Baccarat: the elegant card game of chance

In baccarat you bet on the Player hand or the Banker hand finishing closer to nine, or on a tie. Player pays even money, Banker usually pays even money minus a commission, often 5%, and a tie pays more but lands rarely. You make no decisions after betting.

• Player: the Player hand finishes closer to nine.
• Banker: the Banker hand finishes closer to nine. Usually pays even money minus a commission, often 5%.
• Tie: both hands finish on the same total. Pays more but lands rarely.

Aces count as one, two to nine at face value, and tens and picture cards as zero. If a hand adds up to more than nine, only the last digit counts: a seven and an eight make 15, which counts as five.

Each hand starts with two cards. A third card follows fixed rules based on the totals, and the dealer handles it. You never decide whether to draw. A natural eight or nine ends the round straight away, and otherwise the third-card table below decides it.

Check the table's minimum, maximum and commission. Previous results on the scoreboard don't affect the next hand, so patterns in the history aren't a reason to change your bet. Banker has the lowest house edge. The Banker bet has the lowest edge.

If either hand has a natural (eight or nine) on two cards, the round ends. Otherwise the Player draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The Banker then follows its own table: Banker on 7 stands.

• If the Player stood, the Banker draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
• Banker 0 to 2: always draws.
• Banker 3: draws unless the Player's third card was an 8.
• Banker 4: draws if the Player's third card was 2 to 7.
• Banker 5: draws if the Player's third card was 4 to 7.
• Banker 6: draws if the Player's third card was 6 or 7.
• Banker 7: stands.

On a standard eight-deck game, the Banker bet's edge is about 1.06% after the 5% commission, the Player bet's about 1.24%, and a Tie paying 8 to 1 about 14.4%. That's why the Tie looks tempting but costs much more. If a hand ties while you've bet Player or Banker, your stake is usually returned.

Some tables drop the Banker commission and instead pay less when the Banker wins with six, often half the stake. The edge ends up similar, so read the table's rule. The table games page compares versions. Check the paytable first.