A Quick Guide to Roadmap Betting

Great Bridge Links | 2024 | Alex J Coyne

Baccarat is one of the world’s most popular casino-based card games, and you’re likely to encounter this game alongside other ones like Blackjack and Rummy. However, Baccarat is one of those games that can be considered easy to learn—and extremely complex to get the hang of.

There are several ways to beat a Baccarat dealer. Some players believe that looking for patterns is key to following the cards: this is where what they called Roadmaps become useful.

What is roadmap betting, and how does it work?

Can it be applied successfully to any other casino games?

Here’s more about the traditional Baccarat roadmap, and how they work.

Playing Baccarat

If you’ve never heard of Baccarat outside of James Bond or you’re completely new to the game, start with the rules.

You’ll like Baccarat if you enjoy simplicity, because Baccarat has only three (3) true options to bet on: Banker, Player, or Tie.

There are ways to add side-bets to your Baccarat game, but those are the main bets, for which each has different odds—and like most other casino games, each has different pay-outs.

Here’s a video with more about the most basic Baccarat rules:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3HPFoKrOPY

Scoring Probability: The Most Basic Roadmap

A roadmap is a simple grid that’s designed to record score probabilities as they occur.

While it might look complicated for beginners, it’s a simple tabled-grid which records each round and its results—this way, players can step away from the cards they might have just been dealt to see what the past 30 deals might have looked like.

A roadmap is usually drawn based on the amount of games or deals you’d like to measure. For each game, the probability and frequency of Banker, Player, and Tie are recorded.

Why Baccarat Roadmaps Could Work

There’s no single strategy that guarantees your win every time during a card game. However, there are strategies that could point out which options are more likely to come up next—and roadmaps create a simple probability table for the game you’re playing.

There are various types of Baccarat roadmaps. Here’s a beginner-friendly breakdown of the most common types:

1. Big Road:
   • This is the most common and straightforward roadmap. It tracks the outcomes of each game (Banker win, Player win, or Tie) using colored symbols: red for Banker, blue for Player, and green for Ties.
   • The grid starts a new column when the outcome changes (e.g., Banker to Player). Big Road focuses on win streaks and provides a broad overview of the game’s progression.
2. Bead Plate:
   • Simpler than the Big Road, the Bead Plate records results in a grid format where each cell represents one round. Banker wins are marked red, Player wins are marked blue, and Ties are marked green.
   • Unlike the Big Road, it doesn’t track patterns—just the sequence of results.
3. Small Road:
   • This roadmap is more advanced, focusing on patterns and streaks. It begins one column to the right of the Big Road and excludes the first result of any new streak, making it ideal for identifying trends without including every individual result.
   • It uses red and blue circles but not to represent Banker or Player; instead, these colors signify trends (e.g., consistent outcomes or breaks in patterns).
4. Cockroach Pig:
   • This roadmap is even more complex and tracks disruptions in patterns rather than straightforward outcomes. It’s used by advanced players who want to spot when a game deviates from expected trends.
   • Like the Small Road, its colors don’t correspond directly to Banker or Player but rather the stability of the results.
5. Big Eye Boy:
   • A supplemental roadmap that evaluates consistency in the Big Road. A new column starts when a new trend or pattern begins. Players use this roadmap to assess the game’s randomness versus its predictability.

There’s an excellent article on Baccarat Roadmaps on ESBALL.

Baccarat roadmaps could tell you the most likely options for what’s next. However, simple Baccarat roadmaps can also be applied to other games!

So are these roadmaps paper … or what?

Yes! Well, sometimes. Baccarat roadmaps can be implemented in several formats, depending on the setting and player preference. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Paper Roadmaps

• • Traditional casinos often provide printed grids for players who prefer manual tracking.
  • Players use pens or markers to fill in results, making it a hands-on way to record outcomes.

2. Electronic Roadmaps

• • Many modern casinos, especially in larger venues, use electronic displays to show real-time roadmaps.
  • These are automatically updated and visible to all players at the table, offering convenience without manual tracking.

3. Mobile and Online Formats

• • In online Baccarat or mobile casino apps, roadmaps are typically built into the interface.
  • Players can view and interact with roadmaps, such as toggling between types (e.g., Big Road, Bead Plate).

4. Custom Tracking Tools

• • Some players use custom spreadsheets or mobile apps to manually track results and analyze patterns outside the game interface.

In most settings, roadmaps are adapted to the technological level of the game, meaning that paper is common in bricks and mortar casinos and digital versions are used online and in hybrid environments.

Using Probability Tables

Probability tables could change the way you look at various probability games, and might make it much easier to practice for different casino games at home.

Could you use probability tables for other games like Bingo or Chess?

Yup.

Most probability tables work on the same principles as examples of a casino roadmap above. Record results and seek patterns, or the potential likelihood of future moves.

Wizard of Odds shows a table created from various Bingo results, which could prove useful when applied to anything from dice rolls to slots.

Probability is one way to find patterns through odds, and it can even be versatile enough to find likely starting hands for Yu-Gi-Oh! duels.  Sometimes, you can even find probability calculators, like this one for Yu-Gi-Oh!

Could you find out how to beat the odds with probability?