Perfect strategy II: a plan you can follow

Lesson 18 of 24 · Perfect strategy II: practical · 6 min

Pick the table, the bet size, the session length, and stick to them.

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Perfect strategy I said "bet Banker". This is the practical version: how to turn that into a night out that costs what you planned.

1. Choose the table. Look for EZ Baccarat (1.02%) or a standard 5% commission game (1.06%). Avoid Super 6 for Banker bets (1.46%), or bet Player there (1.24%). If the Tie bet interests you, look for 9 to 1.

2. Choose the bet size from the hourly cost, not from the bankroll. Decide what an hour of fun is worth to you. At 72 hands an hour: $5 Banker costs about $3.81 an hour, $10 about $7.62, $25 about $19.

3. Bring 20–30 bets per hour you plan to play (lesson 15). That makes running out early unlikely.

4. Bet Banker, flat. Flat means the same bet every hand. Changing your bet with wins and losses doesn't change the edge, but it usually makes you bet more on average (lesson 19).

5. Set a stop. "Stop if I'm down $200" or "stop after two hours" won't change the edge, but it does cap how much you can spend, and it's the most useful habit there is.

6. Mind the commission. At a commission-box table, keep track of what you owe: 5% of each Banker win. It's settled when you leave or at the end of the shoe (lesson 23).

Habits that cost real money, at $10 a hand for an hour:

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