UR Way Egalite Baccarat Side Bet
Baccarat is one of the best money makers for Las Vegas casinos. Despite having less than 13% of the tables on casino floors that blackjack had in 2015 (331 vs. 2,672) baccarat brought in more money to casinos than any other table game (source: UNLV Gaming). If you are curious penny slots brought in the most money of any casino game.
Baccarat has been one of the best revenue generators for casinos for many years despite its small footprint on casino floors. The big money that’s generated by baccarat is mostly from high stakes baccarat games in high limits rooms. The smaller mini and midi baccarat you see on casino floors make up only a small amount of money for casinos. This might be changing in the future.
Baccarat isn’t the most exciting game in the casino. There are two basic wagers that most people make at baccarat The Player or The Bank. Simplistically the hand (Player or Banker) with the highest total (based on a rule-set) wins. (Check out Wizard of Odds baccarat basics if you want to learn about the game). The small house edge (1.06% on the banker wager and 1.24% on the player wager) is an attraction for some players while the simplicity of the game draws others to the game.
Many of the big money baccarat players in Las Vegas aren’t from America and prefer the simplicity of the game. In an effort to bring more American players to the table side bets have been created in recent years. Some of the wagers are more popular than others but a new tie-bet (egalite) wager may be the side bet that opens the game to more people.
To avoid any confusion in terminology, the égalité wager at baccarat is another name for the tie-bet at baccarat. The names can be used interchangeably, though the tie-bet is always referred to the égalité in Europe.
The UR Way Egalite (tie bet) Wager
Earlier this year, TCSJOHNHUXLEY introduced the “UR Way Egalite” wager at ICE Totally Gaming Conference. They tout this is an easy side bet for baccarat with great payouts. One of the reasons that games like 3 Card Poker, Let It Ride and Mississippi Stud Poker have become so popular in Las Vegas is the possibility of hitting large jackpots for a small wager. Well, the Ur Way Egalite wager will bring that potential excitement to the baccarat table.
The UR Way Egalite wager isn’t an entirely new offering but it would be new in the United States. The wager allows you to expand on the “Tie” wager and pick a specific number for the tie. As you can see in the image above there are different payouts for different numbers.
Here’s a closer look at the odds (pay-out) of a specific tie, the UR Way Egalite side bet:
- Tie 0: 150 – 1
- Tie 1: 215 – 1
- Tie 2: 225 – 1
- Tie 3: 200 – 1
- Tie 4: 120 – 1
- Tie 5: 110 – 1
- Tie 6: 45 – 1
- Tie 7: 45 – 1
- Tie 8: 80 – 1
- Tie 9: 80 – 1
UR Way Egalite – High House Edge, Big Payout
According to Wizard of Odds, the house edge on the UR Way Egalite is between 0.06 for the 7 and 0.124 for the 0. The average house edge on this wager is 10.75%. That’s a far cry from the house edge of 1.06% on the Banker bet and 1.24% on the Player bet. Wagering on any egalite (tie bet) (nonspecific number) has a house edge of 14.36%. This wager certainly offers Americans the opportunity to get the big jackpot payout they love.
So, why should we expect to see this in America? Casinos are always looking for any way to generate more gaming revenue. Last year The Palazzo introduced a new illuminated Big 6 wheel and a couple of illuminated Sic Bo from TCSJOHNHUXLEY. The new twist on each game seemed to draw interest on a couple of recent visits.
Based on previous success it’s logical to think that either The Palazzo or The Venetian (both owned and operated by Las Vegas Sands) will offer this wager in at least one of the casinos. The potentially large payouts would be enjoyed by their large international customer base and the average American gambler looking for a new gambling option.
Be on the lookout for the for the UR-Way Egalite wager if you’re a baccarat player in Las Vegas. I’m not a baccarat player and the large house edge side bet wouldn’t attract me to the game. Would the chance at a 45-1 or 150-1 side bet get you to play?
Note: Updated 20 March 2019
