Baccarat is a card game in which you bet on which of two hands — the Player or the Banker — will finish closer to a total of nine, or whether the two will tie. You are not dealt a hand to manage and you make no drawing decisions: the dealer deals both hands and follows fixed rules, so learning how to play baccarat is mostly about understanding the three bets and knowing which one gives you the best mathematical chance. This guide covers the card values, the deal, the third-card rule, the Banker, Player and Tie bets, and the house edge behind each one.
What baccarat is — and the main variants
Baccarat is a comparing card game played between two hands that are dealt and run entirely by the house. Unlike how to play blackjack, where you decide when to hit or stand, in the most common form of baccarat every drawing decision is dictated by the rules. Your only job is to choose a bet before the cards come out. That simplicity, combined with a very low house edge on two of the three bets, is a large part of why the game has stayed popular on casino floors for decades.
Baccarat is also the dominant table game in the world’s biggest casino market, Macau, where it accounts for the large majority of table-game revenue. It carries a reputation as a high-roller game, but the online and mini versions have made it accessible at low stakes too.
Punto banco, chemin de fer and baccarat banque
Three versions of baccarat exist, and the differences matter mainly for who controls the cards:
- Punto banco is by far the most common version in New Zealand and online. “Punto” means Player and “banco” means Banker. The house deals both hands and applies all drawing rules automatically, so players make no decisions beyond their bet.
- Chemin de fer is the older European form in which players take turns acting as the bank and decide whether to draw a third card. It is rare in modern casinos.
- Baccarat banque is similar to chemin de fer but one player holds the bank for a longer run of hands.
You will also see mini-baccarat, which is simply punto banco on a smaller, blackjack-sized table with lower minimum bets and a faster pace. The rules are identical. Everything below describes punto banco, the version you will meet in almost every New Zealand venue and at online tables.
The goal and how cards are counted
The goal of each hand is to back the side — Player or Banker — whose two or three cards total closest to nine. Card values in baccarat are unusual, so learn these first:
- Aces count as 1.
- Cards 2 through 9 count at their face value.
- Tens and all face cards (jack, queen, king) count as 0.
A hand’s score is the sum of its cards, but only the last digit counts. If the total goes above nine, you drop the tens digit. For example, a 7 and an 8 add up to 15, which becomes a score of 5. A king and a 4 total 4. A 9 and a 6 total 15, which becomes 5. Because the tens digit is always dropped, the highest possible score is nine and you can never “bust” the way you can in blackjack.
How a round of baccarat is dealt
A round follows the same sequence every time:
- You place a chip on Player, Banker or Tie before any cards are dealt.
- The dealer deals two cards to the Player hand and two to the Banker hand, all face up.
- Both totals are read. If either hand is a “natural” (see below), the round ends immediately.
- If not, the fixed third-card rules decide whether the Player hand, the Banker hand, or both draw one more card. No hand ever receives a fourth card.
- The higher final total wins. Winning Player bets and Banker bets are paid, and if the totals are equal the Tie bet wins while Player and Banker bets push (are returned).
Baccarat is usually dealt from a shoe of eight decks. The number of decks barely changes the odds, so the figures in this guide apply to the standard eight-deck game.
Naturals: when the round ends immediately
If either the Player or the Banker hand totals 8 or 9 on its first two cards, that is a “natural.” The round stops at once and no third card is drawn to either hand. A natural 9 beats a natural 8. If both hands make a natural of the same value, the result is a tie. Naturals are the only situation where the result is settled without any drawing, which is why beginners see so many two-card hands finish instantly.
The third-card rule
When neither hand has a natural, fixed rules decide who draws a third card. You never have to apply these yourself — the dealer or the software does it automatically — but understanding them explains why the Banker bet behaves differently from the Player bet.
When the Player draws
The Player hand always acts first and follows one simple rule: it draws a third card on a total of 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. (A total of 8 or 9 would already be a natural.)
When the Banker draws
The Banker hand acts second, and its rule is the one part of baccarat people find fiddly. If the Player stood on 6 or 7, the Banker simply draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. But if the Player drew a third card, whether the Banker draws depends on both the Banker’s own total and the value of the Player’s third card. The table below shows the full set of rules; it is worth a glance even though you never have to recall it at the table.
Banker's Drawing Rules
| Banker’s two-card total | What the Banker does when the Player drew a third card |
|---|---|
| 0, 1 or 2 | Always draws a third card |
| 3 | Draws, unless the Player’s third card was an 8 |
| 4 | Draws if the Player’s third card was 2 to 7 |
| 5 | Draws if the Player’s third card was 4 to 7 |
| 6 | Draws if the Player’s third card was 6 or 7 |
| 7 | Always stands |
If the Player stood (two cards totalling 6 or 7), the Banker ignores the table above and simply draws on a total of 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7.
This extra information — the Banker gets to react to the Player’s third card — is exactly why the Banker hand wins slightly more often, and why casinos charge a commission to balance it out.
The three baccarat bets
Before the deal you choose one of three main bets. They are settled purely on the final totals; there is no bluffing or strategy within the hand.
The Banker bet
The Banker bet wins when the Banker hand finishes closer to nine. It is the strongest bet in the game because the Banker’s drawing advantage makes it win more hands than the Player. To offset that, casinos take a 5% commission on Banker wins: a winning Banker bet pays 19 to 20, which is even money minus the commission. Even after the commission, the Banker bet has the lowest house edge in baccarat at about 1.06%.
The Player bet
The Player bet wins when the Player hand finishes closer to nine. It pays even money (1 to 1) with no commission, which makes it feel cleaner, but it wins slightly less often than the Banker bet. Its house edge is about 1.24% — only 0.18 percentage points worse than the Banker, so it is still a low-edge wager.
