Online baccarat

How online baccarat works

Online baccarat is a card game in which you bet on which of two hands, Player or Banker, will finish closer to 9, or on a Tie. Neither you nor the dealer makes any decisions: fixed drawing rules decide whether each hand takes a third card.

Cards from 2 to 9 count at face value, tens and picture cards count zero and aces count one; only the last digit of the total counts, so 7 and 8 make 5. A winning Player bet pays even money. A winning Banker bet pays 19 to 20, which is even money less a 5% commission, according to the Wizard of Odds. A Tie usually pays 8 to 1, and Player and Banker bets push when the hands tie.

Online baccarat house edge per bet

The Banker bet has the lowest house edge in standard baccarat, followed closely by the Player bet, while the Tie is one of the most expensive bets in the casino. With eight decks the Wizard of Odds calculates 1.06% on Banker, 1.24% on Player and 14.36% on a Tie paying 8 to 1, the figures shown in our summary.

The number of decks moves these figures only slightly. With six decks Banker and Player stay at 1.06% and 1.24%, and the Tie rises to 14.44%. A Tie paid at 9 to 1 is far cheaper, at 4.84% with eight decks.

Commission-free baccarat

Commission-free baccarat pays winning Banker bets at even money but cuts the payout on certain winning totals, which usually makes the Banker bet more expensive than in the standard game. The most common version pays only 1 to 2 when Banker wins with a total of six; the Wizard of Odds puts the Banker edge in that version at 1.46%.

It also appears as Punto Banco 2000 or Super 6; Player and Tie keep their usual edge. Other no-commission rules exist: the Wizard of Odds lists versions with a Banker edge from 0.93% to 6.80% depending on which winning total is cut. The help screen states the exact rule.

Side bets, scorecards and patterns

Side bets and scorecards do not improve your odds in baccarat; the low house edge lies in the main Banker and Player bets.

Many tables display “roads”, scorecards of previous results. They record history only; the next hand is dealt from the same shoe under the same fixed rules, and no pattern turns the edge in your favour. The baccarat odds guide explains why betting systems based on these patterns fail in the long run.

RNG and live baccarat

RNG and live baccarat with the same rules have the same house edge. The differences are pace and stakes: RNG tables deal as fast as you click, while live tables deal at a fixed rhythm with a real shoe. More hands per hour also means a higher expected cost per hour. Our live casino page compares live tables in more detail.

How to choose a baccarat casino and table

Choose the casino by licence and payout record, then the table by its payout rules.

• Confirm the licence in the list, then compare stated withdrawal times.
• Check whether the Banker bet pays a commission or uses a commission-free rule, and what the Tie pays.
• If you play with a bonus, check the game weighting; baccarat often counts only partly toward wagering.
• Estimate the cost of a session with the house edge calculator.

Baccarat rounds are quick and need no decisions, which makes it easy to lose track of time; decide on a budget first and see our responsible gambling page for the limits casinos offer.

Frequently asked questions

Should I bet on Banker or Player in baccarat?

The Banker bet is slightly cheaper. According to the Wizard of Odds, it carries a house edge of 1.06% with eight decks even after the 5% commission, compared with 1.24% on Player. The difference is small, so either is a reasonable choice; the Tie is the bet to avoid.

Is the Tie bet in baccarat worth it?

Usually not. At the standard payout of 8 to 1, the Wizard of Odds calculates a house edge of 14.36% with eight decks, more than ten times the edge on Banker or Player. Where a table pays 9 to 1 on a Tie, the edge falls to 4.84%, which is still several times higher than the main bets.

What is no commission baccarat?

A version where winning Banker bets pay even money instead of 19 to 20, but certain winning totals pay less. In the most common rule, a Banker win with six pays 1 to 2, which gives the Banker bet an edge of 1.46% according to the Wizard of Odds, higher than the 1.06% in standard baccarat.

Is online baccarat rigged?

RNG baccarat at a licensed casino uses software tested under the regulator’s technical standards, and live baccarat is dealt from a real shoe on camera. The house edge comes from the commission and the drawing rules, not from manipulation. Check the casino’s licence in the regulator’s public register before you deposit.

Is there a winning strategy for baccarat?

No. You make no playing decisions, so the only choice that affects the edge is the bet and the table rules. Betting on Banker at a table with the standard 5% commission keeps the edge at about 1%. Betting systems and scorecard patterns change how results are spread, not the expected loss.

Sources: Wizard of Odds: baccarat basics and return tables, Wizard of Odds: commission-free baccarat, Wizard of Odds: house edge of casino games