The three main bets
| Bet | Pays | House edge (8 decks) |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 minus 5% commission | about 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | about 1.24% |
| Tie | 8:1 | about 14.4% |
Banker wins slightly more often because of the drawing rules, which is why the casino takes a commission on it. On a no-commission table the Banker win is cut instead, usually to half pay when Banker wins with 6, which brings its edge to about 1.46%.
Variants you will find at new casinos
- Speed Baccarat: the same rules with rounds of about 27 seconds, so you play more hands per hour and lose more per hour at the same edge.
- Squeeze: the dealer reveals the cards slowly. It changes the drama, not the maths.
- No Commission: see the Banker-on-6 rule above.
- Lightning Baccarat: random multipliers on some cards, paid for by a 20% fee on every bet.
Live tables mostly come from Evolution, Ezugi and Pragmatic Play Live. Our new baccarat casinos page shows which casinos carry them.
Side bets
Pair bets pay 11:1 and carry a house edge of about 10% on an eight-deck shoe; other side bets are often worse. If you play them, cap them at a small share of each stake and treat them as a separate game.
Betting systems
Martingale doubles after each loss, Fibonacci climbs a number sequence, and 1-3-2-4 raises the stake after wins. None changes the 1.06% or 1.24% edge. Martingale is the riskiest: after seven losses in a row a ₹100 starting bet has become a ₹12,800 bet, and table limits stop you long before the streak ends.
Bankroll rules
- Decide the session budget before you open the table, and leave when it is gone.
- Bet in fixed units, for example 1% to 2% of the session budget per hand.
- Play Speed Baccarat with smaller stakes, since you see roughly twice as many hands.
- Practise in demo mode where the casino offers it; live tables usually have no demo.
Bonus terms often count baccarat at a low rate or not at all towards wagering. Check the game weighting in the terms and conditions before you play baccarat with bonus money.