The Tie bet
The Tie bet wins only when the Player and Banker hands finish on the same total. A tie happens roughly once every ten hands, and the bet usually pays 8 to 1. That payout leaves a house edge of about 14.36%, by far the worst bet on the table. Some casinos pay 9 to 1 instead, which lowers the edge to about 4.84% — still well above the Banker and Player bets. Because it is so rare and the payout so short, the Tie bet is the one most guides advise skipping.
Side bets: pairs and others
Many baccarat tables add optional side bets. The most common are the Player Pair and Banker Pair, which win if that hand’s first two cards are a matching pair and typically pay 11 to 1. Branded variants add bets such as Dragon 7 (paying 40 to 1) or Panda 8 (25 to 1). All of these carry a far higher house edge than the main bets — usually 10% or more — so they are entertainment extras rather than value wagers.
Baccarat odds and the house edge
The house edge is the long-run percentage of each bet the casino expects to keep, and in baccarat it varies sharply between the three main bets. Over a full eight-deck shoe the Banker hand wins about 45.9% of hands, the Player hand about 44.6%, and the rest are ties (about 9.5%). Ignoring ties, the Banker wins just over half of the decided hands — a small but permanent edge that the 5% commission is designed to claw back. The table below compares the three bets on payout, how often they win and the resulting house edge.
Baccarat Bets Compared
| Bet | Payout | Approx. win chance | House edge (8 decks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1 to 1, minus 5% commission (19 to 20) | about 45.9% | 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 (even money) | about 44.6% | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8 to 1 (sometimes 9 to 1) | about 9.5% | 14.36% at 8 to 1; 4.84% at 9 to 1 |
Figures are for the standard eight-deck game. Win chances include hands that end in a tie, which is why the Banker and Player percentages do not add up to 100%.
The practical takeaway is clear: measured by house edge, the Banker bet is the best value, the Player bet is a close second, and the Tie bet is the one to avoid. No betting pattern changes these numbers, because every hand is independent and the drawing rules are fixed.
Common mistakes beginners make
Baccarat is easy to play but easy to misunderstand. The most frequent errors cost money without adding any fun:
- Chasing the Tie bet. An 8-to-1 payout looks tempting, but at a 14% house edge it is the worst wager on the table. Treat it as a long shot, not a strategy.
- Trusting the scorecard. Casinos hand out cards to track past Banker and Player results, and players look for streaks or patterns. Each hand is independent, so past results tell you nothing about the next one. “The Banker is due” is a gambler’s fallacy.
- Relying on betting systems. Doubling your stake after a loss (the Martingale) or similar systems cannot overcome the house edge; they only change how quickly your bankroll swings and how fast you can hit the table limit.
- Ignoring the commission. On “no commission” or Super 6 tables the 5% charge is dropped but a winning Banker 6 pays only half. That quietly raises the Banker house edge to roughly 1.46%, worse than the ordinary Player bet, so read the table rules first.
- Overbetting the bankroll. Baccarat deals fast, especially mini-baccarat, so a modest stake can turn over quickly. Set a budget and a session limit before you sit down.
Where to play baccarat in New Zealand
You can play baccarat at New Zealand’s land-based venues and online. Physical tables are offered at licensed casinos such as the Christchurch casino, where dealers run the game in person. Online, the game is most engaging in a live casino studio, where a real dealer streams the deal in real time; standard digital versions use a random number generator and play out instantly.
New Zealand’s gambling laws changed recently: under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, advertising unlicensed offshore casinos to New Zealanders has been prohibited since 1 May 2026, and the rules apply to operators based overseas as well. If you play online, it is worth understanding whether online casinos are safe and checking an operator’s licensing and payment terms before depositing. For a sense of other casino table games and how their odds compare, see our guides to roulette rules and blackjack.
Responsible gambling
Baccarat is a game of chance with a built-in house edge on every bet, and no rule, system or scorecard changes that over time. Play only with money you can afford to lose, set time and spending limits in advance, and never bet to recover losses. If gambling stops being fun or starts to cause harm, free and confidential help is available in New Zealand around the clock from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 (free text 8006). You can also read our guide to responsible gambling for tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion. This article is general information about how the game works, not betting or financial advice.
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Frequently asked questions
Is baccarat a game of luck or skill?
Baccarat is almost entirely a game of luck. In the standard punto banco version you make no decisions after placing your bet, and all drawing is dictated by fixed rules. The only “skill” is choosing the bet with the lowest house edge — the Banker bet — and managing your bankroll.
Do betting systems or card counting improve your odds?
No. Because each hand is independent and the drawing rules never change, no betting pattern alters the house edge. Card counting has only a tiny theoretical effect in baccarat and is far too small to matter in practice, unlike in blackjack. Systems such as the Martingale only change the shape of your wins and losses, not the long-run result.
How much money do I need to play baccarat?
It depends entirely on the table. High-limit baccarat has a reputation for large stakes, but mini-baccarat and online tables often start at a few dollars a hand. Set a budget you are comfortable losing before you start, and remember the game deals quickly, so a small stake can turn over fast.
Is online and live-dealer baccarat fair?
At a licensed operator, yes. Digital baccarat uses a certified random number generator, while live-dealer tables stream a real dealer dealing physical cards. The key is to play only at properly licensed and audited sites and to confirm the operator’s credentials before depositing.
Why is the Banker bet charged a commission?
The Banker hand acts after the Player and can react to the Player’s third card, so it wins slightly more often than the Player hand. Without a charge, the Banker bet would be clearly better value than the Player bet. The standard 5% commission on Banker wins balances the two, leaving the Banker with the game’s lowest house edge of about 1.06%.
