Why Baccarat Data Could Become So Valuable to Casinos
Baccarat online is one of the most popular casino games in the world, but for many years, operators have not had as much detailed information about it as they have had for slots. While online baccarat is easy for operators to track, land-based baccarat has always been harder to analyze in detail, but this is now starting to change.
The growth of smart table technology means casinos can collect far more information about baccarat play than before. This includes bet sizes, betting patterns, side bet use, game pace, unusual results, and individual table performance, providing casino operators with advanced data on baccarat. For a game that can produce enormous swings in revenue, this wealth of data could become extremely valuable, showing how smart tables are changing baccarat in casinos.
Why Baccarat Has Been Harder to Track
Slots are relatively easy for casinos to measure. Every spin is recorded, and operators can easily see which machines are performing well, which games are attracting players, and how much each machine is expected to earn. However, the situation with baccarat is very different.
In a traditional casino, baccarat involves chips, dealers, table procedures, and human observation. Casinos can track the larger figures, but the smaller details are much harder to follow. Given the revenues involved in baccarat, this lack of detail is very frustrating for casinos.
In Macau, combined VIP and mass baccarat revenue was US$26 billion in 2025, and slot machine revenue was $1.7 billion. On the Las Vegas Strip, baccarat generated $1.4 billion in 2025, almost the same amount as blackjack, craps, and roulette combined. This is despite the fact that far fewer casinos offer baccarat, and there are far fewer baccarat tables than tables for those other games.
This makes it clear why operators are so interested in better baccarat data. If a game is producing that much revenue, then even a small improvement in understanding it can make a significant difference.
What Smart Tables Can Show
Smart baccarat tables can use technology such as RFID chips to track what is happening in real time. This gives casinos a much clearer picture of how players are betting and how each table is performing.
The information can be used in several ways. Marketing teams can make better decisions about comps and rewards, as they can see more accurate player activity. Surveillance teams can look for unusual betting patterns or results that may point to cheating. Regulators can also benefit from more accurate records, especially when it comes to tax reporting and anti-money laundering requirements.
Dr. Mana Azizsoltani, head of data science for Differential Labs, recently presented research on baccarat outcomes and probabilities at the International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
During the presentation, he said:
“In my opinion, [baccarat] is the most valuable game in the world…It’s all about quantifying risk — that’s what it all boils down to.”
Azizsoltani’s words highlight the most important point. Baccarat is simple for players, but from the casino’s perspective, it involves a great deal of risk. One good player, or one lucky run, can have a large effect on results. Having more and better-quality data makes it easier to understand whether something is really unusual or just part of the game’s normal volatility.
Understanding Luck and Side Bets
One of the most interesting uses of baccarat data is the ability to measure how unusual a result really is. Casinos often need to know whether a player has been lucky or whether something else may be happening.
As Azizsoltani explained during his presentation:
“One of the things that [operators] are interested in is this idea of, ‘How do we quantify how unlucky someone’s gotten?’, and this is kind of the motive of this project. The flipside of the coin is, how unusual is the player’s win? So the use case for player development or marketing could be this idea of losses: what is an unusual, improbable loss? But the other side is, what is an unusual, improbable win?”
This kind of analysis could be useful in several ways. If a good player has suffered an unusually bad run, a casino may decide to offer a better comp or incentive. If a player has an unusually good run, surveillance may want to take a closer look.
Side bets are another important part of the equation. According to the research, side bets account for around 6% of baccarat handle but about 40% of casinos’ theoretical win on average. This makes them extremely important to operators, even though they can also create more volatility.
A More Data-Driven Future for Baccarat
Baccarat is unlikely to ever change much from the player’s point of view. The game’s appeal still comes from its simplicity.
However, behind the scenes, casinos are likely to become much more sophisticated in how they manage the game. They will have better information about which side bets work, how players behave, when tables are most profitable, and when results fall outside the normal range.
This does not mean baccarat will become less personal or less traditional. It just means that smart tables can help casinos make better decisions, providing them with advanced data on baccarat. The game has always been valuable to casinos, but now casinos may finally be getting the information they need to understand it properly.
