How to play Baccarat?

Updated: 18.09.2024

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Baccarat is an exciting and fast-paced card game with high winning odds. It is no surprise that it has gained popularity, often associated with the suave character James Bond. The origins of Baccarat are debated; some suggest it originated in 15th century Italy, while others believe it is French.

The rules are simple: Baccarat is played between the player and the banker. Bets can be placed on the player, the banker, or a tie. Two hands are dealt, and the one with a total closest to 9 wins.

Baccarat has different variations worldwide. The North American version is known as Punto Banco. Other versions include Chemin de Fer, Mini Baccarat, and Baccarat Banque, each using a different number of card decks and accommodating various numbers of players. You can play free Baccarat online with a virtual dealer or try Baccarat online with a live dealer.

Baccarat table explained

The size of the Baccarat table depends on the game's version. The Big Baccarat table can accommodate up to 14 players, while the Mini version allows 5 to 7 players. The minimum betting amount also varies with the table size.

Apart from Big and Mini tables, there are also Midi versions, where 9 players can play at once whereas Chemin de Fer, and Punto Banco games can accommodate 6 to 9 players at once.

Bet types

In this relatively simple game, there are three betting options.

Banker bet

Has the smallest house edge, making it the most favorable for players.
Player bet

Has the second smallest house edge with no commission involved.
Tie bet

Assumes equal card value for the player and the banker.

Baccarat scoreboard

The scoreboard is a handy tool for tracking bets.

Banker wins

When Banker bet wins, the red circle appears on the scoreboard.
Player wins

The blue circle on the scoreboard means that Player bet wins
Draw

Circle crossed out with a green line indicates a Tie on the scoreboard.

Baccarat card value

In Baccarat, the values of the cards are summed, and the suits are irrelevant. Face cards and 10s have zero value, while Aces have a value of one. Cards 2 through 9 are counted at face value.

Probabilities of each total after two cards

The table below describes your chances of getting points from 0 to 9 with a combination of two cards:

Card combination probability in Baccarat
2-Card Combinations in Baccarat
Total	6–DECK	8–DECK
0	14.7168%	14.7359%
1	9.4979%	9.4903%
2	9.4484%	9.4532%
3	9.4979%	9.4903%
4	9.4484%	9.4532%
5	9.4979%	9.4903%
6	9.4484%	9.4532%
7	9.4979%	9.4903%
8	9.4484%	9.4532%
9	9.4979%	9.4903%

Example Hand #1

Ace plus King

If you were playing Blackjack, this would be a winning hand and it would be a great start in many other card games. However, in Baccarat, it has a total value of 1 only:

King (0) + Ace (1) = 1

If this was the player’s hand, a third card would be dealt according to the drawing rules.

Example Hand #2

Four plus Five

This combination is the best you can get in Baccarat as it totals 9.

Four (4) + Five (5) = 9

A total of 8 or 9 is called a natural, meaning it automatically wins unless the other hand is higher (8 vs 9) or equal to this (9 vs 9), which means a tie.

Example Hand #3

Nine plus Seven

These two cards give a total value of 16. However, in Baccarat, the total card value cannot exceed 9, therefore you need to subtract 10 so this hand is worth 6.

Nine (9) + Seven (7) = 16 - 10 = 6

Example Hand #4

Nine plus Ace

This combination will give you a total of 0.

Nine (9) + Ace (1) = 10 - 10 = 0

In this case, a third card would be drawn and the value of that would be added to 0. If this card happens to be a Five, the total value of the hand would now be 5.

Best Bets in Baccarat

As we already know, the banker bet is slightly better than the player bet. But why?

In an eight-deck Baccarat there are 4,998,398,275,503,360 different combinations possible to give 4, 5 or 6 card player vs. banker hand.

Of those almost 5 quadrillion combinations:

2,292,252,566,437,888 – result in banker wins.
2,230,518,282,592,256 – result in player wins.

475,627,426,473,216 – result in ties.

