What Are Baccarat Side Bets?

Baccarat side bets are optional wagers players can make before a game of baccarat begins. Different baccarat variants offer a set combination of side bets. You can check online baccarat table layouts to make sure the game offers the side bets you’re most interested in.

Side bets make the game of baccarat exciting because there are more ways to win and most of the payouts are higher than even-money odds.

It’s important to note however, that house edge percentages on certain side bets fluctuate vastly based on what cards are still in a shoe. Depending on the cards remaining, the odds of winning a side bet can significantly increase or decrease.

If you want to place a side bet, you do so at the start of each round, before the cards are drawn for the main Player and Banker hands.

Now, let’s look at a range of side bets and how they work.

Tie Side Bet

The Tie side bet in baccarat is the most popular. It’s a wager that the game will end in a tie, meaning that the total value of the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand are equal.

The tie side bet payoff is usually 8:1 and the house edge is 14.3%.

Pair Side Bets

The Pair side bet features in most online baccarat games.

A valid Pair is the result of the first two cards drawn to the Player’s hand or the Banker’s hand. There are four pair side bets you can choose to wager on. The payoff odds for each are as follows:

• Player Pair: 11:1
• Banker Pair: 11:1
• Either Player or Banker Pair: 5:1
• Perfect Pair (pair of the same rank and suit): 25:1

The Perfect Pair house edge = 13.03%. The Player or Banker Pair house edge = 10.36%.

Some online baccarat versions offer 200:1 payout odds (and sometimes more) for double Perfect Pairs. For this baccarat side bet bonus to succeed, the Player and Banker hands must each form a perfect pair in the same round.

Super 6 Baccarat Side Bet

A bet placed on the Super 6 side bet wins when the Banker’s hand has a total value of six (with two or three cards) and beats the Player hand that has a lower total value.

Some baccarat table rules allow players to place a Super 6 side bet without betting on any of the main Player or Banker betting options.

The Super 6 payoff odds are as follows:

• Winning Super 6 side bets on two cards pays 12 to 15:1
• Winning Super 6 side bets on three cards pays 20 to 23:1

The house edge on 12:1 payout odds is 29.98%.

The house edge increases from 1.06% in the normal game—when you pay commission on banker wins—to 1.45% when you don’t. This is because you’ll only get paid out 50% (or 1:2 payout odds) of a winning banker bet, when the banker’s hand forms a Super 6.

The Panda 8 Side Bet

A Panda 8 side bet wins when the Player’s hand forms a total of 8 points with three cards and beats the Banker’s hand. If the first two cards for the Player totals an 8 (a Natural) this is not a winning Panda 8 side bet.

A winning Panda 8 side bet pays out at 25:1 and the house edge is 10.19%.

If you place a main bet on the Player’s hand and a Panda 8 is formed and beats the Banker hand, you’ll be paid out for the main Player bet, as well as the Panda 8 side bet.

The Dragon 7 Side Bet

A Dragon 7 side bet wins when the Banker’s hand forms a total of 7 points with three cards and beats the Player’s hand.

This banker side bet is paid at 40:1 odds, and the house edge is 7.61%.

In the Dragon 7 baccarat variant, commission on winning banker bets is not deducted. However, in some baccarat variants, the casino has a rule that when the banker’s hand forms a Dragon 7, main banker bets are not paid. The bet becomes a push and only the Dragon side bet is paid out on.

The Dragon Bonus Side Bet

When you place a Dragon Bonus side bet, you can win payout odds from 2:1 to 30:1 when the Player’s hand or the Banker’s hand forms at least 4 points over the losing hand, and the winning hand total is formed using three cards.

You can place a Banker Dragon side bet or a Player Dragon side bet. Whatever Dragon Bonus side bet you choose to bet on, you should also place a bet on the main Banker or Player hands.

Natural winning hands (i.e., two cards forming 8 or 9) will be paid at 1:1 odds.

In case of a tie, Dragon Bonus side bets will push.

A winning hand ranges from 4 points to 9 points and must be formed using three cards (non-Natural hands).

