Baccarat

Baccarat vs Roulette: Which is Better? (2024)

Updated on April 20, 2024

Casino games can be very fun and extremely rewarding if you are lucky and skilled enough. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy them as a novice gambler, as well. Of course, different people have different preferences, so someone might enjoy games that are based on pure luck, such as roulette, while others prefer something with a little more control of the situation, like blackjack.

There are also those who like simply making a bet and letting fate do the rest, and the simplest option here is to just play slots. However, if you like that type of game, but you prefer a little more participation, then you might find Baccarat and Roulette to be the perfect games for you.

Of course, these are two completely different table games, so it is worth knowing what to expect, how the games differ, and what similarities are there between them, and alike. So, that is what we are going to talk about today-

Which one is easier to win?

When it comes to winning the games, that depends on a number of factors. If you are lucky enough, and you rely on simple luck, then nothing else matters for you. If, on the other hand, you prefer to work with numbers and percentages, then you should know that roulette has one of the largest house edges in the gambling industry.

Basically, there are several types of roulette. One of them has 0 and 00, while the other only has 0. The first one is known as American roulette, while the second one is known as European roulette. If you opt to play the American one, that means that the roulette wheel will have an extra pocket for the ball to fall into — the one with the double zero. This single change alone makes the house edge sit at 5.26%. However, if you can find a European roulette that doesn’t have 00, the house edge drops to 2.7%, which grants you much better odds.

While this seems pretty bad at first, it is worth noting that the house edge is offset somewhat by the fact that roulette tends to move slower than other games, which means that you will play fewer games of roulette in the same amount of time as other games, which reduces your exposure to the house edge.

Baccarat, on the other hand, has one of the lowest house edges in the entire casino. You have three options when it comes to placing a bet, which is to bet on the banker, the player, or a draw. The first thing to note is to never bet on a draw, as your chances of winning are extremely slim in this situation. So, if we eliminate that, you are left with the house edge of 1.06% if you bet on the banker, and 1.24% if you bet on the player.

So, according to the numbers, your best chance of winning would be to play baccarat and bet on the banker. The house edge is much lower than the lowest one in roulette, and it is even better than if you bet on the player.

Which one is easier to play?

One thing that is the same when it comes to roulette and baccarat is the ease of playing the game. In fact, roulette might even be more complicated here, as you can bet on colors, numbers, and alike, while baccarat only has 3 options, and one of them offers such a low chance of success that people typically ignore it for the most part.

In the end, in both games, all you need to do is place a bet on the outcome and let the dealer do the rest. You cannot really make a mistake, there is no conflict with other players, and you can pretty much play both games without knowing the rules or how they work. From this point of view, both games are excellent for novice players, although one difference is that the roulette table will typically have a small crowd around it and certain energy to it.

Tossing a ball into the wheel and watching it circle around before selecting a pocket to fall into can be quite exciting — definitely more than watching the dealer draw cards and announce the winning bettor.

Online experience

Of course, with online gambling being a massive sub-section of the gambling industry, that means that you can now play both of these games (and many others) on the internet, straight from the comfort of your home. Of course, this also means that you will not be in the casino surrounded by people, noise, flashing lights, and alike, which might impact the energy around the table.

Craps, for example, has much higher energy than roulette, even in land-based casinos. However, when you compare roulette to baccarat, roulette wins each time in brick-and-mortar casinos. Online versions, on the other hand, make both seem private, calm, and quiet, so this is something that you might miss if you are looking for that feeling of hype and excitement that only a crowd gathered around the table can produce.

Conclusion

Baccarat and roulette are two excellent games for new and experienced players. They do not require a lot of effort or participation on the gambler’s side, they are both popular and fun, which makes them a part of pretty much every casino, regardless of whether they are online or physical, and they both let you win significant amounts if you are lucky enough.

While being a card game, baccarat is still based almost entirely on luck. There is a rather tiny difference between betting on a banker and betting on a player, and you are slightly more likely to win if you bet on a banker. Roulette, however, gives you equal chances of winning the spin regardless of what bet you make, and the only thing you can do to improve your odds is to play the European instead of an American version of the game.

Even then, roulette has a greater house edge than baccarat. So, if your goal is to win, then betting on a banker in baccarat is statistically the best move you can make. But, if you are in it for the excitement, then the thrill of watching the ball spin around the wheel is certainly more alluring than baccarat.