What is Baccarat?
Baccarat is one of the easiest casino games to play — and it has some of the best odds in the house. Despite looking fancy, the actual gameplay is simple: you place a bet, then watch the dealer do everything. No decisions required.
Player
One of two hands dealt. Has nothing to do with you personally — it's just a name.
Banker
The other hand. Also just a name — doesn't represent the casino or the dealer.
Before cards are dealt, you bet on which hand will win — Player, Banker, or Tie. Then the dealer deals four cards (two to each hand) and follows a strict set of rules to determine if a third card is drawn. The hand closest to 9 wins.
Bet on PlayerNo commission
1:1Bet on Banker5% commission — still best odds in baccarat
1:1Bet on TieHappens ~9% of the time — tempting but high house edge
9:1Why Banker is the "right" bet
Banker wins slightly more often than Player — about 45.8% vs 44.6% of hands. Even after the 5% commission, Banker has a lower house edge (1.06%) compared to Player (1.24%). Tie is a trap at 14.4% house edge.
Card Values
Ace= 1
2 – 9Face value
10, J, Q, K= 0
Total over 9Drop the tens digit
Example: 7 + 6 = 13 → drop the 1 → total is 3
Example: K + 5 = 5 (K = 0) → total is 5
Example: Q + Q + 9 = 9 (Q+Q = 0) → total is 9
Dealing Sequence
Cards are dealt one at a time in this order:
1st cardPlayer
2nd cardBanker
3rd cardPlayer
4th cardBanker
5th & 6th cards dealt only if third card rules require a draw.
Naturals
After the first four cards are dealt, check both totals. If either hand has 8 or 9, it is a Natural — no more cards are drawn.
Natural 9 vs Natural 89 wins
Natural 9 vs Natural 9Tie
Natural 8 vs Natural 8Tie
Natural vs non-naturalNatural wins
Naturals are the highest possible outcome. Even a standing Player 7 loses to a Natural 8.
Player Draw Rule
If no Natural, Player acts first. This rule is unconditional — no exceptions.
Player total 0 – 5Must draw
Player total 6 – 7Must stand
Player never looks at Banker's cards. The draw decision is based solely on the Player's own 2-card total.
Banker Draw Rule
If Player stood (total was 6 or 7): Banker draws on 0–5, stands on 6–7. Simple.
If Player drew a third card: Banker's decision depends on the Player's third card value:
BankerRule
0, 1, 2Always draw — no matter what Player drew
3Draw unless Player's 3rd card was 8
4Draw if Player's 3rd card was 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7
5Draw if Player's 3rd card was 4, 5, 6, or 7
6Draw if Player's 3rd card was 6 or 7
7Always stand — no matter what Player drew
The shaded rows (Banker 3–6) are the conditional ones — these require knowing what card the Player drew. Drill these in Hard mode.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — Player draws, Banker stands
Player: 3 + 2 = 5 → draws → gets a 4 → total 9
Banker: 6 + 1 = 7 → stands (Player drew, but Banker 7 always stands)
Player wins 9 vs 7. Player drew a 4, total is 9 → Small Ruby 💎
Example 2 — Banker conditional draw
Player: 2 + 3 = 5 → draws → gets a 6 → total 1
Banker: 1 + 3 = 4 → Player drew a 6 (in range 2–7) → Banker draws → gets a 5 → total 9
Banker wins 9 vs 1. Banker drew a 5, 3-card total 9 → Small Ruby 💎
Example 3 — Dragon 7
Player: 5 + 1 = 6 → stands
Banker: 3 + 2 = 5 → Player stood, so Banker draws on 0–5 → gets a 2 → total 7
Banker wins 7 vs 6. Banker 3-card 7 → Dragon 7 🐉 (40:1)
Example 4 — Natural, no draw
Player: K + 9 = 9 → Natural!
Banker: 4 + 3 = 7
No more cards drawn. Player wins 9 vs 7. No special outcome.
