Baccarat Odds: House Edge, Payouts and Probabilities

Baccarat is a popular casino table game that is easy to play and offers a comparatively low house edge compared to other games. Understanding baccarat odds, payouts, and probabilities of different bets can give you an extra advantage when playing at baccarat gambling sites. Whether you are betting on the banker, the player, or a tie, knowing the probabilities of each outcome enables you to make more confident decisions.

Learning Baccarat Probabilities and Odds

In baccarat, there are three significant bets: the banker bet, the player bet, and the tie bet. These bets all have different odds and house edges that affect your overall chance of winning.

Banker's Bet. The banker bet has a house edge of approximately 1.06 percent and is the most favorable bet in baccarat. This is because the banker has a slight statistical edge over the player thanks to the drawing rules in baccarat. A banker winning bet pays even money, or 1:1, with a 5 percent commission taken on banker wins.

Player's Bet. The house advantage of the player's bet is slightly greater than the house advantage of the banker's bet at 1.24 percent. Although still favorable compared to most casino games, it is not as favorable as betting on the banker. The payout for a player win is also 1:1, without commission.

Tie Bet. The tie bet is the riskiest bet in baccarat with a house edge of about 14.36 percent. An 8:1 payout is given for a tie, but the probability of a tie is much lower, and thus this bet is much less likely to win.

Side Bets. There are also side bets in Baccarat, such as "Player Pair" or "Banker Pair," which are wagers on whether the first two cards drawn are a pair. These side bets carry substantially higher house edges, even as high as 10 percent, and are a riskier wager than the primary bets. In Cache Creek Casino, pair bets are paid 11:1.

Baccarat Odds in Comparison to Other Games

Compared to other casino games like blackjack or Pai Gow, baccarat holds its own with its low house edge. In blackjack, for example, the house edge varies based on player decisions but tends to be around 0.5 percent under optimal strategy, which is a bit less than the banker bet in baccarat. Blackjack, in comparison, has more skill and decisions involved, whereas baccarat is a bit more of a game of chance. Pai Gow Poker typically carries a house edge of around 1.46 percent, which is slightly worse than the banker and player bets in Baccarat. As with baccarat, Pai Gow is a somewhat slow game, which is appealing to many players.

In all, baccarat provides one of the lowest house edges in the casino, particularly in comparison to a game such as roulette or craps.

Why are Banker Bet Odds Better in Baccarat?

Baccarat banker bet odds are better due to how the game's drawing rules are set up. The banker has a slight edge because they draw their cards after the player, and thus the banker is able to react to the player's hand. What this means is that the banker will win a bit more frequently than the player and thus the banker bet only has a house edge of 1.06 percent. Although a 5 percent commission is deducted on banker wins, the total winning chance with a banker bet (around 45.86 percent) is still higher than the player (around 44.62 percent).

For players who wish to optimize their chances, betting on the banker each time is widely considered to be the optimal strategy in baccarat.

House Edge in Baccarat

The house edge for Baccarat varies depending on the bet you make. From a player's perspective, understanding the house edge enables you to determine the bets that can keep you playing longer. The house edge for the main bets is as follows:

Banker's Bet: A banker's bet has the lowest house edge of 1.06 percent and is the most favorable bet for players.

Player's Bet: The house edge on the player's bet is 1.24 percent.

Tie Bet: The house edge on the tie bet is a much higher 14.36 percent. While this bet pays out large, because ties do not occur often (about 9.5 percent of the time), the house has quite a large advantage, so this bet is riskier.

How Do Payouts Work in Baccarat?

Payouts in baccarat depend on the type of bet placed. Here's how the payouts work for each of the main bets, along with examples to illustrate potential winnings:

Banker's Bet: A winning banker bet pays 1:1, although the casino takes a 5 percent commission from the payout due to this bet's small advantage. If you bet $100 on the bank and win, your payout is $100 minus 5 percent, for a total of $95 won.

Player's Bet: A winning player bet is paid 1:1 with no commission. So, your payout would be $100 if you bet $100 on the player and win.

Tie Bet: A winning tie bet is paid 8:1. So, your payout would be $800 if you bet $100 on a tie and win.
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Baccarat Side Bets and Their Odds

Baccarat side bets add excitement to the game but tend to have higher house edges and be less likely to win. Some of the common side bets and the respective baccarat odds are:

Player Pair/Banker Pair: This side bet wins if the player or banker is dealt a pair with their first two cards. It pays 11:1, but the house edge is around 10.36 percent, so it's a more risky wager.
Perfect Pair: A perfect pair is paid if the player or banker gets two cards of the same value and suit. A perfect pair typically pays 25:1 but has a much higher house edge, which is usually more than 13 percent.
Big/Small Bet: With the "Big" bet, you're betting the player and banker's combined cards dealt will be 5 or 6, and the "Small" bet is a bet that four cards will be dealt. House edges on these bets are around 4.35 percent for "Big" and 5.27 percent for "Small."