Baccarat Odds
Banker, player, tie, and what the roads can't tell you
Baccarat has no playing decisions: the drawing rules are fixed. Your only choice is which bet to make, and that choice is the whole game.
The three main bets
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Banker (5% commission on wins) | 1.06% |
| Player | 1.24% |
| Tie paying 9 to 1 | 4.84% |
| Tie paying 8 to 1 | 14.36% |
Bet the banker
The banker hand wins slightly more often than the player hand because of the drawing rules, which is why casinos charge a commission on banker wins. Even after the commission, banker is the best bet on the table, with player close behind. The tie pays well when it hits, but at 8 to 1 it carries more than ten times the edge of the banker bet.
The roads
The scoreboards, or roads, record past hands in patterns. They are fun to follow, but each hand is dealt from the shoe independently of the patterns, and no road predicts the next result.
Practice it free
The free baccarat simulator deals full shoes and draws all the roads, so you can see for yourself how the bets play out.
Go further
Carry the strategy to the table on a printable strategy card, or get every number worked out in The Complete Baccarat Strategist.
More free guides
All six games are in the free casino simulators.
Gambling carries real risk of loss, and no strategy removes the house edge on these games. Play only where it is legal and you are of age. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER. See the disclaimer.