Baccarat Bets: Player, banker and a tie bet types

Baccarat bets are relatively straightforward, unlike roulette, with its almost infinite betting combination possibilities, and blackjack, where you face multiple wagering decisions. In fact, on a baccarat table, in the main game, at least, you have just three betting options.

Limited choices explain why baccarat is such a simple game to play and nothing like the sophisticated and mysterious table game that so many novice casino players think.

Baccarat Bets Explained

On the baccarat table, like the ones at TwinSpires Casino, you have three betting boxes into which you can place your bets: player, banker, and the tie bet. Naturally, most players will bet on player or banker, as we shall see.

Once you take your seat and make your betting choice, the dealer will place two cards face-up to the banker and two more to the player. The idea is to get a card total as close to nine as possible. Any score of ten or over has ten removed, so a total of 18 scores eight points. There are then some rules about whether a third card can be drawn for player or banker.

Whichever has the total closest to nine wins. If you backed banker and that side wins, then you win a 1:1 payout.

The third option is the tie bet, where you guess that both banker and player have the same score. A tie bet will pay around 8:1, or 9:1, depending on the casino. But the odds of getting a tie and the payouts don’t really tally, so a baccarat tie bet strategy is a losing proposition.

Is Banker or Player Bet More Profitable?

Initially, you might consider that the chances of winning on player/banker must be the same. However, there is a slight advantage to betting on banker, owing to the rules for drawing a third card.

The odds a marginally different, and even though you must pay a small commission for winning banker bets, which helps even up the odds a little, there remains a small benefit with the banker option.

With all that in mind, you should always bet on banker, and ignore player and the tie bet.

That can be a little tedious, to be fair, which is why so many players like to mix it up. Not only will they alternate player/banker bets or try to identify trends in recent results at the table, but they might also have a go at some of the available side bets.

In baccarat, that might be a pair bet, where you can wager that the first two cards for the banker or player are the same – if they are, you will get around 11:1 on your bet. Some casinos offer an either pair option, covering both banker and player, and this will pay around 5:1.

Another option at some casinos is the Dragon Bonus, where you are hoping one side or the other wins by a margin of four points or more. If this happens, you might win at around 30:1 – but this rather confirms the chances of it happening are slim.

Like all casino table games, side bets are not profitable in the long run. Yes, they add a little variety to your gaming session. But over the years, you will lose more money than you will win playing pairs or a Dragon Bonus.

Play Baccarat Today

Why not put your newfound knowledge about baccarat bets to the test at TwinSpires Casino? You can play animated tables using real number generated (RNG) cards, or better still, visit the live dealer tables and select a baccarat game.

First, create your account. Then, make a deposit, then claim your handy welcome bonus. Sit down at a table and place your baccarat bets. Good luck!