All Payouts
Banker wins5% commission deducted from winnings
1:1TiePlayer & Banker bets returned (push)
9:1Dragon 7Banker 3-card 7 — independent of main bet result
40:1Panda 8Player 3-card 8 — independent of main bet result
25:1Small RubyEither side has a 3-card total of 9
10:1Big RubyBoth sides have a 3-card total of 9
75:1Special Outcomes
🐉 Dragon 7 — 40:1
Banker wins with exactly 3 cards totalling 7.
Mental shortcut: multiply bet × 4, then add a zero.
🐼 Panda 8 — 25:1
Player wins with exactly 3 cards totalling 8.
Mental shortcut: multiply bet × 100, then divide by 4.
💎 Small Ruby — 10:1
Either side (Player or Banker) has a 3-card total of 9. Pays regardless of who won the main bet.
Mental shortcut: add a zero to the bet.
💎💎 Big Ruby — 75:1
Both Player and Banker have a 3-card total of 9. Extremely rare.
Mental shortcut: multiply bet × 100, then subtract × 25.
Tie — 9:1
Both hands have the same final total. Player and Banker bets are returned (push — no win, no loss). Only the Tie bet wins.
Mental shortcut: multiply bet × 10, then subtract the bet.
Ruby side bets are independent — they pay based on whether a 3-card 9 occurred, not on who won the main bet. A player can win the Ruby bet even if their main Banker or Player bet lost.
How Bonus Bets Work
Bonus bets (Dragon 7, Panda 8, Ruby) are side bets placed separately from the main Player/Banker/Tie bet. They are resolved independently — a player can win a bonus bet even if their main bet lost.
When are bonus bets paid?
After the hand is complete (all cards drawn), check for bonus conditions before paying main bets. Dragon 7 and Panda 8 are checked by result. Ruby is checked by looking at whether either side has a 3-card total of 9.
🐉 Dragon 7 — when does it pay?
Banker must win AND must have exactly 3 cards AND those 3 cards must total 7. All three conditions required. If Banker wins with 2-card 7, Dragon 7 does NOT pay.
🐼 Panda 8 — when does it pay?
Player must win AND must have exactly 3 cards AND those 3 cards must total 8. If Player wins with 2-card 8 (Natural), Panda 8 does NOT pay.
💎 Ruby — when does it pay?
Small Ruby (10:1): Either Player or Banker (or both) ends with a 3-card total of 9. It does NOT matter who won the hand — Ruby pays based on the 3-card 9 alone.
Big Ruby (75:1): Both Player AND Banker each end with a 3-card total of 9. Rare. When Big Ruby hits, Small Ruby also pays (two separate payouts).
Example: Player has 3 cards totalling 9, Banker has 2 cards totalling 7 (Banker wins). Main bet: Banker bettors win. Ruby: pays 10:1 to anyone who had the Ruby side bet, regardless of who they bet on for the main.
Mental Math Shortcuts
Quick ways to calculate side bet payouts in your head. Practice these in the Bonus Math Trainer drill.
Dragon 7 (×40)×4, then add a zero
Panda 8 (×25)×100 ÷ 4
Small Ruby (×10)Add a zero
Big Ruby (×75)×100 − ×25
Tie (×9)×10 − bet
Dragon 7 Example
Bet: $35
$35 × 4 = $140 → add a zero → $1,400 payout
Big Ruby Example
Bet: $20
$20 × 100 = $2,000 — $20 × 25 = $500 → $2,000 − $500 = $1,500 payout
Quick Reference — What to Check Each Hand
1
Check for Naturals (8 or 9 on initial 2 cards). If yes, no more draws.2
Player total 0–5 → draw. Player 6–7 → stand.3
If Player stood → Banker draws 0–5, stands 6–7.4
If Player drew → use the Banker conditional table (Banker 3–6 depends on Player's 3rd card).5
Determine winner. Check for Dragon 7, Panda 8, or Ruby (3-card 9 on either side).6
Pay main bets. Pay any side bets. Deduct 5% on Banker wins.