Baccarat is one of the easiest casino card games to follow, because you are not dealt a hand to manage and you make no decisions once the cards are out. You simply bet on which of two hands — the Player or the Banker — will finish closer to a total of nine, or whether the two will tie. The dealer does the rest, drawing cards under fixed rules that never change. This guide explains the card values, the three bets, how a round is dealt and the house edge that tells you which bet is mathematically the cheapest to make.
Key Facts
- Hands dealt: two — Player and Banker (bet on either, or on a Tie).
- Goal: back the hand that finishes closest to a total of 9.
- Card values: Ace = 1, cards 2–9 = face value, 10s and picture cards = 0.
- Your decisions: none after betting — cards are drawn under fixed rules.
- Best-value bet: Banker, house edge about 1.06%.
- Bet to avoid: Tie, house edge about 14.36% at 8-to-1.
What baccarat is and how a round works
In the version played in almost every casino and online — known as punto banco — the house deals two hands: the Player hand and the Banker hand. These are just the names of the two hands, not you versus the dealer; you can bet on either one. Each hand receives two cards, and whichever total is closer to nine wins. Any number of people at the table can place bets on the same two hands.
The round, sometimes called a coup, plays out in a set order: bets are placed, two cards are dealt to each hand, and a third card may or may not be drawn according to fixed rules. Nobody chooses whether to draw — the outcome is decided entirely by the cards. That is why baccarat is a game of chance with no strategy that changes the odds.
Card values and how a hand is scored
Scoring is the one rule that trips up newcomers. Each card has a value:
- Aces are worth 1.
- 2 through 9 are worth their face value.
- 10s and the picture cards (jack, queen, king) are worth 0.
To score a hand you add the cards together and keep only the last digit of the total — this is called modulo-10 scoring. If a hand’s cards add up to 10 or more, you subtract 10. For example, a 7 and an 8 total 15, which counts as 5. A king and a 4 total 4. The highest possible total is 9, and there is no “bust” as there is in blackjack. If you already understand that game, you can compare the two in our guide to how to play blackjack.
The three bets: Player, Banker and Tie
Before the cards are dealt you place one bet. There are only three options.
Bets, Odds and Payouts
| Bet | Payout | House edge (8 decks) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 less 5% commission | 1.06% | Lowest edge; wins about 45.86% of hands |
| Player | 1:1 (even money) | 1.24% | No commission; wins about 44.62% of hands |
| Tie | 8:1 (sometimes 9:1) | 14.36% (about 4.85% at 9:1) | Occurs about 9.5% of hands; worst value |
Player bet
You are backing the Player hand to finish closer to nine. It pays even money (1 to 1), so a winning $10 bet returns your $10 stake plus $10 in winnings. There is no commission on this bet.
Banker bet
You are backing the Banker hand. It also pays even money, but because the Banker hand wins slightly more often, the casino takes a 5% commission on Banker wins. A winning $10 Banker bet therefore returns $9.50 in winnings rather than $10 — often written as a 19-to-20 payout. Even after the commission, this is the bet with the lowest house edge.
Tie bet
You are betting that both hands finish on the same total. It usually pays 8 to 1 (some casinos pay 9 to 1), which looks tempting, but a tie happens only about 9.5% of the time. As the house edge below shows, it is comfortably the worst bet on the table.
How the cards are drawn: naturals and the third-card rule
Once the two cards are dealt to each hand, whether a third card appears is decided by rule, not by choice. Understanding this removes the main mystery of the game.
Naturals
If either hand totals 8 or 9 on its first two cards, that is a “natural.” The round ends immediately, no third card is drawn, and the higher total wins. A natural 9 beats a natural 8.
The Player’s third-card rule
If neither hand has a natural, the Player hand goes first:
- Total of 0 to 5: the Player draws a third card.
- Total of 6 or 7: the Player stands.
The Banker’s third-card rule
The Banker’s move depends on its own total and, if the Player drew, on the value of the Player’s third card. If the Player stood on two cards, the Banker simply draws on 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker follows this fixed table (the tableau), where “Draw” means the Banker takes a card and “Stand” means it does not:
| Banker total | Banker action by Player’s third card |
|---|---|
| 0, 1, 2 | Always draws |
| 3 | Draws unless the Player’s third card is 8 |
| 4 | Draws only when the Player’s third card is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 |
| 5 | Draws only when the Player’s third card is 4, 5, 6 or 7 |
| 6 | Draws only when the Player’s third card is 6 or 7 |
| 7 | Always stands |
You never have to memorise this table to play — the dealer or the software applies it automatically. It is shown here so you can see that no judgement is involved and no “system” can influence which card comes out.
