Baccarat
Baccarat is a game with a reputation for sophistication and almost no decisions in it. Two hands are dealt, Player and Banker, and whichever finishes closer to nine wins. You bet on which that will be. Every rule about drawing a third card is fixed and applied for you — which means the only thing to get right is choosing between three bets.
Card values and totals
Tens and picture cards count as zero. Aces count one. Everything else counts face value.
Only the last digit of a total matters. A 7 and an 8 make 15, which is a five. A 9 and a 4 make 13, which is a three. That is why no hand can ever bust — the total simply wraps around. Nine is the best possible total, which is where the game gets its target.
The drawing rules
Whether a third card comes out is decided by a fixed table, not by anyone's judgement. Broadly: a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards is a natural and stands. Below that, Player draws on low totals and stands on high ones, and Banker's action then depends on both its own total and the card Player drew.
You do not need to memorise this. The dealer applies it and the software enforces it. What matters is understanding why baccarat has no strategy: there is nothing left for you to decide once the bet is placed.
Which bet to make
Banker is the cheapest bet, even after the commission usually taken on Banker wins. The drawing rules give Banker a small structural advantage, the commission claws part of it back, and what remains still makes it the best of the three.
Player is marginally more expensive and carries no commission, which is why it feels cleaner. It is not better.
Tie is the one to leave alone. It pays a big multiple because it lands rarely, and it carries a far higher house edge than either main bet. Almost all of the table's margin lives there.
Software or live
Software baccarat deals instantly and lets you play at your own pace, which suits short sessions and lower stakes. Live baccarat runs at a dealer's pace with physical cards and the atmosphere that comes with it.
The odds are the same; the pace is not, and the house edge applies per hand. For a long session on a fixed budget, slower is cheaper. Dragon Tiger strips the game down to two cards with no drawing rules at all. See the rest of the software tables.
Frequently asked questions
How do baccarat card values work?
Tens and picture cards count zero, aces count one, everything else is face value. Only the last digit of the total counts, so a 7 and an 8 make five rather than fifteen. No hand can bust because totals simply wrap around.
Which baccarat bet has the lowest house edge?
Banker, even with the commission usually taken on Banker wins. The fixed drawing rules give it a small structural advantage that the commission only partly claws back. Player is marginally worse; Tie is far worse.
Why should I avoid the Tie bet?
It pays a large multiple because both hands finishing equal is rare, and it carries a far higher house edge than Player or Banker. Almost all of the table's margin concentrates there, so it is the fastest bet to lose money on.
Is there any strategy in baccarat?
Only bet selection. Whether a third card is drawn follows a fixed table applied by the dealer or the software, so there is nothing to decide once your bet is placed. Favour Banker, avoid Tie, and control your stake.
18+. Gambling involves risk and can be addictive. Play responsibly. National Responsible Gambling Programme 0800 006 008.