Baccarat Rules and the Three Bets: Banker, Player, and Tie
Baccarat is the highest-grossing table game on most Asian casino floors, and the rules are simpler than the ritual around the table suggests. Two hands are dealt — Player and Banker — and you're not playing either one. You're betting on which hand will come closer to 9.
How a hand is scored
Cards 2-9 count as face value, 10s and face cards count as zero, and Aces count as 1. When a hand's total goes above 9, you drop the tens digit — a hand of 7+8=15 counts as 5. That single rule is the entire scoring system.
The three bets, and why they pay differently
Banker wins slightly more often than Player because of a drawing-rule quirk built into the game, so casinos charge a 5% commission on Banker wins to correct for it. House edge: about 1.06% — the best bet at the table.
Player pays even money with no commission. House edge: about 1.24%.
Tie pays 8:1 or 9:1 depending on the table, but ties are rare. House edge: roughly 14.4% — by far the worst bet on the layout, despite the tempting payout.
The third-card rule (you don't need to memorize it)
If either hand totals 8 or 9 on the first two cards, both hands stand — this is called a "natural." Otherwise, a fixed table of rules (not player choice) decides whether Player or Banker draws a third card. This is the part that makes baccarat feel mysterious, but it's also the part you never have to think about — the dealer follows the rule table automatically. There's no decision-making skill in baccarat the way there is in blackjack.
What "strategy" actually means here
Because the draw is automatic, there's no correct-play skill to learn. The only decision you make is which of the three bets to place, and the math is settled: Banker is the mathematically better bet almost every time you play, commission included. Betting systems based on scoreboards of past results (chasing "streaks") don't change the odds of the next hand — each hand is independent of the last.
Table etiquette
Baccarat tables are typically quieter and more formal than blackjack pits. Minimum bets tend to run higher at baccarat tables than at blackjack or roulette on the same floor, since it's often positioned as a higher-stakes game. Cards are usually handled by the dealer only — check the specific table's rules before touching the cards yourself.
You must meet the venue's minimum age to play (21+ in the US, 18+ in the UK and most of Asia). If gambling stops being entertainment for you, see our responsible gambling page.
Playing on a floor with automated tables? See how electronic baccarat differs from a live table, and where baccarat's house edge ranks against every other game.
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