The Guide to Baccarat Odds

The game of Baccarat is deeply rooted in casino history and has become one of the most popular games. Before you get started, there are a few things you need to know - and that’s exactly what we are going to cover in this guide to Baccarat. Here, we’ll take a look at the different bets and odds, the side bets, how the odds can change with variations - and how to calculate those winning odds!

Odds in Baccarat

Let’s start with the basics. In Baccarat, players can place three main bets - the Player bet, the Banker bet and the Tie bet. Find out the different odds and house edge in baccarat for the three main bet types.

Player Bet

Odds: The Player bet is an even money wager - so, if you bet £10 and win, you receive £10 in winnings - thus a 1:1 payout.

House Edge: The house edge on the Player bet is around 1.24%

Banker Bet

Odds: The Banker bet is also an even money bet - but this one usually comes with a 5% commission. As such, if you bet £10 and win, you get £9.50 in winnings (factoring in the 5% commission), resulting in (almost) a 1:1 payout.

House Edge: The house edge on the Banker bet is calculated at around 1.06% - lower than the Player bet, which makes it the most popular bet in Baccarat.

Tie Bet

Odds: The Tie bet has much higher odds - usually around 8 to 1 or 9 to 1, depending on the casino and the game. So, if you bet £10 and win, you could receive £80 to £90 in winnings.

House Edge: However, the Tie bet has a much higher house edge - around 14.36%. So, it may pay out more, but it's not as popular bet because, compared to its payout, it has a low probability of winning.

So, as you can see, the Banker bet offers the best odds with a lower house edge. On the other hand, the Tie bet may have the highest potential payout - but it is less likely to occur.

Odds for Side Bets in Baccarat 

Although there are three main bets in Baccarat, many baccarat games offer different side bets to add more depth to the gameplay.

Dragon Bonus

The Dragon Bonus is a popular side bet with different odds for winning. Payouts generally vary between 30:1 to 1:1, depending on the specific outcome of the hand. So, for example, a natural win will usually pay 1:1, while a non-natural win may offer higher odds -  as much as 30:1.

Perfect Pair

Then we have the Perfect Pair side bet, based on the first two cards dealt to the Player or Banker. A perfect pair (two cards of the same rank and suit) usually pays out at 25:1, while other pairs (same rank but different suits) will have lower odds - around 11:1.

Big and Small

The Big and Small side bet is based on the total number of cards used in a hand. Betting on 'Big' (5-6 cards) will usually payout at 2:1, while 'Small' (4 cards or less) generally pays 0.54:1.

Lucky 6

The Lucky 6 side bet is betting on the Banker winning with a total of 6 points and usually pays out at 12:1.

Egalite

These bets are based on specific tie outcomes - such as a tie with a specific point difference, suits, or the number of cards in a tie. However, the odds will vary widely depending on how rare the tie condition is - and can range from 5:1 up to 220:1 or even more.

Side bets do offer higher potential payouts; however, to reflect this, they also come with much higher house edges compared to player and banker bets.

Calculating Payout Odds in Baccarat

The good news is that calculating the payout for a winning bet in Baccarat is pretty easy -  and it depends on the type of bet placed. Let’s take a look at how it works with some of the aforementioned bets.

First, look at a winning Player bet that pays even money. The calculation couldn’t be easier - If you wagered £10 and won, you would get your initial £10 stake back, plus an extra £10 in winnings -so a total of £20.

Banker bets are slightly different because although they also pay even money, they also usually have a 5% commission that you need to take into consideration. So, if you bet £10 and win, you'll get back your initial £10 bet and receive £9.50 in winnings (£10 minus the 5% commission). So, your total payout would be £19.50.

In terms of the other bets, they are all worked out similarly. If you place £10 on a Tie Bet at odds of 8:1, you’d get your £10 stake returned plus £80 (8 x £10) in winnings - so £90 in total. If you bet £10 on a Perfect Pairs at 25:1, your return would be your £10 stake plus £250 (25 x £10) = £260.

Variation in Baccarat Odds

It is important to remember that the odds in Baccarat can vary depending on the specific version of the game being played - and where you’re playing it. This could be because of different rules, side bets and commission structures. These are the main factors that can affect the odds.

Commission on Banker Bets

In most Baccarat games, there is often a 5% commission applied to Banker bets when they win. However, some variations might have a lower commission - and some might not have it at all. This obviously can impact the odds and the payout… depending on how high or low that commission is.

Number of Decks

Like many casino games, Baccarat can be played with different numbers of decks, usually between 6 to 8 decks. The odds can change based on the number of decks in play. More decks can make it slightly harder to predict the outcomes - and this can affect the odds and house edge.

Side Bets

As we have seen above, various versions of Baccarat can come with different side bets all with varying odds and house edges. Introducing new side bets can influence a player’s odds and strategy. Most side bets may come with improved payout odds, but come with a higher house edge.

Rules on Tie Bets

In some variations, the rules regarding Tie bets may be slightly different. For example, some versions might offer improved odds on specific tie outcomes. However, others may make tie bets even riskier by introducing new conditions.

Payouts on Natural Wins

Natural wins (where a hand wins with an 8 or 9) can have different payout rates in different games. Some versions might pay more for a Player or Banker natural win, while some others stay with a 1:1 payout.

As you can see, before you go into any game of Baccarat, you need to know what variation of the game you are playing - and the bets, odds and payouts associated with that game. Whilst you may prefer to stick to the standard bets - for more predictable odds, as you become more familiar with the betting options, you may wish to try out alternative options to get a bit of variation on your gameplay. 

Whether you're playing baccarat online or in a land-based casino, the payouts and odds for the majority of bets will remain similar.

However, remember to know the game and know the rules before you approach a baccarat table.