’s small

Smart players know baccarat is about managing variance, not chasing perfection.

🎯 The goal is to make smart bets, play within your limits, and walk away ahead more often than not—not to win every hand.


Baccarat Myth-Busting FAQs

❔ Is online baccarat rigged?

No. Licensed casinos use RNG or live dealers under strict regulation. Avoid shady, unlicensed sites.

❔ Does card counting work in baccarat?

No. The math doesn’t offer a meaningful edge. Baccarat isn’t built for card counting.

❔ Can betting systems guarantee wins?

No. They help structure bets but don’t change odds or guarantee profit.

❔ Do live dealers cheat?

Absolutely not—cards are streamed live and shuffled under strict surveillance.

❔ Is baccarat just luck?

Partially. You can’t control cards, but you can control your strategy, bankroll, and emotions.


Conclusion – Play Baccarat with Facts, Not Fiction

Baccarat is one of the most elegant and simple casino games—but that hasn’t stopped players from inventing layers of myths and false beliefs around it. From the idea of “hot streaks” to rigged outcomes and foolproof systems, these myths do more harm than good.

By understanding the truth behind the game, you’ll become:

  • More disciplined

  • Less emotionally reactive

  • Better at managing your bets

  • Safer in your choice of casinos

Leave the myths behind—and embrace baccarat for what it truly is: a simple, strategic game of odds, not omens.

🔗 More Baccarat Casino Guides:

Index