Baccarat rules: Player, Banker and Tie bets explained

What can you bet on?

• Player: the Player hand ends closer to nine.
• Banker: the Banker hand ends closer to nine. Wins usually pay even money minus a commission, often 5 percent.
• Tie: both hands finish on the same total. It pays more and lands rarely.

How are cards counted?

Aces count as one, two to nine count at face value, and tens and picture cards count as zero. When a hand passes nine, only the last digit counts, so a seven and an eight make 15, which counts as five.

What are the third-card rules?

If either hand has a natural, an eight or nine from two cards, the round ends. Otherwise the Player hand draws a third card on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The Banker then follows its own table:

• If the Player stood, the Banker draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
• Banker on 0 to 2: always draws.
• Banker on 3: draws unless the Player's third card was an 8.
• Banker on 4: draws if the Player's third card was 2 to 7.
• Banker on 5: draws if the Player's third card was 4 to 7.
• Banker on 6: draws if the Player's third card was 6 or 7.
• Banker on 7: stands.

How big is the house edge on each bet?

On a standard eight-deck game the Banker bet's edge is about 1.06% after the 5% commission, the Player bet's is about 1.24%, and a Tie paying 8 to 1 carries about 14.4%. The Tie looks tempting and costs far more over time. If a hand ties while you backed Player or Banker, your stake is usually returned.

What changes on no-commission tables?

Some tables drop the commission and instead pay less when the Banker wins with six, often half the stake. The edge on the Banker bet ends up similar, so read the table rule before assuming no commission is a better deal.

What should you know before you sit down?

Check the table minimum, maximum and commission. Past results on the scoreboard have no effect on the next hand, so patterns in the history are no reason to switch your bet. Our casino games guide covers other table games.