Baccarat Rules and Strategy

Two hands are dealt, Player and Banker, and you bet on which will total closer to nine. Cards are added by fixed rules you do not control — there are no decisions mid-hand. Tens and face cards count as zero, and totals above nine drop the first digit, so a 7 and an 8 (15) count as five.

The Banker bet has the lowest house edge in the game, around 1.06%, even after the small commission on wins. The Player bet is close behind at about 1.24%. Both are among the best bets in the casino, which is why baccarat appeals to players who want low edge and no studying.

The Tie pays a tempting 8:1 or 9:1, but its house edge is roughly 14% — more than ten times the Banker bet. It is the one clear mistake in baccarat. Stick to Banker (or Player) and ignore the tie and most side bets, which carry high edges.

Because you cannot influence the cards, baccarat strategy is bet selection and bankroll discipline, not skill. Bet Banker, skip the tie, set a session limit, and do not chase patterns on the scoreboard — past hands do not predict the next, and the edge is the same every hand.