Casino
Baccarat Rules Explained: How the Game Works and Which Bet to Place
Baccarat is one of the simplest card games in any casino. You bet on the Player or Banker hand to finish closest to 9, and fixed drawing rules decide the rest.
There are no decisions to make once the round begins. This guide covers how the game works, what each bet pays, and which option gives you the best odds.
Card Values in Baccarat
Baccarat uses a simple scoring system. Tens and face cards count as 0, aces count as 1, and all other cards count at face value. If a hand total exceeds 9, drop the tens digit and keep the final digit: 15 becomes 5, and 12 becomes 2.
That rule is what makes baccarat feel different from most other card games. You are not trying to build the highest possible total, only the total closest to 9.
The Three Bets You Can Make
The main baccarat bets are Player, Banker, and Tie. Each bet is placed before the round begins.
- Player: back the Player hand to finish closest to 9. Pays 1 to 1.
- Banker: back the Banker hand to finish closest to 9. Pays 1 to 1, minus 5% commission.
- Tie: back both hands to finish level. Usually pays 8 to 1.
The Banker bet carries a 5% commission because it has a slightly higher probability of winning. That commission reduces the effective return to 19 to 20, so a winning Banker bet does not pay the same as a winning Player bet, though it remains the best-value option on the table.
How a Baccarat Round Works
Each round starts with two cards dealt to the Player’s hand and two cards dealt to the Banker’s hand. The aim is to predict which hand will end closest to 9, or whether the round will finish as a tie.
The third card is not a choice. It is drawn only when the rules say so, and the dealer handles it automatically. That is the core of baccarat: you choose a side, and the rules do the rest.
Third-Card Rules for the Player Hand
The Player hand follows a straightforward set of drawing rules after the first two cards are dealt.
| Total for First Two Cards | Action |
|---|---|
| 1-2-3-4-5-10 | Draw a Card |
| 6-7 | Stand |
| 8-9 | Neutral - Stand |
A natural means the hand has 8 or 9 from the first two cards. No third card is drawn, and the round usually ends there.
Third-Card Rules for the Banker Hand
The Banker hand follows more detailed rules because its draw decision can depend on the Player hand’s third card.
| Total for First Two Cards | Draw on Player's Third Card | Stand on Player's Third Card |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10 | 8 |
| 4 | 2-3-4-5-6-7 | 1-8-9-10 |
| 5 | 4-5-6-7 | 1-2-3-8-9-10 |
| 6 | 6-7 | 1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10 |
| 7 | Stand | |
| 8-0 | Neutral - Stand | |
| 0-1-2 | Always Draw |
These rules are fixed and applied by the dealer. A beginner doesn’t need to memorise every line on day one. The key point is that the Banker hand has more conditional draw rules than the Player hand, which is part of why it wins marginally more often.
House Edge by Bet
The house edge is the built-in casino advantage on each wager. In baccarat, the figures are approximately:
- Banker: about 1.06%
- Player: about 1.24%
- Tie: about 14% or higher
Banker is the best-value bet because it carries the lowest house edge, even after the commission is deducted. Player is a reasonable even-money option, but gives the casino a slightly larger edge. Tie is tempting because of the payout, but its house edge is dramatically worse than either of the main bets.
Baccarat Variants
Punto Banco is the standard version of baccarat you’ll find in most UK casinos. It follows the fixed drawing rules described above, with no player input over whether cards are taken – the dealer runs the hand in full.
Chemin de Fer is an older French variant where one player takes on the role of the Banker and has some say over whether a third card is drawn. It’s less common in the UK, but it’s worth knowing the name, particularly if you encounter it at a European casino or in older references to the game.
Key Takeaways
- Baccarat is a comparing card game. You back Player, Banker, or Tie before each hand.
- Tens and face cards count as 0, aces count as 1, and totals above 9 drop the tens digit.
- Player pays 1 to 1. Banker pays 1 to 1 minus 5% commission. Tie usually pays 8 to 1.
- Banker has the lowest house edge at about 1.06%.
- Player house edge is about 1.24%.
- Tie carries a house edge of around 14% or higher – the worst value on the table.
- Third-card rules are fixed and handled by the dealer. Players make no card-play decisions.
- Punto Banco is the standard UK version. Chemin de Fer gives the Banker role more flexibility.
Baccarat FAQs
What does baccarat mean?
The word comes from the Italian baccara, meaning zero. It’s a reference to the zero value assigned to tens and face cards in the game. The French spelling baccarat was adopted when the game spread from Italy to France, and the name has stuck ever since.
Is baccarat easy to learn?
Yes. The basic rules are simple: choose Player, Banker, or Tie, then let the drawing rules play out. The Banker drawing conditions are more detailed, but you don’t need to memorise them to play, since the dealer applies them automatically.
Is baccarat a game of skill?
No. Baccarat is a game of chance. Drawing rules are fixed, and players make no decisions during the hand itself. The only choice you make is which bet to place before the round begins.
Is baccarat the same as Punto Banco?
In most UK casinos, yes. Punto Banco is the standard version of baccarat, and it follows the fixed drawing rules described above. When people say baccarat in that setting, they’re usually referring to Punto Banco.
