How to Play Baccarat: Rules & Odds
Baccarat has a reputation as a high-roller's game, but it's actually one of the simplest games on the floor. The whole game comes down to one question: will the Player hand or the Banker hand land closest to nine? You don't draw cards, you don't make decisions mid-hand, and you don't play against anyone else at the table. You place a bet and watch it play out. This guide walks you through every rule, value, and bet so you can sit down at Palms Casino Resort and play baccarat with confidence on your first hand.
Palms deals baccarat across 10 tables with wagers accepted up to $10,000, so whether you're trying the game for the first time or playing at higher stakes, there's a seat for you. As the property describes it, baccarat is a "classic casino game, easy to learn and easy to play."
What Is Baccarat and How Does It Work?.
Baccarat is a card game where you bet on which of two hands, Player or Banker, will land closest to nine, whichever lands closest winning the round. Cards 2–9 count their face value, 10s and face cards count zero, and aces count one, making nine the highest possible total. The standard casino version is also called "punto banco."
Baccarat is a comparing card game in which two hands, the "Player" and the "Banker," are dealt, and the goal is to bet on whichever one finishes closest to a total of nine. Despite the names, "Player" and "Banker" are simply the two hands on the table: you are not required to bet on the Player hand, and the Banker hand has nothing to do with the casino. Before any cards are dealt, you choose which hand you think will win, or whether the round will end in a tie.
Here's the part that surprises newcomers: in baccarat, you don't hold cards or make any in-hand decisions. The dealer draws cards for both hands by fixed rules, and the hand closer to nine wins. Because every draw is automatic, the game moves quickly and there's nothing to memorize about mid-hand strategy. Once you understand the bets and how totals are scored, you understand baccarat. As the felt at Palms puts it, closest to nine wins.
What Are the Three Bets in Baccarat?
Baccarat offers three main bets, placed before the cards come out. Understanding what each pays is the foundation of the game:
- Player bet: a wager that the Player hand finishes closest to nine. Pays even money (1:1), so a $20 winning bet returns $20.
- Banker bet: a wager that the Banker hand finishes closest to nine. Also pays even money (1:1), but a commission, usually 5%, is taken from winning Banker bets, because the Banker hand wins slightly more often.
- Tie bet: a wager that both hands finish with the same total. Typically pays 8:1 (9:1 at some tables), but it lands far less often than the other two outcomes.
You can bet on the Player or the Banker on any hand; there's no rule tying you to one, and many guests switch freely. The Tie is the long shot, which we'll look at when we cover the odds below.
| Player Bet | Pays 1:1 (even money) |
| Banker Bet | Pays 1:1, minus a commission (usually 5%) on wins |
| Tie Bet | Pays 8:1 (9:1 at some tables) |
What Are the Card Values in Baccarat?
Card values in baccarat are unlike most other card games, but they take about thirty seconds to learn. Only the numbers matter; suits are irrelevant. Here's how each card counts:
- Aces are worth 1 point.
- 10s and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 0 points.
- Number cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value; a 7 is worth 7.
The one twist is how totals are scored. A hand's value is the last digit of the sum of its cards; you drop the tens digit. A 7 and an 8 total 15, but the hand is worth 5, not 15; a 9 and a 6 also total 15 and count as 5. No hand can be worth more than nine, and there is no busting in baccarat. Nine is the highest possible total, which is exactly why it's the target.
What Is a Natural in Baccarat?
A "natural" is a two-card hand that totals 8 or 9 right off the deal. When either the Player or Banker hand is dealt a natural, the round ends immediately, no further cards are drawn for either side, and the hands are compared as they stand.
A natural nine beats a natural eight, and a natural of either value beats any total reached with three cards. If both hands hold a natural of the same value, the round is a tie. Because a natural stops play instantly, it's the cleanest way a baccarat hand can resolve.
How Does the Third-Card Rule Work?
The third-card rule is the part of baccarat that confuses first-timers, so here's the most important thing up front: you never have to apply it yourself. The dealer follows a fixed set of rules that automatically decides whether each hand draws a third card. Neither you nor the dealer makes a choice; the rules are identical on every hand, at every table. You can play for years without memorizing them, but the logic makes the game far less mysterious.
