Baccarat Explained: Rules, Bets and How the Game Works
Baccarat is a casino card game built around two hands known as the Player and the Banker.
Despite the terminology, players do not normally control either hand. Instead, they place a wager on which hand they expect to win, or whether the two hands will tie.
The drawing rules then determine how the hand is completed.
What Is the Objective of Baccarat?
The objective is to predict which hand will finish closest to a total of nine:
- Player
- Banker
- Tie
The hand closest to nine wins.
If both hands finish with the same total, the result is a tie.
What Are the Card Values in Baccarat?
Baccarat uses a simple card-value system.
Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value.
Aces are worth 1.
Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 0.
Only the final digit of a hand's total is used.
For example:
7 + 8 = 15
The baccarat hand value is therefore 5.
Similarly:
9 + 6 = 15
The hand is also worth 5.
What Is a Natural in Baccarat?
If either the Player or Banker receives a total of 8 or 9 from the first two cards, this is generally known as a natural.
Depending on the other hand and the rules of the game, no additional cards may be drawn.
How Does a Baccarat Round Work?
Before the cards are dealt, players choose an available wager.
The three main bets are:
- Player
- Banker
- Tie
Two cards are then dealt to the Player hand and two to the Banker hand.
Depending on their totals, a third card may be drawn according to predetermined rules.
Players do not normally decide whether either hand should hit or stand.
What Is the Player Bet?
A Player bet is a wager that the Player hand will finish closer to nine than the Banker hand.
A standard winning Player bet generally pays 1:1.
If the round ends in a tie, treatment of the Player wager depends on the game's rules, although it is commonly returned rather than settled as a winning bet.
What Is the Banker Bet?
A Banker bet predicts that the Banker hand will win.
In many traditional baccarat games, a winning Banker wager pays 1:1 minus a commission, commonly 5%.
However, baccarat variants can use different payout structures or rules.
Always check the individual game's paytable rather than assuming every table handles Banker bets identically.
What Is the Tie Bet?
The Tie bet predicts that the Player and Banker hands will finish with the same total.
Tie payouts can vary between baccarat games.
Because the payout and underlying mathematics differ from the main Player and Banker bets, check the paytable of the specific game before placing a Tie wager.
Who Decides Whether a Third Card Is Drawn?
Baccarat uses predetermined drawing rules.
The Player hand is evaluated first according to the game's rules.
The Banker's drawing decision can then depend on both its own total and, in some situations, the value of the Player's third card.
This can initially appear complicated, but players do not normally need to make the drawing decision themselves.
The game applies the rules automatically.
Is the “Player” Hand Actually the Player?
No.
The labels Player and Banker identify the two hands used in the game.
Choosing the Banker bet does not make you the casino or dealer, and choosing Player does not mean the cards are personally dealt to you.
You are generally wagering on the result of one of the two designated hands.
Are There Side Bets in Baccarat?
Some baccarat tables offer additional side bets.
These can vary significantly between games and providers.
Side bets may use different payout structures and probabilities from the three main wagers.
Check the rules and paytable before using any optional side bet.
Live Baccarat vs Digital Baccarat
Online casinos can offer baccarat in digital and live dealer formats.
Digital baccarat uses software to operate the game according to its rules.
Live baccarat streams a physical table and dealer through video while players place available wagers using an online interface.
Rules, table limits and available side bets can differ between games.
Are All Baccarat Games the Same?
No.
Variants can differ in areas such as:
- Banker commission
- Payouts
- Side bets
- Table limits
- Number of decks
- Drawing rules
- Game speed
Some versions are specifically designed to alter or remove the traditional Banker commission.
Always check the rules of the particular table.
What Should You Check Before Playing Baccarat?
Before joining a baccarat game, check:
- Player payout
- Banker payout and any commission
- Tie payout
- Drawing rules
- Available side bets
- Minimum and maximum wagers
- Number of decks where stated
- Complete game rules and paytable
Do not assume that two baccarat tables necessarily use identical conditions.
Final Thoughts
Baccarat revolves around two hands — Player and Banker — with the winning hand determined by which finishes closest to nine.
Unlike games where players make repeated decisions about whether to draw cards, baccarat generally follows predetermined drawing rules.
Understanding the card values, main bets, payout structure and specific table rules makes the game considerably easier to follow.