The house edge: which bet is mathematically best
The house edge is the long-run percentage of each bet the casino keeps on average. In a standard eight-deck game the figures are well established:
- Banker: about 1.06% — the lowest, even after the 5% commission.
- Player: about 1.24%.
- Tie: about 14.36% at 8-to-1 (around 4.85% in the rarer 9-to-1 version).
Across all hands, the Banker wins roughly 45.86% of the time, the Player about 44.62%, and the rest are ties. That small Banker advantage is exactly why the commission exists. The practical takeaway is simple: the Banker bet costs you the least over time, the Player bet is close behind, and the Tie bet is best avoided. For comparison, baccarat’s best bet sits between a good blackjack game and roulette — you can see how those stack up in our guide to how to play roulette and the breakdown of European and American roulette odds.
Common variants you will meet
Most games you find are the same at heart, but the labels differ:
- Punto banco: the standard casino and online version, with the fixed drawing rules described above. “Punto” is the Player and “banco” is the Banker.
- Mini-baccarat: a faster, lower-limit version dealt entirely by the dealer at a smaller table. The rules are identical to punto banco.
- Chemin de fer and baccarat banque: older European versions in which one player acts as the bank and players can choose whether to draw a third card. These are rare today and mostly found in land-based casinos in Europe.
- No-commission (Super 6 / EZ Baccarat): the Banker bet pays full even money, but a specific winning Banker total (usually a 6) pays less or pushes. Removing the commission this way generally makes the Banker bet slightly more expensive, not cheaper.
Where and how to start playing
Baccarat is available at most online casinos as a software (RNG) table where you set a chip value and click to deal, and as a live-dealer stream with a real table and croupier. The live format is one of the most popular ways to play, and you can read how it works in our overview of live casino games. To get started, the steps are the same everywhere:
- Choose a licensed site — see our notes on picking a trusted online casino in New Zealand.
- Open the baccarat game and check the table limits and the Tie payout (8 to 1 or 9 to 1).
- Place a Player, Banker or Tie bet before the deal.
- Let the cards and the fixed rules decide the round; winning bets are paid automatically.
Common mistakes and myths
- Chasing the Tie bet: its 8-to-1 payout cannot make up for a house edge above 14%. It is the single most expensive bet in the game.
- Trusting the scorecard: casinos hand out cards to track past results (“the road”), but each coup is independent. Past hands do not predict the next one.
- Betting systems: Martingale and similar staking plans change how much you bet, never the odds. They cannot turn a negative-edge game positive.
- Ignoring the commission: the 5% Banker charge is already built into the 1.06% house edge, so the Banker is still the best-value bet — there is no need to avoid it.
- Forgetting it is chance: no amount of “reading” the shoe improves your odds. Baccarat is entertainment, not an income.
Responsible gambling
Baccarat is a game of pure chance with a built-in house edge on every bet, so over time the maths favours the casino. It is a form of entertainment, not a way to make money, and no bet, variant or system changes that. Set a budget you can afford to lose, treat any losses as the cost of playing, and never gamble to recover what you are down. You must be 18 or over to gamble in New Zealand. If gambling is causing you or someone you know harm, free, confidential support is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline Aotearoa on 0800 654 655, and you can find more guidance on our responsible gambling page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Banker or the Player bet better in baccarat?
The Banker bet has the lower house edge, about 1.06% compared with 1.24% for the Player, even after the 5% commission on Banker wins. Over the long run the Banker bet costs you the least, which is why it is considered the best-value option.
Why is there a commission on the Banker bet?
The Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand — roughly 45.86% of all hands versus 44.62% — because of the order in which cards are drawn. The casino charges a 5% commission on Banker wins to offset that advantage, which is already included in the Banker’s 1.06% house edge.
How are the card totals worked out?
Aces count as 1, cards 2 to 9 count at face value, and 10s and picture cards count as 0. You add the cards and keep only the last digit, so a total of 15 counts as 5. The best possible total is 9 and there is no way to bust.
Do I need to know when a third card is drawn?
No. The decision to draw a third card follows fixed rules that the dealer or the software applies automatically. You never choose whether to draw, so you can play comfortably without memorising the drawing table.
Is the Tie bet worth taking for the 8-to-1 payout?
Generally no. A tie occurs only about 9.5% of the time, and the 8-to-1 payout leaves a house edge above 14%, far higher than the Banker or Player bets. Even the rarer 9-to-1 version still carries a much larger edge than the two main bets.