If either hand has a natural (8 or 9), the round ends and no third card is drawn. Otherwise, the Player hand acts first: it draws a third card on a total of 0 through 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The Banker hand then draws or stands based on its own total and, in some cases, the value of the Player's third card. In short: the Player draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7, while the Banker's draw depends on its own total and the Player's third card. Here's the standard chart dealers follow:
| Player total 0–5 | Player draws a third card |
| Player total 6–7 | Player stands |
| Player total 8–9 | Natural, round ends, no draw |
| Banker total 0–2 | Banker always draws a third card |
| Banker total 3 | Banker draws unless the Player's third card is an 8 |
| Banker total 4 | Banker draws if the Player's third card is 2–7 |
| Banker total 5 | Banker draws if the Player's third card is 4–7 |
| Banker total 6 | Banker draws if the Player's third card is 6 or 7 |
| Banker total 7 | Banker stands |
If the Player stands (6 or 7), the Banker simply draws on 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7. The takeaway: these decisions are baked into the game. You can watch them happen, but they're never yours to make, a big part of why baccarat feels so relaxed to play.
How Does a Round of Baccarat Play Out?
To play a round of baccarat, place a bet on the Player hand, the Banker hand, or a Tie; the dealer then deals two cards to each hand and the hand totaling closest to nine wins. You make no decisions after betting; every card is drawn by fixed rules automatically. A round follows the same rhythm every time. Here is exactly what happens, in order:
- Place your bet. Set your chips on Player, Banker, or Tie before the deal begins. Each table posts its minimum and maximum on a small sign.
- The deal. The dealer deals two cards to the Player hand and two to the Banker hand, all from the same shoe.
- Check for a natural. If either hand totals 8 or 9, that's a natural, and the round ends immediately and the hands are compared.
- Apply the third-card rule. If there's no natural, the dealer draws a third card for one or both hands according to the fixed rules above. No one chooses; it's automatic.
- Compare totals. The hand closest to nine wins. A tie means both hands match.
- Settle bets. Winning Player bets pay even money; winning Banker bets pay even money minus the commission; winning Tie bets pay 8:1. Losing bets are collected, and a new round begins.
The sequence repeats hand after hand, which is why baccarat is so easy to follow once you've watched a couple of rounds. Because you're only deciding where to bet, you can settle in and enjoy the pace.
What Are the Odds and House Edge in Baccarat?
Baccarat has one of the lowest house edges on the floor, but the edge differs sharply between the three bets, so it's worth knowing the numbers. These figures are based on the standard eight-deck game:
- Banker bet: the lowest house edge of the three, roughly 1.06%. The Banker hand wins slightly more often than the Player, which is why the usual 5% commission is charged on Banker wins, the casino's way of balancing that advantage.
- Player bet: a house edge of about 1.24%, with no commission on wins, making it the simplest bet to track.
- Tie bet: a much higher house edge, commonly around 14% on an 8:1 payout, because the Tie lands far less often than its payout might suggest.
Stated plainly: the Banker carries the smallest house edge even after its commission, the Player is a close second, and the Tie has a high house edge that makes it the riskiest of the three. Its large payout draws attention, but the math favors the house heavily; it is not a "winning" bet, just a long shot.
Baccarat Odds vs. Blackjack
Guests often ask how baccarat's odds compare to blackjack's. With sound basic strategy, blackjack can run a house edge of roughly half a percent, lower than baccarat's best bet. The difference is effort: blackjack requires the right decision on every hand to reach that edge, while baccarat's Banker bet delivers a roughly 1.06% edge with no decisions at all. If you don't mind learning strategy, blackjack rewards it; if you want a low-edge game you can play hands-off, baccarat's Banker bet is hard to beat. For more on bet selection and variants, see our baccarat strategy and variants guide.
| Banker | ≈1.06% (lowest edge; commission, usually 5%, on wins) |
| Player | ≈1.24% (no commission) |
| Tie | ≈14% on an 8:1 payout (highest edge; a long shot) |
What Are Mini Baccarat and EZ Baccarat?
The game Palms deals is classic baccarat with the Player, Banker, and Tie bets described above. As you explore other casinos around Las Vegas, though, you'll often come across two close relatives of the game. Both follow the same closest-to-nine logic and the same third-card rules; the differences are mostly in pace and commission. They're worth knowing as general baccarat knowledge so you recognize them if you encounter them on another floor.
