Casino & Table Games

Casino baccarat rules

Decks used

8 decks ¹

Card values

Ace = 1, 2–9 = pip value, 10/J/Q/K = 0 ¹

Hand total

Last digit of the sum; runs from 0 to 9 ¹

Natural

A hand total of 8 or 9 ends the coup immediately ¹

Player draw rule

Draws on 5 or less, stands on 6 or 7 ¹

Key points

• Two cards are dealt face up to Player and Banker; if either totals 8 or 9 (a natural), both hands stand and the coup ends ¹.
• If no natural, the Player draws a third card on 5 or less and stands on 6 or 7; the Banker then draws according to fixed thresholds ¹.
• Player wins pay even money; Banker wins pay 19 to 20 (equivalent to even money less a 5% commission) ¹².
• Side bets like Player Pair and Banker Pair pay 10 to 1 ¹.

How to deal baccarat

1. Shuffle the 8-deck shoe and have a player cut. Deal two cards face up to the Player box and two to the Banker box ¹.
2. Check for naturals: if either hand totals 8 or 9, announce the winner and collect losing bets. No further cards are drawn ¹.
3. If no natural, apply the Player draw rule: Player draws on 5 or less, stands on 6 or 7. Then apply the Banker draw rule based on the Player's third card ¹.
4. Compare final totals. The higher hand wins; ties push. Collect losing bets, pay winners, and track Banker commission ¹.

Common questions

Where this term is used

• Casino floor
• Baccarat

Not the same as

• Casino baccarat odds — odds are the statistical chances and payouts for baccarat bets, not the dealing and drawing procedures
• Baccarat game — the baccarat game is the broader game itself; its rules are the specific mechanics that define how it is played

Related terms

Sources

1. Baccarat Basics - Rules, Strategy, and Tips for Beginners wizardofodds.com Provides the core rules, deck count, card values, drawing thresholds, and payouts for baccarat.
2. Vigorish - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Explains the 5% commission on Banker bets and the concept of vigorish.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.