What Is Baccarat?
Baccarat is one of the oldest and most player-friendly games in the casino. Two hands are dealt — the Player and the Banker — and you simply bet on which one will come closest to a total of 9. No skill is required to play, the drawing rules are fully automatic, and the Banker bet carries a house edge of just 1.06% — one of the lowest of any table game.
Despite its reputation as a high-roller game, the rules are straightforward and the decisions minimal. Once you understand card values and the drawing rules, there is nothing left to learn except which bet to make.
Card Values in Baccarat
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 through 9 | Face value |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King | 0 |
Hand totals only use the units digit. A hand of 7 + 8 = 15 counts as 5. A hand of 9 + 9 = 18 counts as 8. You can never bust in Baccarat.
How to Play Baccarat
- Place your bet. Choose to bet on the Player hand, the Banker hand, or a Tie before any cards are dealt.
- Initial deal. Four cards are dealt face up — two to the Player, two to the Banker, alternating one at a time.
- Check for a Natural. If either hand totals 8 or 9, it is called a Natural. No more cards are drawn and the higher hand wins immediately.
- Apply the drawing rules. If no Natural, the Tableau (drawing rules below) determines whether each hand receives a third card. This is fully automatic — you make no decisions here.
- Determine the winner. The hand closer to 9 wins. If both hands tie, Tie bets win and all Player/Banker bets push.
Baccarat Trainer
Place your bet, hit Deal, and the Tableau rules run automatically. Use this to get comfortable with how the drawing rules work and track your session results.
The Tableau (Drawing Rules)
These rules are fixed and applied automatically in every game. You never need to make a drawing decision.
Player Drawing Rules
| Player Total | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 – 5 | Draws a third card |
| 6 – 7 | Stands |
| 8 – 9 | Natural — no draw |
Banker Drawing Rules
If the Player did not draw a third card, the Banker draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker follows this table:
| Banker Total | Draws if Player’s 3rd Card Is | Stands if Player’s 3rd Card Is |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 1, 2 | Always draws | — |
| 3 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 | 8 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 0, 1, 8, 9 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 |
| 6 | 6, 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 |
| 7 | Always stands | — |
| 8, 9 | Natural — no draw | — |
Betting Options, Payouts & House Edge
| Bet | Payout | House Edge | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 minus 5% commission (0.95:1) | 1.06% | ✓ Best bet every time |
| Player | 1:1 | 1.24% | Acceptable alternative |
| Tie | 8:1 | 14.36% | ✗ Avoid — very high edge |
The 5% commission on Banker wins is what keeps the house edge positive. Without it, Banker would have a player edge due to its drawing rule advantage. Always account for this commission when calculating session results.
Baccarat Glossary
Natural A two-card total of 8 or 9. No third card is drawn and the hand is resolved immediately.
Punto Banco The most common form of Baccarat. All drawing decisions are fixed by the Tableau rules, neither the Player nor Banker has any discretion.
Tableau The fixed set of drawing rules that determine whether each hand receives a third card.
Banker (Banco) One of the two hands dealt in Baccarat. Not a person, just a hand designation. The Banker bet has the lowest house edge at 1.06%.
Player (Punto) The other hand dealt in Baccarat. The Player bet pays even money with a 1.24% house edge.
Commission The 5% fee deducted from winning Banker bets. Reduces the effective Banker payout to 0.95:1.
Tie (Standoff) When both the Player and Banker hands finish with the same total. Pays 8:1 but carries a 14.36% house edge.
Shoe The device holding the multiple decks of cards used in Baccarat, typically 6 or 8 decks.
Mini-Baccarat A faster, lower-minimum version of Punto Banco played at a smaller table with a single dealer handling all cards.
EZ Baccarat A commission-free variant where a Banker win with a three-card total of 7 results in a push rather than paying commission on every Banker win.
Chemin de Fer A European variant where players take turns acting as Banker and the Player has limited discretion on drawing a third card.
