- Table Layout: In a game of Baccarat, players have their chips in front of them and can also see betting spaces for “Player”, “Banker”, “Tie”, and whatever side bets that particular variant of Baccarat has to offer.
- Betting Options: Players can wager on several different outcomes, including Player, Banker, and Tie. The hand that is closest to 9 is declared the winner but only the second digit counts when the score enters double figures. For instance, on a score of 15, the actual score would be 6.
- Card Values: In Baccarat, all Aces count as 1, cards from 2 through to 9 counts as their face value (which means 5 counts as 5; 9 as 9, and so on) while 10s and picture cards count as 0. See the table below for more information.
Card Value Example:
8 + 6 = 14 | Hand counts as 4 |
6 + 6 + 6 = 15 | Hand counts as 8 |
10 + 9 = 19 | Hand = “Natural” 9 |
King + Ace + 3 = 4 | Hand counts as 4 |
- 3rd Card Rule: When the Player or Banker has an 8 or 9, they automatically stand, which means no more cards are dealt. The Player will also stand on a 6 or 7. However, if the player has 5 or less, they will get another card. The Banker will also hit if they have 5 or more and the Player stands.
9 + 5 = 14 | Actual score is 4 |
5 + 3 + 5 = 13 | Actual score is 3 |
10 + 9 = 19 | Considered a “natural” 9 |
9 + 2 + 2 + Ace + 4 = 18 | Considered a “natural” 8 |
In addition to the three betting options outlined above, there are also two main side bets.
These side bets are offered alongside the usual betting hands and, depending on the type of side bet, it’s possible to lose the main bet and win the side bet.
The two most popular side bets are Player Pair and Banker Pair. In both cases, the player is wagering that the first two cards dealt with either the Player and/or the Banker will be a matching pair. For instance, if the Player is dealt a Four of Hearts and a Five of Diamonds, the Player Pair bet will be settled as a loss, but if they are dealt a Six of Clubs and a Six of Hearts, it will be settled as a win.
These side bets have a pay rate of 12 to 1 and players can choose to bet only on the main game, on the main game and the side bet, and only on the side bet. In instances where players bet on both the side bet and the main game, the outcome of the side bet will be settled first and the game will then continue as normal.