Baccarat guide
How to play baccarat, explained.
Baccarat looks formal, but it's one of the easiest casino games to play. You pick a side, the cards are dealt by fixed rules, and you make no decisions after betting. This guide covers the bets, card values, the third-card rules, payouts and house edge, and why scorecards don't predict anything.
The basics
How a hand works
"Player" and "Banker" are just the names of the two hands on the table. You don't play either hand yourself; you bet on which one will win.
Choose your bet
Bet on Player, Banker or Tie. You can add side bets if the table offers them.
Two cards each
The Player hand and the Banker hand get two cards each, usually from a shoe of eight decks.
A possible third card
Fixed rules decide whether either hand gets a third card. Nobody makes a choice, so you never need to know the rules to play.
Closest to 9 wins
The hand with the total closer to 9 wins. If the totals are equal, it's a tie.
Card values
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 9 | Face value |
| 10, J, Q, K | 0 |
Only the last digit of the total counts. A 7 and an 8 make 15, which counts as 5. A hand can never go over 9, so there's no bust. A two-card total of 8 or 9 is a "natural".
The drawing rules
The third-card rules, simply
The dealer or the software applies these rules automatically. They're here so you can follow what's happening.
Naturals first
If either hand has 8 or 9 from its first two cards, both hands stand and the round is settled.
The Player hand
With 0 to 5, the Player hand draws a third card. With 6 or 7, it stands.
The Banker hand
If the Player hand stood, the Banker hand follows the same rule: draw on 0 to 5, stand on 6 or 7. If the Player hand drew, the Banker hand follows the table below.
Banker's rule when the Player hand has drawn
| Banker total | Banker draws if the Player's third card is | Banker stands if the Player's third card is |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 1 or 2 | Any card | Never |
| 3 | Anything except 8 | 8 |
| 4 | 2 to 7 | Ace, 8, 9 or a ten-value card |
| 5 | 4 to 7 | Ace, 2, 3, 8, 9 or a ten-value card |
| 6 | 6 or 7 | Anything else |
| 7 | Never | Any card |
These rules are the reason the Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand: it acts second, and its drawing depends on what the Player hand did.
The numbers that matter
Payouts and house edge
The house edge is the share of each bet the casino expects to keep over the long run. Baccarat's main bets have some of the lowest edges in the casino.
| Bet | Pays | A 10-unit win returns | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 minus 5% commission | 9.50 plus your stake | About 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | 10 plus your stake | About 1.24% |
| Tie | Usually 8:1 | 80 plus your stake | About 14.4% |
Figures are for a standard eight-deck game. When a hand ties, Banker and Player bets are usually returned (a push). A few tables pay 9:1 on the Tie, which lowers its edge to about 4.8%, still well above the main bets.
Why Banker pays commission
The Banker hand wins a little more often than the Player hand. The 5% commission on Banker wins balances that out, leaving it with a slightly lower edge than Player.
No-commission baccarat
Many tables drop the commission. Instead, a Banker win with a total of 6 usually pays only half. This raises the Banker edge to roughly 1.46%. The exact rule varies, so check the help screen.
Side bets
Extra bets on things like either hand getting a pair, or the size of the winning margin. They can pay big multiples but carry a much higher house edge than Banker or Player.
Myths
Patterns, roads and scorecards
Baccarat tables often show results as grids of coloured circles, called roads or scorecards. They're a record of what happened, nothing more.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Banker has won five in a row, so follow the streak." | Each hand is close to independent. A run of Banker wins doesn't make the next one more or less likely. |
| "The roads show which way the shoe is going." | The roads are a summary of past results. Patterns appear in any random sequence, and they don't predict the next hand. |
| "Ties are due after a long gap." | The Tie has the same low chance every hand. Waiting for a "due" tie just means making a high-edge bet more often. |
| "Switching sides after a loss wins it back." | Each bet keeps its own edge. Changing sides or raising stakes after a loss is still chasing losses. |
| "Squeezing the cards slowly changes them." | The cards are already set when they're dealt. The slow reveal is just for show. |
Online baccarat
Live and RNG baccarat
RNG baccarat
Played against software, with a random number generator dealing the cards. Hands are quick and you set the pace, so more hands an hour means more staked.
Live baccarat
Real cards and a real dealer, streamed from a studio. Speed versions shorten the betting time, and some games add random multipliers in exchange for lower standard payouts. See our live casino guide.
Bonuses and baccarat
Casino bonuses often count baccarat at a low rate towards wagering, or exclude it. Read the terms first, and see our guide to wagering requirements.
Want a table game where your choices matter? Read our guides to blackjack and poker. For another game of pure chance, see roulette or pokies.
Before you play
Playing sensibly
A low house edge still means losing over time, and baccarat hands are quick. The amount you stake adds up faster than it feels.
- Set a budget before you start and treat it as the cost of entertainment. Only use money you can afford to lose.
- Stick to the main bets if you want your money to last. Tie and side bets cost much more over time.
- Check the commission rule. Know whether the table takes 5% on Banker wins or pays half on a Banker 6.
- Ignore the roads when deciding what to bet. They don't predict anything.
- Watch your pace. At 10 units a hand and 100 hands an hour, you're staking 1,000 units an hour.
- Use deposit limits, session reminders and time-outs. Most sites offer them in your account settings.
- Stop when you planned to, win or lose, and never chase losses.
Good to know
Baccarat FAQ
Is it better to bet on Banker or Player?
Banker has a slightly lower house edge, about 1.06% against 1.24% for Player, even after the 5% commission. The difference is small, and neither bet can be beaten over the long run.
Why is there a commission on Banker bets?
Because of the third-card rules, the Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand. The 5% commission on Banker wins stops it from being a better-than-even bet.
Should I bet on the Tie?
The Tie usually pays 8:1, which gives it a house edge of about 14.4%, far higher than the main bets. It wins rarely and costs a lot over time.
Do baccarat scorecards help predict results?
No. Scorecards and roads only record past hands. Patterns show up in any random sequence, and they don't tell you anything about the next hand.
What is no-commission baccarat?
A version where Banker wins pay 1:1 without the 5% commission, except a Banker win with a total of 6, which usually pays only half. Overall, the Banker bet has a slightly higher house edge than in standard baccarat.
Check the rules where you live. Whether online baccarat and other casino games are legal, and which sites you can use, depends on local laws and each operator's own terms. This guide is general information only and isn't a recommendation. 18+ only. If gambling stops being fun, see our responsible gambling page.