What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat is a comparing card game played between two hands — the Player and the Banker. Despite its elegant reputation, baccarat requires no skill or decision-making during gameplay. You simply place a bet before the cards are dealt, and the outcome is determined by fixed rules.
It's one of the most popular table games worldwide, particularly in Asian casinos and high-roller rooms, and it carries some of the lowest house edges available on a casino floor.
The Three Bets You Can Make
- Player: Bet that the Player hand will win. House edge: ~1.24%.
- Banker: Bet that the Banker hand will win. House edge: ~1.06% (after 5% commission on wins).
- Tie: Bet that both hands tie. Typically pays 8:1 or 9:1 but carries a house edge of around 14%. Generally avoided by experienced players.
Card Values in Baccarat
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 through 9 | Face value |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King | 0 |
Hand totals only use the last digit of the sum. So a hand of 7 + 8 = 15 counts as 5. A hand of 6 + 4 = 10 counts as 0 (called "baccarat"). The highest possible hand is 9.
Step-by-Step: How a Round Is Played
- Place your bet on Player, Banker, or Tie before cards are dealt.
- Two cards are dealt to both the Player hand and the Banker hand, face up.
- Natural win check: If either hand totals 8 or 9 ("a natural"), no more cards are drawn. The higher hand wins, or it's a tie.
- Player draws rule: If the Player total is 0–5, the Player draws a third card. If 6 or 7, the Player stands.
- Banker draws rule: The Banker's action depends on their total and whether the Player drew a third card (see below).
- Compare totals: The hand closest to 9 wins.
Banker Third Card Rules
The Banker's drawing rule is more complex but is handled automatically by the dealer — you don't need to memorize it to play:
- Banker total 0–2: Always draws a third card.
- Banker total 3: Draws unless Player's third card was an 8.
- Banker total 4: Draws if Player's third card was 2–7.
- Banker total 5: Draws if Player's third card was 4–7.
- Banker total 6: Draws if Player's third card was 6–7.
- Banker total 7: Always stands.
Payouts at a Glance
- Banker win: 1:1 (minus a 5% commission, so effectively 0.95:1).
- Player win: 1:1.
- Tie: 8:1 (some tables pay 9:1).
Tips for New Baccarat Players
- Stick to Banker or Player bets only. The Tie bet's high house edge makes it a poor long-term choice.
- Banker is statistically the best bet due to its lower house edge, even after the commission.
- Set a session budget before you sit down and stick to it.
- Ignore "trend" scorecards. Past outcomes don't influence future results in baccarat — each hand is independent.
- Look for commission-free baccarat variants where Banker pays 1:1 with slightly adjusted rules.
Baccarat's simplicity is its greatest strength. Once you understand the three bets and know that the rules run automatically, you can focus on enjoying the game with confidence.