Baccarat (score) The worst hand in the game, a total of zero. The word baccarat means zero in Italian, which is where the game gets its name.
Baccarat Strategy
Baccarat is a pure chance game with fixed drawing rules, there are no decisions to make during the hand. Strategy is entirely about which bet to place.
- Always bet Banker. At 1.06% house edge, it is the best recurring bet in the casino. The 5% commission is worth paying for the reduced edge.
- Never bet Tie. The 14.36% house edge makes it one of the worst bets on any table game. The 8:1 payout is not sufficient compensation for the probability.
- Ignore patterns and scorecards. Each hand is statistically independent. Previous results, no matter how many Bankers or Players in a row, have zero influence on the next outcome. Streak-chasing systems (Martingale, Fibonacci, etc.) do not change the house edge.
- Manage your bankroll. Set a session loss limit before you sit down. Baccarat moves fast, especially in the Mini-Baccarat format, and credits deplete quickly without discipline.
Baccarat Variants
| Variant | Key Difference | Where Found |
|---|---|---|
| Punto Banco | Fully automatic drawing rules. Most common form worldwide. | All major casinos, online universally |
| Mini-Baccarat | Same rules as Punto Banco, smaller table, faster pace, lower minimums. | Casino floors, all online casinos |
| Chemin de Fer | Players take turns as Banker. Player has limited drawing discretion. | European casinos, rare online |
| Baccarat Banque | One player holds the Banker role for the entire shoe. Higher stakes. | European casinos, rare online |
| EZ Baccarat | No Banker commission. Banker wins with 3-card total of 7 push instead. | Select US casinos, some online |
| Dragon Tiger | Simplified: one card each, highest wins. Baccarat-adjacent. | Asian casinos, live dealer online |
Best Online Casinos for Baccarat
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baccarat a good game for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the best. There are no complex decisions to make during the hand. You place your bet, the drawing rules run automatically, and the winner is declared. The learning curve is limited to understanding card values and why the Banker bet is preferable. Most players are confident within a few hands.
Why does the Banker bet have a commission?
The Banker hand wins more often than the Player hand because of its drawing rule advantages, roughly 45.8% of non-tie hands vs. 44.6% for Player. Without the 5% commission, Banker would have a player edge. The commission is the house’s way of maintaining its advantage while still offering the bet with the lowest house edge on the table.
Should I ever bet on Tie?
No. The Tie bet pays 8:1 but carries a 14.36% house edge, more than ten times higher than the Banker bet. It occurs roughly 9.5% of the time. The payout is not sufficient for the probability, making it one of the worst bets in the entire casino. Treat it as a novelty bet only, if at all.
Do betting systems like Martingale work in Baccarat?
No system overcomes a house edge. Martingale (doubling after losses) and similar progressions manage variance but cannot change the mathematical outcome over time. They also expose you to large losses during extended losing streaks that can quickly exceed table maximums. The only edge reduction available in Baccarat is choosing the Banker bet consistently.
How many decks are used in Baccarat?
Standard Punto Banco and Mini-Baccarat use 6 or 8 decks shuffled together in a shoe. Online RNG versions typically simulate 8 decks. The number of decks has a marginal effect on house edge — 8 decks gives a very slightly higher edge than 6 decks, but the difference is negligible in practice.
What is a Natural in Baccarat?
A Natural is when either the Player or Banker hand totals 8 or 9 on the first two cards. When a Natural occurs, neither hand draws a third card and the hand is immediately resolved. A Natural 9 beats a Natural 8. If both hands have the same Natural total, it is a tie.
Is online Baccarat fair?
At licensed casinos, yes. RNG versions are audited by independent labs (eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI) to confirm they replicate a genuine multi-deck shoe. Live dealer Baccarat uses physical cards dealt by a real dealer on camera, eliminating any RNG concerns entirely. Always play at licensed, regulated operators.
