How To Play Baccarat and Win in 2022

Baccarat is a simple game to play that beginners can enjoy and profit from even by just placing either a player bet or a banker bet. Sticking to either bet is enough for most bettors, but it’s still important to learn how to play baccarat in order to also know how to win and profit from the game.

How To Play Baccarat

Learning how to play will involve learning about the rules of baccarat to avoid any confusion when the dealer does something and the player gets confused about why they won or lost. The first step in knowing how to play baccarat is learning about card values and how they work.

Card Values and Adding Up Points in Baccarat

Baccarat players must first understand how card values are read and how they add up.

Card Values

  • Aces = 1
  • 2-9 = Face value
  • 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings = 0

How to Add Up Points

After knowing the card’s values, it’s time to learn how they add up. Both the dealer and the player are dealt an initial two cards and the value of the two cards is added up.

If a hand consists of a 2 and a 5, the total value is 7. If a hand consists of a 4 and a 6, the total value is 0. The reason why a total value of 10 is equal to 0 is that the moment a value reaches double digits, the first digit is dropped and only the second digit is counted. This is also the reason why 10s and Face cards are valued at 0.

Baccarat Rules

A single game of baccarat can have multiple bettors at one time, with online baccarat tables even having several hundred players at a time, depending on the online casino and game provider. Regardless of the number of players, the fundamentals of the game focus on one player the dealer.

Baccarat table and Dealer

A typical baccarat game is centered on the player and the dealer each receiving a hand of two cards. The objective of the game is to have a hand that’s closest to 9. Baccarat players have a choice whether to bet on the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie between the two hands happening.

The following steps show how a typical baccarat game goes:

  • The dealer calls for bets to be placed on the baccarat table

    Baccarat players decide whether to bet on the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie and any possible side bets.
  • The cards for the player’s and banker’s hands are dealt

    The dealer and the player each receive a hand containing two cards (known as a coup).
  • After all bets are placed, both sides reveal their cards

    Once betting is over, both the dealer’s hand and the player’s hand are revealed. When one hand totals 8 or 9, it is called a natural and declared the winner. If no hand is a natural, the hand with the total value closest to 9 wins.
  • A third card may be drawn

    Depending on certain conditions, a third card will be drawn for a hand. Both the player’s hand and the banker’s hand are dealt a third card if their opening hand’s value is less than 6. However, the banker’s third card rules differ from the player’s.
  • The dealer announces the winner and distributes the winnings

    After all cards are drawn, including third cards, the dealer announces the winning hand and side bets.

Baccarat Third Card Rules

The third card rules can be tricky for new players to follow. The charts below will help you automatically know when the banker must stand or draw a card.

In certain cases, both the player’s hand and the banker’s hand are dealt a third card. The player only draws a third card when they have an opening hand of less than 6. The banker, however, will draw or stand depending on what the player draws.

The banker’s third card rules can be complicated, but the chart below can make it easier to remember them:

Baccarat Third Card Rule Chart

Player’s Third CardThe Banker Draws When Their Hand isHouse Edge
2 or 30-45-7
4 or 50-56-7
6 or 70-67
80-23-7
Ace, 9, 10, or a Face card0-34-7

Types of Baccarat Bets

Baccarat is extremely easy for beginners to pick up because a typical game only offers three bets. Some baccarat games and tables may offer side bets, but beginners can ignore them and only focus on the three primary bets.

Player Bet

The player bet is a bet that the player’s hand has a higher hand total than the banker’s hand. This bet has a house edge of 1.24% and the payout is 1:1.

Online Baccarat Player Bet

Banker Bet

The banker bet is a bet that the banker’s hand has a higher hand total than the player’s hand. This bet has a house edge of 1.06% and the payout is 1:1. The reason the house edge is smaller is because of how the banker’s third card rules work which essentially keeps them from drawing a card when the player’s hand is weak.

Online Baccarat Banker Bet

The banker bet is a popular baccarat bet that is highly advised to win consistently, all thanks to the low house edge. The banker’s hand has a higher chance of winning against the player’s hand so banker bets can be quite profitable. The only problem is that the bet charges a 5% commission on winning.

Tie

The tie bet is a bet on both hands having the same value once all the cards are dealt. The house edge is either 14:4% or 4.85%, depending on whether the payout is 8:1 or 9:1 respectively.

Baccarat tie bet

Side Bets

Player Pair

The player pair bet is a bet on the player’s first two cards having the same value or face, like a hand having a Queen of Hearts and a Queen of Spades. The house edge is 11.25% and the payout is 11:1.

Banker Pair

The banker pair bet is a bet on the banker’s first two cards having the same value or face, like a hand having a Queen of Hearts and a Queen of Spades. The house edge is 11.25% and the payout is 11:1.

Either Pair

Either pair bet is a bet on either the player’s or the banker’s first two cards having the same value or face, like a hand having two Queen of Hearts. The house edge is 14.54% and the payout is 5:1.

Perfect Pair

The perfect pair bet is a bet on either the player’s or the banker’s first two cards being identical, like a hand having two Queen of Hearts. The house edge is 17.07% and the payout is 11:1.

Small

The small bet is a bet on only four cards being dealt in a round of baccarat. The house edge is 5.27% and the payout is 1.5:1.

Big

The big bet is a bet on more than four cards (five or six) being dealt in a round of baccarat. The house edge is 4.35% and the payout is 0.54:1.

