Baccarat in an online casino is almost always Punto Banco. You do not draw cards to skill. You bet Player, Banker or Tie. Two hands of two cards (sometimes a third by a fixed tableau) are compared. Closest to 9 wins. Tens and face cards count as 0; ace is 1; only the last digit of the total counts (15 is 5).
This English page targets “baccarat game” / how-to-play searches (including Australia). German rules live on a separate guide at Baccarat Regeln — related, not a hreflang twin.
9
best total
1:1
Player payout
5%
common Banker commission
~1.06%
Banker house edge (textbook)
Card values
| Cards | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2–9 | Face value |
| 10, J, Q, K | 0 |
Two eights total 16 → 6. A nine and a four total 13 → 3. A two-card 8 or 9 is a “natural”; third cards are skipped in that case (standard tableau).
The three main bets
| Bet | Typical payout | Textbook house edge (common rules) |
|---|---|---|
| Banker | 1:1 minus 5% commission on wins | about 1.06% |
| Player | 1:1 | about 1.24% |
| Tie | 8:1 or 9:1 | often ~14% at 8:1 |
Banker wins slightly more often than Player, which is why the house charges commission (or uses a no-commission rule that pays Banker differently on some totals). Tie is a rare event with a fat posted price — the worst of the three for expected value.
Side bets (pairs, lucky dragons, and studio specials) are separate contracts with their own, usually higher, edges. Read the table, not a blog banner.
Tableau (you do not choose)
Third-card rules are printed at the table. Player draws or stands by a fixed chart; Banker draws depending on the Player third card. You do not “hit” like blackjack. If someone is selling a drawing system, they are describing a different game (chemin de fer) or a myth.
Blackjack-style skill: basic strategy. Baccarat is not that.
House edge and systems
No pattern in the scoreboard (Bead Road, Big Road) changes the next-card probabilities in a shuffled or RNG shoe in a way you can use to beat the posted edge. Like roulette, staking systems rearrange variance. Background maths: casino house edge.
A $10 / £10 Banker bet with 5% commission: if Banker wins you receive $10 minus $0.50 = $9.50 profit on a $10 stake in the usual presentation. Expected value stays negative at the textbook ~1.06%.
Online vs live vs demo
Live dealer baccarat is a streamed table. RNG baccarat is a software shoe. Rehanak’s game finder is a slot demo library — it is not a baccarat trainer. Brands that list live tables sit on live casino. Australia-facing brand notes: AU hub.
Not legal advice
Online baccarat availability depends on licence and geo. An English page does not make a table legal in every country. Check local law. 18+ (21+ where required).
Short questions
Q: How do you play baccarat?
A: Bet Player, Banker or Tie. Cards follow a fixed tableau toward a total of 9. You do not choose hits. Banker usually has the lowest house edge of the three main bets after commission.
Q: Why does Banker pay commission?
A: Banker wins slightly more often. The 5% commission (on winning Banker bets) is how the house keeps a small edge. No-commission tables offset that with another rule.
Q: Is the tie bet a good payout?
A: 8:1 looks large; the event is rare and the house edge is typically much higher than Player or Banker.
18+ only. Gambling can be addictive. Educational rules, not a system. Help: responsible gambling.