Overview
Baccarat, played in the Punto Banco format, compares two hands: Player and Banker. You are not dealt a hand yourself; you bet on which hand will finish closer to nine, or on a tie. Cards from two to nine count at face value, tens and picture cards count as zero and aces count as one. Only the last digit of a total counts, so 7 and 8 make 5.
Usual Commercial Rules
The steps and rules below describe how this kind of game is usually played elsewhere. They are not the procedure this website runs. The round you can play is described under “What this page settles”.
- Bet on Player, Banker or Tie before the cards are dealt.
- Two cards are dealt to each hand. A total of 8 or 9 on two cards is a natural and ends the round.
- Otherwise a third card may be drawn for either hand according to the fixed drawing table.
- The hand closer to nine wins. Banker wins are typically paid at even money less a 5% commission.
Rules
Player third card
The Player hand draws on totals of 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
Banker third card
The Banker hand's drawing decision depends on its own total and on the Player's third card, following a fixed table published in the game rules.
Commission
Because the Banker hand wins slightly more often, Banker wins are charged a commission, usually 5%. No-commission tables instead pay reduced amounts on specific Banker wins.
Ties
If you bet on Player or Banker and the round is a tie, your stake is returned.
Common Variants
- Punto Banco
- The standard casino format described on this page.
- No-commission baccarat
- Banker wins pay even money except for one specified total, which pays less.
- Speed baccarat
- The same rules with a shorter betting window and faster dealing.
- Live baccarat
- Cards dealt from a physical shoe by a studio dealer.
Payouts and House Edge
Figures below are the standard values for an eight-deck shoe. Side bets such as pairs carry a substantially higher house edge than the main bets.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 less 5% commission | about 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | about 1.24% |
| Tie | 8:1 | about 14.4% |
The figures above are standard mathematical values for the rules described. They are not a certificate for the round on this page.
What this page settles
The playable round is an even-money stake settled on this website. The chance of a win is (1 − house edge) / 2, using the house edge for this category. A win returns twice the stake. No independent laboratory certificate is published for that draw, and it is not a live studio connection.
Commercial baccarat is usually dealt from a shoe. This website does not run that shoe. The round here is even money.
Play Responsibly
Scorecards and "road" displays show past results only. They do not predict the next hand, because each hand is dealt independently. See responsible gambling for the tools available in your account.
Play a round
Even-money round against the published house edge for this category. A win returns twice the stake. This is not a live studio game. You must meet the local minimum age and be outside Ontario.