How to Play Baccarat: Rules, Card Values & Beginner Tips

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Baccarat is a timeless casino classic, 007’s favorite, and one of the easiest table games to learn. The goal is simple: choose which hand you think will finish closest to 9 — the Player, the Banker, or a Tie. You can dive into Baccarat right here at the number one USA sweepstakes casino, but first, here is how the game works.

The Basics: How Do You Play Baccarat?

To play baccarat, place a bet on the Player hand, the Banker hand, or a Tie before the cards are dealt. Each hand is dealt two cards, and the card values are added together to determine the hand total. The hand closest to 9 wins. If the total is higher than 9, only the second digit counts, so a total of 15 is worth 5.

Choose whether to bet on the Player, Banker, or Tie.
The dealer deals two cards to the Player hand and two cards to the Banker hand.
Add the card values together to get each hand’s total.
Cards 2–9 count as face value, Aces count as 1, and 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings count as 0.
If either hand totals 8 or 9, it is a natural, and the round usually ends.
If needed, the dealer draws a third card according to baccarat drawing rules.
The hand closest to 9 wins. If both hands have the same total, the round ends in a Tie.

Objective of the Baccarat Game

The main objective of baccarat is to bet on the hand that will finish closest to 9. Neither the Player hand nor the Banker hand represents you or the house; they are simply the two positions you can bet on each round. Once your bet is placed, the dealer handles the cards and applies the drawing rules automatically.

An important thing to remember is that baccarat is mostly luck-based. Your main decision is choosing which outcome to bet on before the cards are revealed.

Baccarat Game Rules for Drawing Cards

The dealer will initially draw two cards to each of the positions, but based on the outcome, a third card may be drawn for the Player or the Banker.

The drawing rules for the Player position are simple. The player will get a third card if the value of the first two cards is anywhere between 0 and 5. If the sum is between 6 and 9, the Player’s hand stands.

The rules are a bit more complex when it comes to the Banker’s hand, so we’ll use a table:

Banker’s Drawing Rules
Banker’s two-card total	Draws a third card when the Player’s third card is:	Stands when the Player’s third card is:
0, 1, and 2	Draws a third card regardless of the Player’s third card
3	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 0	8
4	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7	1, 8, 9, and 0
5	4, 5, 6, and 7	1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 0
6	6 and 7	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 0
7, 8, and 9	Stands regardless of the Player’s third card

These rules may seem complicated, but the good news is that you don’t need to be aware of them to play — the dealer will know which cards to draw and when. Your actions end with choosing a side, after which you can relax and watch the outcome unfold.

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Win Distributions and Commission

Baccarat rewards are quite straightforward. The Player side wins 1-to-1 and the Banker 0.95-to-1. The 0.05 is taken out as commission since the Banker side has a slight statistical advantage, having a 45.73% chance of winning as opposed to the Player’s 44.63%. In other words, the house edge is 1.06% on the Banker and 1.24% on the Player. (Baccarat Odds & Payouts – Live Casino Comparer, 2024)

If you are not a fan of this system, you can play the no-commission variant of Baccarat, which is quite popular. Still, this version does come with a twist. Banker hands that win with a value of 6 will grant a 1-to-2 ratio return.

Baccarat Side Plays

As you may have figured out by now, Baccarat is a fairly simple game to play. However, it may be a little too simple for some players. To spice things up, many Baccarat games feature a variety of side plays. “What is a Baccarat side play?” you may ask. Well, it’s an additional option you can choose when predicting the outcome of a hand without necessarily paying attention to picking the winning side.

Here are some of the most common Baccarat side plays you can run into:

Tie: If the two hands end up with the same value, the Player or Banker plays are pushed, whereas the tie play results in an 8-to-1 reward.
Pairs: This very popular Baccarat side play wins if the first two cards on either the Player’s or the Banker’s side are a pair.
Perfect Pair: A Perfect Pair prediction requires the two cards on one side to be of the same rank and suit.
Big and Small: This side game focuses on the number of cards drawn for the round instead of values. A Big side play wins if there are 5 or 6 cards at the end of the round, and the Small side play wins if the total number of cards is 4.
Dragon Bonus: This side play can be taken on either the Player’s or the Banker’s side. It is successful when a side is a natural winner (with a margin of 8 or 9) or when it wins by a specific margin (the bigger it is, the higher the reward).
Fortune 6: In this case, you are guessing that the Banker’s hand will have a total of 6.

Baccarat side plays can be rather tempting since they usually offer a much bigger win than the standard 1-to-1. However, there is a reason why many pro players steer clear of them — most of them carry a large house edge.

For instance, a tie in Baccarat has an 8-to-1 reward but carries a house edge of 14.36%, and the chances of winning it are merely 9.52%. If you do the math, you’ll realize that most of these optional plays should be avoided.

Baccarat Game Strategy

Many players’ ultimate goal is to know how to win at Baccarat every time. If you have this mindset, it is advised to change it because it’s impossible to predict every round’s outcome. Baccarat is primarily luck-based, so prepare to win some hands and lose others.

What you can do, however, is minimize your risk by making good plays while avoiding bad ones and by joining a well-reputed Baccarat casino. Here are a few tips to consider:

Stick to the Banker: In Baccarat, it’s recommended to always play the Banker’s hand, even if it comes with a 0.05 commission, as it has a slightly higher chance of winning every round.
Ignore the side plays: Sure, side plays are fun and can land you a pretty decent reward if you get lucky. However, if your goal is to win consistently, you should avoid them at all costs, as they all come with a much higher house edge than either of the main ones.
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Conclusion

Baccarat is a fun and timeless card game that has entertained casino players for the past 600 years. Its straightforward rules, relatively low house edge, and simple strategy make it ideal for beginners and casual players.

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FAQ

How to win at Baccarat every time?

There is no way to win at Baccarat every time. You’ll have to accept that this is a luck-based game where some plays will go your way and others won’t. If you want to win consistently, keep putting your chips on the Banker, as this has the highest chance of landing you a return.

What does Baccarat mean?

The name of the game comes from the Italian word “baccara”, meaning “zero”. The name was likely chosen because all 10s and face cards in the game carry the value of zero.

Is there any strategy for Baccarat?

The most basic Baccarat strategy is to back the Banker position, as it is the most likely to win. Also, try to avoid side plays like the tie, perfect pairs, and others because they carry a very high house edge.

When was Baccarat invented?

The origins of Baccarat are debated, but many believe that the game was invented in Italy sometime in the 1400s.

References:

Baccarat odds & payouts – Live Casino Comparer. (2024, February 22). Live Casino Comparer. https://www.livecasinocomparer.com/live-casino-games/live-baccarat/baccarat-odds-payouts/

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