Baccarat house edge by bet

Baccarat house edge for every main bet

A house edge is the average percentage of each stake that a bet loses over the long run. In baccarat the three standard wagers have fixed edges because every drawing decision is set by rule, so there is no playing skill to factor in. Here are the figures for the usual punto banco game.

All four figures come from Wizard of Odds' baccarat basics page (opens in a new tab). RTP is simply 100% minus the edge; our RTP against house edge page explains the link.

Where the baccarat house edge comes from

Everything starts from three frequencies. With eight decks, Banker wins 45.8597% of coups, Player wins 44.6247% and ties land 9.5156% of the time. Each bet's edge is just those chances multiplied by what the bet pays.

Two different sources of edge are at work. Player loses because Banker, drawing second under the third card rule, wins a little more often. Banker would actually favour the bettor at even money, so the house takes a 5% commission on its wins. The Tie simply pays less than its true odds of about 9.51 to 1.

Baccarat edge counting ties or excluding them

You will sometimes see slightly higher figures quoted for Banker and Player. That is because some calculations ignore ties, which are a push. Dividing by the 90.4844% of hands that do produce a winner gives the edge per decided bet:

• Banker: 1.058 ÷ 90.4844 ≈ 1.17% per resolved bet
• Player: 1.235 ÷ 90.4844 ≈ 1.36% per resolved bet

Neither way is wrong; they answer different questions. The standard figures (1.06% and 1.24%) are better for working out cost per hand, because you place a bet every round whether it ties or not.

House edge in baccarat variants

Changing a single payout rule changes the edge. Commission-free games are the most common change you will meet online.

So no commission baccarat using the Banker 6 rule is a little dearer than the classic game, while EZ Baccarat is a touch cheaper on Banker, according to Wizard of Odds' EZ Baccarat analysis (opens in a new tab).

Fee-based variants are harder to price. Lightning Baccarat adds a 20% Lightning Fee to the total bet in exchange for multipliers on random Lightning Cards, and Peek Baccarat charges 20% on a Player or Banker bet if you choose to peek. Evolution does not publish a per-bet RTP for these on its game pages, so check the help screen in the game before playing. See Lightning Baccarat and Peek Baccarat.

Side bet house edge in baccarat

Side bets are where the edge climbs. Paytables differ between games, so these figures apply only to the versions shown.

Sources: Wizard of Odds' side bet appendix (opens in a new tab) and its EZ Baccarat page. The figures for the more common 11 to 1 pair bets were not available, so check the game rules. See pair bets and the Dragon Bonus for how each one pays.

Turning the house edge into pounds

Expected loss is stake × house edge. Multiply by the number of hands to get a session cost. Evolution quotes about 48 seconds a round for standard live baccarat, so around 75 rounds an hour, and 27 seconds for Speed Baccarat, around 133 rounds an hour.

A faster table can cost more than a cheaper bet saves. Banker at a speed table costs more per hour than Player at a standard one. Our cost per hour and theoretical loss pages go further.

How the baccarat house edge compares with other games

Single-zero roulette carries 2.70% on almost every bet, so £10 a spin costs about 27p on average against 10.6p for a £10 Banker bet. Dragon Tiger, which looks like a quick version of baccarat, has a 3.73% edge on its Dragon and Tiger bets with eight decks under the half-loss-on-tie rule. Our house edge table lists more games, and roulette against baccarat compares the two in depth.

Low edge does not mean low risk of losing in a session. Over a few dozen hands, results swing widely around the average; our page on variance and standard deviation shows why.

How to find the lowest baccarat house edge at a table

1. Open the rules or help screen and check the Banker payout: 0.95 to 1 on every win is the standard commission game.
2. If Banker wins pay even money, find the exception (a Banker 6 paying half, or a three-card 7 pushing) to see which commission-free rule applies.
3. Check the Tie payout: 9 to 1 is much cheaper than 8 to 1.
4. Look for extra fees, such as a Lightning or peek fee, and treat them as part of the cost.
5. Note how long each round takes, because faster rounds increase your hourly cost.
6. Stick to Banker or Player for the bulk of your stakes, and treat any side bet as a small, separate expense.

Myths about beating the baccarat house edge

Money management lowers the edge. It does not. Each bet carries its own fixed edge, as Wizard of Odds' house edge explainer (opens in a new tab) sets out, and a sequence of bets each with a 1.06% edge still loses 1.06% of the total staked on average. Patterns, roads and progressive staking are covered on our baccarat strategy page.

The edge is lower if you wait for a pattern. Sitting out hands reduces how much you wager, which reduces your cost, but it does not change the edge on the hands you do play. Read our gambler's fallacy explainer.

Counting cards removes the edge. Card-removal effects in baccarat are tiny on the main bets. Our page on counting cards in baccarat discusses the theory.

Baccarat house edge and UK rules

The Gambling Commission's technical standards say a game's rules must be easily available before you bet (RTS 3A), along with information on your chances of winning, such as the house edge, the RTP or the probability of winning (RTS 3C); see our guide to RTP information rules. Since 17 January 2025, non-slot games must allow at least 5 seconds per game cycle and show your net spend and time spent in real time, which helps you track the edge at work.

Losses are the expected result over time, so play only with money set aside for entertainment. If it stops feeling that way, GamCare's helpline (opens in a new tab) on 0808 8020 133 is free and confidential, 24 hours a day.

Low house edge baccarat at UK casinos

The offers here are slot-focused welcome deals, not baccarat bonuses, so they do not change any of the edges above. To play baccarat at these casinos, check the live and table lobbies and each table's rules panel. Table and live games are often excluded from bonus wagering or count for less, so read the terms. 18+ and terms apply.

• Casumo: 50% bonus up to £100 on a first deposit of £20 or more for new customers who opt in, with 10x bonus wagering within 7 days and a £5 maximum bet; game, play and payment restrictions apply.
• 10bet: a 100% first-deposit match up to £25 for new UK customers who select the casino bonus and deposit within 7 days, wagered 10x on slots within 3 days, with maximum bonus winnings of £1,000 and Skrill and Neteller excluded.
• Coral: bet £10 on slots to get 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, with no wagering on winnings; accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, some deposit methods excluded, offer open 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.