How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the simplest card games in any casino. Once the bet is placed, no decisions are made during the hand. The result is determined automatically by fixed rules. The game is played between two hands called the Player and the Banker. These are table positions, not you versus the casino. This page covers the complete rules: objective, card values, how a round plays out, the third card rule, and all three bet types. 

Baccarat is a card game where two hands are dealt each round: one called the Player, one called the Banker. Neither name refers to a person. Player and Banker are simply the names of the two positions at the table. 

You bet on which hand will finish with a point total closest to 9, or whether both will end level. The hand you bet on does not need to equal exactly 9. It just needs to be closer to 9 than the other hand. In the event that the cards add up to over 9, the last digit is used. For example, a 9 and a 7 adds up to 16, but it is treated as a score of 6. 

Once your bet is placed, the hand plays out automatically. No choices are made during the round. The cards are dealt, totals are counted, and the result is declared. 

Bet on which hand will have a total closer to 9: the Player hand or the Banker hand. If the hand you backed has the higher total when the round ends, your bet wins. If both hands finish with the same total and you bet on Tie, that bet wins. 

You never touch the cards or make any in-round decisions. The entire outcome is determined by fixed drawing rules applied automatically. 

Baccarat uses a specific scoring system. Cards 2 through 9 are worth face value. Aces are worth 1. Tens and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are all worth zero. 

Hand totals use only the last digit of the combined value. A total of 15 counts as 5. A total of 18 counts as 8. The maximum hand value is 9. 

Three quick examples:

A complete round in RNG baccarat typically finishes in under a minute. Here is what happens at each stage.

Worked example: no third card drawn

• Player hand: 6 + 3 = 9. This is a natural (a total of 8 or 9 from the first two cards). No third card is drawn for either hand when a natural occurs.
• Banker hand: King + 5 = 0 + 5 = 5.
• Result: Player wins 9 vs. 5. A bet on Player pays out at 1:1.

There are three bets on every standard baccarat table. 

The Banker bet has a small commission deducted from winning payouts, typically 5%. That commission exists because the Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player hand due to how the drawing rules work.

House edge figures reflect this: approximately 1.06% on Banker and 1.24% on Player. The Tie bet pays more but occurs less frequently than either Player or Banker wins, and carries a significantly higher house edge.

The third card rule is the part of baccarat that looks complicated on paper but works automatically in practice. You never need to apply it yourself.

The basic principle: if either hand totals 8 or 9 from the first two cards, that is called a natural. The round ends immediately and no third card is drawn for either side.

If neither hand has a natural, the following applies: 

The Banker drawing rules are more involved than the Player rules, but every online and live baccarat game applies them automatically. You watch the result. You never apply the rule yourself.

The rules above apply to all standard baccarat formats. The main variants differ in pace, table size, and format rather than the underlying game. 

1. Punto banco is the standard version played in most online casinos and Western land-based casinos, with all drawing rules fixed and fully automated. 
2. Mini baccarat follows the same rules on a smaller table with lower betting limits and a faster pace. 
3. Live baccarat is streamed in real time with a human dealer managing the physical cards. The rules are identical to punto banco. 

Other formats including squeeze baccarat, no-commission baccarat, and Dragon Tiger. Each introduce slight variations in presentation or payout structure.

Online baccarat is available in two formats: RNG and live dealer.

RNG baccarat is software-based. A random number generator determines each deal, the game is available any time, and rounds complete in under a minute. Most RNG baccarat games are available in demo mode with no account or deposit required.

Live dealer baccarat is streamed from a studio or casino floor. A human dealer manages real cards while you place bets through an on-screen interface. The rules and bet types are the same as RNG. The difference is the pace and experience.

Betting in both formats works the same way: select Player, Banker, or Tie before the deal closes, and the round resolves automatically.

These are observations about how the game works, not strategy recommendations.

• Learn card values first: The only arithmetic in baccarat is adding two or three card values and keeping the last digit. Knowing this before you play means you can follow every hand.
• The Banker bet has the lowest house edge: At approximately 1.06%, it is the structurally most favourable of the three main bets. This is a feature of the game's design, not advice.
• The Tie bet has the highest house edge: It pays more but occurs far less often than either Player or Banker. The house edge on Tie is significantly higher than the other two bets.
• No decisions happen during the hand: Your only choice is your bet before the deal. After that, everything is automatic.
• Start with free play: Free baccarat lets you watch rounds play out with no deposit or registration required. It is the fastest way to see card values and the round structure in action.