Baccarat is a casino card game in which players bet on which of two hands – the Player Hand or the Bank Hand – will finish with a total closest to nine. No playing decisions are required. You place your bet before the cards are dealt, and fixed house rules determine everything that follows.
Despite its reputation as a high-roller game, baccarat has one of the lowest house edges in any casino: 1.06% on the Bank Hand and 1.24% on the Player Hand. It's one of the best-value bets on the floor.
How to Play Baccarat: The Basics
A round of baccarat works as follows:
- Before any cards are dealt, you place a bet on the Bank Hand, the Player Hand, or a Tie
- Two cards are dealt to each hand
- Fixed rules determine whether either hand draws a third card
- The hand closest to nine wins
- Winning bets are paid; losing bets are collected
That's the complete game. There are no decisions to make once betting closes. Baccarat is one of the simplest table games in any casino.
Baccarat Card Values
Every card has a fixed point value. Suits have no relevance in baccarat.
- 2 through 9: face value (an 8 is worth 8)
- 10, Jack, Queen, King: zero
- Ace: one
The name baccarat comes from the Italian word baccara, meaning zero – a reference to the fact that tens and picture cards count as nothing.
If a hand's total exceeds nine, subtract ten to get the final score. A hand of 7 and 6 totals 13, which becomes 3. A hand of 9 and 5 totals 14, which becomes 4. Hands cannot bust, so going over nine simply resets the count.
Baccarat Payouts
Player Hand pays 1 to 1. A $10 bet returns $10 in winnings.
Bank Hand pays 1 to 1, minus a 5% commission. On a $10 winning bet, you receive $9.50. The commission exists because the Bank Hand wins more often than the Player Hand on resolved bets: 50.68% versus 49.32%.
Without the commission, backing the Bank Hand every round would give players a mathematical edge. The 5% corrects for that. This payout is also expressed as 19 to 20.
Tie pays 8 to 1. A $10 Tie bet returns $80, and your original stake is returned. However, the Tie bet carries a house edge of 14.36%, more than 10 times that of either the Bank or Player Hand. It should be avoided.
Note: some casinos display the Tie as "9 for 1." This is identical to 8 to 1 – nine chips are returned, including your original stake.
What Is a Natural in Baccarat?
A natural is when either the Player Hand or Bank Hand totals 8 or 9 from the first two cards dealt. A natural ends the round immediately; no third card is drawn by either side.
- A natural 9 beats a natural 8
- If both hands produce the same natural, the round is a tie
- A natural 8 or 9 cannot be beaten by a non-natural hand
Baccarat Third Card Rules
After the initial two cards are dealt, a third card may be drawn by one or both hands. These rules are completely fixed. Neither the player nor the dealer makes any judgement call – the Caller applies them automatically on every hand.
Player Hand Third Card Rule
The Player Hand rule depends only on its own two-card total:
- Total of 0 to 5: draws a third card
- Total of 6 or 7: stands
- Total of 8 or 9: natural – round ends immediately
The Bank Hand total has no effect on this decision.
Bank Hand Third Card Rule
The Bank Hand rule depends on its own two-card total and, in some cases, the value of the Player Hand's third card.
Bank totals 0, 1 or 2: always draws a third card, regardless of the Player Hand.
Bank totals 7: always stands.
Bank totals 8 or 9: natural – round ends immediately.
Bank totals 3, 4, 5 or 6: the decision depends on whether the Player Hand drew a third card, and if so, what that card was.
- Bank totals 3: draws if the Player's third card was 0-7 or 9. Stands if the Player's third card was 8.
- Bank totals 4: draws if the Player's third card was 2-7. Stands if it was 0, 1, 8 or 9.
- Bank totals 5: draws if the Player's third card was 4-7. Stands if it was 0-3, 8 or 9.
- Bank totals 6: draws if the Player's third card was 6 or 7. Stands on everything else, and also stands if the Player Hand did not draw a third card at all.
