Baccarat vs. Roulette – What Is Better?

In this post, I compare two of the most-played casino table games – baccarat and roulette.

I lay out the basic rules and compare the house edge, strategy, and game flow of both games. My aim is to help you decide what game is best for you.

This baccarat vs. roulette post will help you make up your mind about what game you want to play first. Don’t forget that you can enjoy them both at our top-rated online casinos.

Baccarat vs. Roulette Rules

First, let’s take a look at the rules of both games. I’ll cover the game flow in a later section.

This will be an overview of the need-to-know rules you must follow in pretty much every casino that offers baccarat and roulette.

Baccarat Rules

The rules of baccarat are straightforward. It’s one of the simplest casino card games. Here’s what you need to remember.

• The dealer will deal cards – two to the player and two to the banker. The hand closest to a score of nine points wins.
• If you win, you’ll get double what you wagered. Usually, the banker’s bet will take a commission of around 5%.
• If the hand dealt adds up to more than nine, the first digit gets dropped. For example, if your hand equals 15, the one gets dropped, and the hand is worth five.
• If either gets a total of eight or nine, both the player and the banker stand.
• If the player’s hand is worth five or less, they’ll get another card. Otherwise, they’ll stand.
• If the player stands, the banker gets another card (hits) on totals of five or less.
• In the event of a tie, a payout of 8:1 (minimum) is paid out to those who wagered on it.
• You don’t need to do anything other than bet on the outcome. The rest takes care of itself.

Roulette Rules

The rules of roulette are even easier to remember. There’s a wheel with a bunch of red and black numbers and a marble that lands on one of them. All you have to decide is what wager(s) you want to make.

• You can make multiple bets before any spin of the wheel.
• Bets like red/black, high/low, and odd/even pay 1:1.
• Columns and dozens bets pay 2:1.
• Bets on groups of numbers (2-6) pay between 17:1 to 5:1.
• Single number bets pay 35:1.
• Once the betting window closes, the dealer will spin the wheel.
• Where the ball lands will determine what bets are winners.

Baccarat vs. Roulette House Edge

Let’s now look closer at the baccarat vs. roulette house edge. In both games, the house edge depends on either the variant you’re playing or the bet you make.

Baccarat House Edge

In baccarat, the house edge changes depending on what bet you make.

• Banker bets have an edge of 1.01%.
• Player bets have an edge of 1.29%.
• Tie bets have an edge of 15.75%.

It’s obvious you should avoid the tie. The returns might be lucrative, but the house edge is insane.

Also, always factor in that banker bets usually carry a commission of 5% or more (depending on the casino). Some game variants waive this.

Roulette House Edge

Again, the house edge depends on what roulette variant you play. As you’ll see, this can make a significant difference.

• European roulette has a house edge of 2.7%.
• American roulette has a house edge of 5.25%.

The increased edge on American roulette is due to the extra zero pocket on the wheel. Whereas European roulette only has one zero, American roulette has two.

In both cases, your long-term returns will be significantly lower compared to playing baccarat (unless you back the tie).

Roulette vs. Baccarat Strategy

These are both games of pure chance. No strategy will impact the baccarat vs. roulette odds in any way from a math standpoint.

You can use these as a baccarat or roulette strategy, as they are general gambling betting systems.

The 1324 Strategy

In the 1324 betting system, you start by betting 1 currency unit (e.g., $1), then you bet 3, then 2, then 4. This could also be 10, 30, 20, and 40 if you prefer. If you win, you progress to the next bet. If you lose, you start again. If you win all four, you reset or walk away.

The Martingale System

The Martingale is a negative progression betting system that’s based on one simple principle. Double down on losing bets until you win.

The Paroli Strategy

This is the opposite of the Martingale system. In this case, you double down on winning bets and rest on losers.

Most advocates of this system recommend walking away after three consecutive winning bets. Anything more could be pushing your luck too far.

Baccarat vs. Roulette Flow

When comparing baccarat and roulette, you need to consider the game flow. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years.

• Both games flow quickly. It’s under a minute power round for both.
• Of the two, roulette flows a bit faster on average.
• There are speed versions of both if you play with live dealers.
• You don’t need to do anything other than place your wagers in both.
• Both games are hugely exciting, but roulette offers bigger payouts.

In essence, baccarat and roulette are great for players looking for fast-paced games with little to no strategy. You place your bets and hope for the best!

Baccarat vs. Roulette Online

Now that you have a solid overview of both games, maybe you want to play online baccarat or roulette for real money? You can find a good site to do so on our list of the best online casinos.

All of our approved casinos are approved safe and fair. They offer generous bonuses, fast payouts, and excellent customer service. They also offer both digital and live dealer versions of both baccarat and roulette!