How to play baccarat: rules, bets and the house edge

Baccarat is a card game in which players bet on which of two hands, called Player or Banker, will total closer to 9, or whether the two will tie. Cards are dealt according to fixed rules, so no skill or decision-making is involved once a bet is placed. That simplicity, combined with a low house edge on its main bet, is why baccarat remains a fixture in casinos worldwide.

The basic goal of the game

Each hand is dealt two cards, sometimes three. Cards 2 through 9 count at face value, tens and picture cards count as zero, and aces count as one. If a total goes above 9, the tens digit is dropped. A hand of 7 and 8, for example, totals 15, which becomes 5. The hand closest to 9 wins the round.

The three bets

Before any cards are dealt, players choose one of three wagers: Player, Banker or Tie. These names refer to the two hands being compared, not to the dealer or any individual gambler. A bet on Banker or Player pays even money if that hand wins, while a Tie bet, covering the rare case where both hands finish level, pays out at considerably higher odds, typically 8 to 1 or 9 to 1 depending on the casino.

How the cards are dealt

Both Player and Banker start with two cards each. If either hand totals 8 or 9 from those first two cards, known as a natural, no further cards are drawn and the higher total wins. Otherwise, a fixed set of rules, built into the game rather than left to a dealer's judgement, determines whether a third card is drawn for either hand. These rules are the same in every reputable casino, which is one reason baccarat is considered a fair, transparent game.

Why the banker bet carries a commission

Because the Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand over time, casinos typically charge a 5% commission on winning Banker bets to balance the odds. Some tables use alternative structures, such as paying Banker wins at reduced odds on certain totals instead of charging commission, so it is worth checking the rules posted at the table before playing.

The house edge for each bet

Despite the commission, Banker remains the best value bet on the table. These are the widely cited house edge figures for standard baccarat:

• Banker bet: around 1.06%, the lowest edge on the table.
• Player bet: around 1.24%, slightly worse than Banker.
• Tie bet: around 14%, by far the weakest wager despite its higher payout.

For comparison with other table games, see this overview of casino games with the best odds, and a broader explanation of what house edge means in house edge explained.

Common variants

Most casinos offer punto banco, the version described above, in which the house banks every hand and all decisions are automatic. Mini baccarat is the same game at a smaller table with lower limits and faster play. Traditional variants such as chemin de fer and baccarat banque, more common in parts of Europe, let players take turns acting as banker, adding an element of choice absent from punto banco.

Table etiquette and limits

Baccarat is often associated with high-stakes play, and many casinos run separate high-limit baccarat rooms alongside standard tables. Some venues also offer a card-squeezing ritual, where players slowly reveal their own cards, a tradition with no effect on the outcome but popular in certain markets. Betting limits vary widely by casino and by table, so new players usually start at mini baccarat tables with lower minimums.

A note on strategy

Because baccarat involves no decisions after the bet is placed, there is no skill-based strategy to learn, unlike blackjack. Betting systems that vary wager size after wins or losses do not change the underlying odds of any single hand. Readers who want to see exactly how the maths behind the house edge works across different games can use the house edge table for comparison.

Anyone concerned about their gambling, or looking for support for someone else, can find information and help lines via the responsible gambling page.