How to Play Mini Baccarat
Mini baccarat is simply a smaller, faster version of the standard game, played at a single blackjack-sized table with one dealer. The rules are identical, the same three bets, card values, and automatic third-card draws, but lower stakes and quicker rounds make it a beginner-friendly variant you'll find at many Las Vegas casinos. If you come across a mini baccarat table, the rules you've read here are the full rules; only the table is smaller.
How to Play EZ Baccarat
EZ Baccarat plays exactly like standard baccarat with one appealing twist: winning Banker bets are paid in full, with no standard 5% commission deducted. Instead, EZ Baccarat handles the casino's edge through a specific rule: most commonly, a Banker hand that wins with a three-card total of seven pushes (ties) the Banker bet rather than paying out. It's otherwise the same closest-to-nine game, and many guests like not tracking a commission on every hand. At casinos that spread it, EZ Baccarat tables sometimes offer optional side bets; the game Palms deals is standard baccarat with the Player, Banker, and Tie bets only.
Do Baccarat Patterns and Scorecards Work?
Baccarat tables often offer scorecards, and screens above the table tracking which hand has won, so guests can chart past results. These are a genuine, fun part of baccarat's tradition, and many people enjoy marking "streaks" and runs of Player or Banker wins.
But it's worth being clear about what they do: tracking past results is entertainment, not an edge. Every hand is dealt independently, so a "pattern" or "secret" streak of past wins has no influence on the next hand. A run of Banker wins doesn't make the Player hand "due," and no scorecard system changes the house edge of any bet. Chart the hands if you enjoy it, but treat it as part of the fun rather than a way to predict the outcome. The only thing that affects your odds is which of the three bets you place.
Do Baccarat Betting Systems Like the Martingale Work?
No baccarat betting system changes the fixed house edge of the Player, Banker, or Tie bets. You'll see several popular progressions discussed as "baccarat strategy," and they're worth recognizing for what they are:
- Martingale: doubling your bet after every loss to recover it on the next win. The progression can wipe out a bankroll fast and runs into table limits, and it never lowers the house edge.
- Paroli: a positive progression that increases your bet after a win rather than a loss. It can shape how a winning streak feels, but the odds on each individual hand are unchanged.
- Fibonacci: sizing bets along the Fibonacci sequence after losses. Like the others, it only changes how much you wager, not whether you win.
Stated plainly: every hand is an independent event, so no staking pattern can turn a negative-edge bet into a positive-edge one. Betting systems are a way to structure how you wager, not a way to beat the math. The most reliable "strategy" remains choosing the lowest-edge bet, the Banker, and setting a budget you're comfortable with.
Beginner Tips for Playing Baccarat
A few simple habits will help you feel like a regular from your first session:
- Start on the Banker or Player. Both pay even money and carry a low house edge. The Banker holds the slightest mathematical advantage even with its commission, which is why many experienced guests favor it.
- Treat the Tie as a long shot. Its 8:1 payout is tempting, but its high house edge means it's an occasional flutter at most, not a regular bet.
- Keep it simple to start. Stick to the Player or Banker bet for your first sessions and let the game's automatic draws teach you the rhythm before you branch out.
- Let the rules run. You make no decisions after betting, so relax and watch the third-card rule play out; there's nothing to do wrong once your chips are down.
- Set a budget. Decide what you're comfortable playing with before you sit down, and treat any winnings as a bonus. Baccarat is entertainment first.
Baccarat Glossary
Keep this short glossary handy for the terms you'll hear most often at the table:
- Player: one of the two hands you can bet on; pays even money on a win.
- Banker: the other hand you can bet on; pays even money minus a commission (usually 5%) on a win.
- Tie: a bet that both hands finish with the same total; typically pays 8:1.
- Natural: a two-card hand totaling 8 or 9, which ends the round immediately.
- Commission: the small fee (usually 5%) taken from winning Banker bets.
- Third-card rule: the fixed set of rules that decides automatically whether each hand draws a third card.
- Shoe: the box that holds and dispenses the cards, usually eight decks.
- Mini baccarat: a smaller, faster version of the game with the same rules.
- EZ Baccarat: a variant that pays winning Banker bets without the standard commission.
- Scorecard: a card or screen tracking past results; entertainment, not an edge.