You are not required to memorise these rules to play baccarat. The Caller manages every third card decision. Knowing the rules helps you follow the action and catch the occasional dealer error.
Baccarat House Edge
Baccarat is one of the lowest house-edge games in any casino. The figures below apply to a standard eight-deck game.
- Bank Hand: 1.06% house edge
- Player Hand: 1.24% house edge
- Tie: 14.36% house edge
The Bank Hand is the marginally better bet, even after the 5% commission. Over time, the commission costs less than the extra edge you give back by switching to the Player Hand. Betting the Tie regularly is the fastest way to undermine your bankroll at a baccarat table.
Some casinos reduce the commission on the Bank Hand below 5%. A 4% commission lowers the house edge meaningfully. At 2% or below, the edge actually flips in the player's favour. If you find a reduced-commission baccarat table, it's worth playing.
Types of Baccarat Tables
There are three formats of baccarat. The rules are identical across all three, and the differences are in the stakes, pace, and whether players can handle the cards.
Mini-Baccarat is the most accessible version. Tables seat up to seven players on the main casino floor, with minimum bets typically between $5 and $15. The dealer handles all cards. This makes the game fast, with over 200 hands per hour.
Midi-Baccarat seats up to nine players and allows players to handle the cards, which slows the pace. Stakes are higher than mini-baccarat. Tables appear on the main floor or in high-limit rooms.
Full-size Baccarat (also called Big Baccarat or Punto Banco) is the high-roller format. Up to 14 players, three dealers, minimum bets of $100 or more, and maximums that can reach six figures on major casino floors. Players handle the cards. The pace is slow – 40 to 70 hands per hour.
How to Play Baccarat Online
Online baccarat follows exactly the same rules as the land-based game. 888casino offers baccarat across a range of stakes, including live dealer tables where a real dealer manages the cards via video stream. Live baccarat replicates the experience of a full table game while remaining accessible from anywhere.
FAQ – How to Play Baccarat
What is the best bet in baccarat?
The Bank Hand is the best bet in baccarat. It carries a house edge of 1.06%, compared to 1.24% for the Player Hand. Despite the 5% commission on winnings, the Bank Hand wins more often on resolved bets and costs less over time than the Player Hand.
Why does the Bank Hand have a commission?
The Bank Hand wins more often than the Player Hand on resolved bets: 50.68% versus 49.32%. Without a commission, backing the Bank Hand every round would give players a mathematical edge over the casino. The 5% commission restores the house edge while keeping both bets competitive.
What does natural mean in baccarat?
A natural is a two-card total of 8 or 9 on either the Player or Bank Hand. It ends the round immediately, with no third card being drawn. A natural 9 beats a natural 8. If both hands produce the same natural, the round is a tie.
Does the Tie bet pay 8 to 1 or 9 for 1?
Both expressions describe the same payout. "8 to 1" means you receive eight times your stake in winnings, plus your stake back. "9 for 1" means nine chips are returned in total, which includes your original stake. The net result is identical. Either way, the Tie bet has a 14.36% house edge and should be avoided.
Do I need to memorise the third card rules?
No. The Caller automatically manages all third card decisions. The rules are fixed and applied the same way on every hand. Understanding them helps you follow the action, but you can play baccarat without knowing them.
Key Takeaways
- Baccarat is a card game with three possible bets – Player Hand, Bank Hand, or Tie – where the winning hand is the one closest to nine
- Player Hand pays 1 to 1; Bank Hand pays 1 to 1 minus 5% commission; Tie pays 8 to 1
- No playing decisions are required; all rules are fixed and applied automatically
- Cards 2-9 count face value; 10s and picture cards count zero; aces count one
- A natural (8 or 9 from two cards) ends the round immediately
- House edge: Bank Hand 1.06%, Player Hand 1.24%, Tie 14.36%
- The Tie bet should be avoided – its house edge is over ten times higher than the other two bets
- Mini-, Midi-, and Full-size Baccarat follow identical rules; they differ in stakes, pace, and card-handling