Those enormous numbers are really too hard to take in, but if we will break them to percentages, and 5% commission on Banker wins, the bets come out more understandable:

Banker bet win/lose probability
Banker Bet – 8 Decks
Event	Pays	Probability	Return
Banker Wins	0.95	45.8597%	43.5667%
Player Wins	-1	44.6247%	-44.6247%
Tie	0	9.51%	-1.05%

Player bet win/lose probability
Player Bet – 8 Decks
Event	Pays	Probability	Return
Banker Wins	-1	45.8597%	-45.8597%
Player Wins	1	44.6247%	44.6247%
Tie	0	9.51%	0

Instruction

1. Place the bet

Placing the bet in Baccarat is extremely easy. No matter which version of the game you are playing, the three sections where you need to place your chips are right in front of you and clearly labelled as “Player”, “Banker”, and “Tie”, with the Player being the closest to you and the Tie the furthest away.

2. Wait until dealer will give you your cards

Once the bets are placed, the dealer will start dealing two hands. At this point, you are not allowed to touch your chips anymore. Two cards are drawn for the Banker and the Player and depending on the total amount, a third card might be drawn. Then it is determined who won.

3. Payout

The Payout is also easy to understand and follow. For both the Banker and the Player, the payout is 1:1 but for Banker bets, there is usually a 5% commission, and for a Tie, it is either 1:8 or 1:9. This depends on the Baccarat casino and you should find this out before placing your first bet.

Baccarat types

With different Baccarat types come various table layouts so you can be playing alone or alongside other people, with one, two, or three dealers. The minimum bet amounts also differ, and there can be just the three betting options or the possibility to place side bets.

1. Big Baccarat

This is the full-size version of the game that most land-based casinos will have. The table’s shape is oval and there is a U-shaped area cut out on each side of the table for the 3 dealers. A maximum of 14 players can play at once with yellow numbers marking the places from 1 to 15, as number 13 is omitted.

2. Mini Baccarat

This table is half of a circle and has only 5 (or sometimes 7) places for players. The places are numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, leaving out number 4, which is also considered unlucky. This game has only one dealer who stands opposite to the players.

3. Online Baccarat

The Online Baccarat table is similar to the Mini table which is compact and you are playing alone with a virtual dealer. There are three betting options: banker, player, and tie with the player being closest to you. Some online casinos allow side bets as well. Usually, you have a chance to try online Baccarat free.

4. Live dealer Baccarat

In this version of the online game, you follow the same rules as in standard Baccarat and an actual person is dealing the cards. This gives the player a real casino experience as there can be several players who one can interact with.

Best strategies that might help you

When you play a Baccarat casino game, you have some of the best odds of winning compared to many other casino games. However, it is a very fast game and you have to be aware of the rules if you want to increase your chances of winning. Unlike in Blackjack or Poker, though, the only decision you will have to make around the Baccarat table is how much to wager and how often.

Always avoid the Tie bet

The winnings of 1:8 or even 1:9 might be appealing but statistically, you have poor chances of enriching yourself with tie bets. The probability of winning with a tie is only 9.54% so unless you are playing Baccarat free, do not bet on this.

Bet with the Banker

This is the most basic strategy and it comes down to simple maths. The return to the player payout percentage is an incredible 98.94% meaning that if you have placed 100 bets of $1, statistically you will receive back $98.94. Even when considering the possible 5% commission on the Banker bet, this is still a marginally better bet than the Player.

The D’Alembert System

The system of the French theorist comes down to the principle that chances of winning and losing will eventually even out. You need to choose a unit that can be, for example, one chip or $1. Every time you lose you increase your wager by one unit and every time you win you take away one unit from your next wager.

Online vs Live dealer

Online Baccarat

A wide variety of Baccarat types can be available when playing in an online casino.
Many casinos offer mobile versions of the game so you can play Baccarat online even when you are on the move.
The pace of the game adapts to you. You can place as many bets as you want within a short time.
You can play Baccarat online free or for real money.
There is no risk when playing free online Baccarat and you can get better before you try out the live dealer version.
In many online casinos, you can place side bets on Baccarat so you have more choices than the usual Banker, Player, and Tie.

Live Dealer Baccarat

Playing with a Live Dealer transports your senses to a real casino. There is an actual person in a good-looking uniform.
As convenient as playing Online Baccarat but the thrill is on a different level.
You can pick your dealer who seems/looks the nicest to you.
The pace can be slower as you have to wait for a human to shuffle and deal the cards and other players can be slow to place their bets.
Some casinos allow you to play Baccarat online free in a demo with no stakes.
If there are no free seats, you might need to wait to play, but at least you can put down your name on a waiting list.