Dragon Bonus

The dragon bonus bet is a bet on the player’s hand winning with a natural by a specific margin. The house edge is 2.65% and the payouts vary according to the following margins:

MarginsHouse Edge
9 points30:1
8 points10:1
7 points6:1
6 points4:1
5 points2:1
4 points1:1
3 points or fewerBet lost

The Dragon 7 bet is a bet on the winning banker’s hand totaling 7 between three cards. The house edge is 7.61% and the payout is 40:1.

Super Six

The super six bets is a bet on the winning banker’s hand totaling 6. The house edge is 29.98% and the payout is 0.54:1.

Dragon 7

The Dragon 7 bet is a bet on the winning banker’s hand totaling 7 between three cards. The house edge is 7.61% and the payout is 40:1.

4-5-6 Bet

The 4-5-6 bet is a bet on the total number of cards will be in the banker’s hands and the player’s hands. The house edge and payouts vary per bet.

BetHouse EdgePayout
Four cards5.27%3:2
Five and six cards4.35%2:1

All Red

The all-red bet is a bet on the player’s hand only having red cards or Hearts and Diamonds. The house edge is 13.76% and the payout is 22.1.

All Black

The all-black bet is a bet on the player’s hand only having black cards or Spades and Clubs. The house edge is 13.76% and the payout is 24:1.

Panda 8

The panda 8 is a bet on the winning player’s hand totaling 8 between three cards. The house edge is 10.19% and the payout is 25:1.

Quik

The quick bet is a bet on the total value of the banker’s and player’s cards. Because the maximum total value of a single hand is 9, the maximum total a player can bet on is 18. The house edge is 8.155% and the payouts vary per bet.

BetPayouts
1825:1
15-171:1
4-14Bet lost
1-31:1
050:1

How to Win in Online Baccarat

After knowing how to play online baccarat, it’s important to learn a suitable baccarat-winning strategy. Beginners can use the one-sided betting strategy wherein they stick to either the player bet or the banker bet to improve their chances of winning. After knowing to stick with the one-sided strategy they can test out different betting systems to try and further improve their chances of winning more real money.

Player Win at Baccarat Table

Use Betting Systems

The one-sided betting strategy can be further improved by using certain betting systems alongside it. Baccarat strategies aren’t exactly complicated and they don’t need to be. Baccarat players don’t need to do anything but sit back, stick to a banker bet or a player bet, and watch as the cards are dealt.

If baccarat players want to increase their profits, they’ll need to learn to adjust their bets depending on the situation. Betting systems are all about this and players typically have to follow the sequences associated with the specific system. Learning how to win in baccarat and win big will involve learning about baccarat betting systems, and some of them are the following:

  • 1-3-2-4
  • Fibonacci
  • Martingale
  • Oscar’s Grind
  • D’Alembert
  • Paroli
  • Labouchere

The betting systems will focus on the basic bet types and not involve side bets. Even if side bets can potentially increase winnings with their high payouts, it’s best to avoid them when using betting systems since they can potentially negatively affect the bankroll when the player suffers a bad losing streak.

Casino Review Icon

Best Online Casino

Best Real Money Casino

Best Live Casino

Best Online Betting

Best Safe & Secure

Casino Guide Icon

Fish Shooting

Play Free Slots

How to Play Slots

How to Win Slots

Slot Strategy

Slot Tips & Tricks

Progressive Slots

Play Free Baccarat

How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat Odds

Baccarat Strategy

Baccarat Tips

Play Free Blackjack

How to Play Blackjack

Blackjack Odds

Blackjack Tips

Blackjack Strategy

How to Count Cards in Blackjack

Blackjack Variants

Best Casino Icon

22BET

OKBET

1XBET

BET365

888 CASINO

BETWAY

GGBET

BWIN

777 CASINO

747 LIVE

How to Play Baccarat FAQs

Learning how to play baccarat is simple. Picking up the basics is as simple as just deciding whether to place a player bet or a banker bet.

Baccarat is an easier table game to learn than others, like blackjack, since players only need to pick between the player bet and banker bet to start playing. Learning about the rules is also simple as it only involves learning about card values and keeping in mind how they add up. Remember that 9 is the maximum value in baccarat and double-digit values immediately drop the first digit and retain the second digit.

Losing is normal in any casino game, even when practicing baccarat using free casino games. Sticking to either the player bet or banker bet can still lead to losing streaks from time to time, which is why players are usually encouraged to change bets after three consecutive losses to limit their losses.

The best bet in baccarat is the banker bet. This is because the banker has the lowest house edge, even if there is a 5% commission charged per win. Banker bets will win more often than the player bet, so it’s best to consider sticking to this bet.

Conclusion

Learning how to play baccarat should be easy enough, especially since players can play the game even by only learning about the player and banker bets. Learning about card values is necessary to understand the game more and avoid confusion on why a bettor loses or wins their bets, especially when third card rules get involved.

Learning about side bets can potentially help increase a player’s winnings, especially when they start playing a baccarat game that offered said side bets.

The banker bet wins most often, with a probability of 45.87%. However, all winning banker bets incur a 5% commission, so players should take this into account when betting in baccarat.

After learning how to play baccarat, players will need to look for a reliable online casino in the Philippines like 6D to play great 6D games like different versions of baccarat. Sign up today to start playing baccarat with us.