Online Baccarat: Rules and Odds
Baccarat looks formal, but there are no decisions to make once you have placed your bet. Here is how the cards are dealt and why the banker bet is the one most players watch.
How baccarat is dealt
The version played in UK casinos is punto banco. Two hands are dealt, called Player and Banker, and you bet on which one will finish closer to 9, or on a tie. The names are just labels: you're not playing the hand yourself, and you don't have to bet on the Player.
Each hand gets two cards. Depending on the totals, a third card may be dealt to one or both hands under fixed rules, and then the hand closer to 9 wins.
Card values
- Aces count 1.
- Cards 2 to 9 count their face value.
- Tens, jacks, queens and kings count 0.
Only the last digit of a total counts, so a hand of 7 and 8 (15) is worth 5.
The third-card rule
The dealer applies the rules automatically, so you never need to remember them, but here's how they work:
- If either hand has 8 or 9 from its first two cards (a "natural"), no more cards are dealt.
- Player draws a third card on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
- If Player stands, Banker draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
- If Player draws, Banker's decision depends on its total and Player's third card:
| Banker total | Banker draws when Player's third card is |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Any card |
| 3 | Anything except 8 |
| 4 | 2 to 7 |
| 5 | 4 to 7 |
| 6 | 6 or 7 |
| 7 | Banker stands |
Player, banker and tie bets
| Bet | Pays | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1 to 1, less 5% commission | about 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 | about 1.24% |
| Tie | usually 8 to 1 | about 14.4% |
If the hands tie, Player and Banker bets are normally returned.
Commission and the house edge
Because of the drawing rules, the Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand. To balance that, winning Banker bets pay 1 to 1 less a 5% commission: a £10 Banker win pays £9.50. Even after commission, the Banker bet has the lowest house edge on the table.
No-commission baccarat removes the 5% charge but changes a payout instead; a common version pays only half on a Banker win with a total of 6. The house edge moves accordingly, so read the table rules.
The tie pays the most but has by far the highest house edge.
Side bets
Many tables offer side bets such as Player Pair, Banker Pair or bonuses for winning by a large margin. They pay attractive multiples, but their house edges are much higher than the main bets.
Live baccarat
Live baccarat is one of the most popular live casino games. You'll find classic tables, speed baccarat with faster rounds, and "squeeze" tables where the dealer reveals cards slowly for suspense. The rules for the main bets stay the same. These are the live casino options from our featured brands:
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For more on live dealer games, see our live casino page, or compare odds with our guides to blackjack and roulette.
Keep it fun
Set a budget before you play, never chase losses and take regular breaks. Gambling should never be a way to make money. Free, confidential help is available from GamCare or the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