Examples of Dragon Bonus side bets:

1. The Player’s hand total consisting of three cards is 9, and the Banker’s hand is 0; the Player wins over Banker by 9 points. A Dragon Bonus side bet will payout 30:1.
2. The Banker’s hand total consisting of three cards is 6, and the Player’s hand has 1 point; the Banker wins over the Player by 5 points. A Dragon Bonus side bet will payout 2:1.

Dragon Bonus payout odds:

• 4 or 5 points: 2:1 (some table variants payout 1:1 for 4 points)
• 6 points: 4:1
• 7 points: 6:1
• 8 points: 10:1
• 9 points: 30:1

Dragon Bonus house edges:

• Dragon Bonus house edge on Player = 2.65%
• Dragon Bonus house edge on Banker = 9.37%

Winning Multiple Baccarat Side Bets

If you make multiple baccarat side bets, it’s possible to win more than one side bet in the same round. For example, let’s say you bet Banker Pair and Super 6 and the result of the hand is as follows:

• Player’s Hand = 10 and 2 so the total = 12
• Banker’s Hand = 3 and 3 so the total = 6 (Pair of 3s)
• Player draws a 3rd card which is a 2. Therefore, the Player’s final hand total = 4 points.
• Result: The Banker’s hand beats the Player’s hand with 6 points over 4.

In the above example, you would win both your Banker Pair and Super 6 side bets.

The more side bets you bet on the more winning combinations are possible.

FAQs About Baccarat Side Bets

Are side bets bad in baccarat?

Side bets in baccarat are only bad if you don’t understand the odds and expect to win too often. Players use different baccarat game strategies to try and win the high paying odds that baccarat side bets offer. Of course, the house edges on side bets will be higher, too.

If you can grasp the probabilities of winning or losing side bets, you can control how much you’re prepared to risk.

What are the best side bets in baccarat?

Pairs, Ties and Dragon Bonus side bets are the most popular among baccarat players. Super 6, Dragon 7 and Panda 8 side bets tend to be bet on when one or more hasn’t occurred for a while.

How do you place a side bet in baccarat?

You normally have to place a bet on Player or Banker in order to be allowed to place certain side bets. Available side bets in baccarat can be viewed on the table layout. Players look out for the options to wager on side bets and place chips by clicking or tapping the screen before cards are drawn for each baccarat round.

Baccarat Side Bets Conclusion

A beginner playing baccarat will quickly learn how to bet on the main Banker and Player hands. Progressing to wager on side bets increases the risk, but also the fun—especially when side bets win.

The house edges on side bets are higher, though payoffs could give players a winning edge— but only if they’re fortunate enough to win on them.

You can bet on multiple side bets before each baccarat round begins. Staking money on baccarat side bets may not increase your chances of winning, but they increase anticipation and excitement.

Lead image credit: sakadaphoto/Shutterstock

Skip to:

• Best Baccarat Strategy for Beginners
• Baccarat Staking Strategies
• Martingale Betting Strategy
• Fibonacci Betting Strategy
• 1-3-2-6 Betting Strategy
• Paroli Betting Strategy
• Predicting The Correct Banker Or Player Outcome
• House Edge And Baccarat Strategies
• The Impact Of Commission On Baccarat Strategies
• Expert Tips
• Baccarat Strategy Myths

Best Baccarat Strategy for Beginners

If you’re new to baccarat, I’d recommend starting with a simple strategy. When you gamble in live or online baccarat games, avoid complex or long sequences.

You can go with the Fibonacci strategy, or just stick to flat betting. Flat betting simply means staking the same amount of money in all games, whether you win or lose.

Because you bet the same amount on each hand when flat betting, you’ll be able to maintain a tight reign on your bankroll and minimize risk. It also allows for gradual learning; you can track your win/loss ratio and hone your skills of selecting more correct outcomes and fewer consecutive wrong outcomes.

Once you’ve mastered this strategy, you can begin to form a baccarat staking strategy. This is a strategy you develop that works for the average results you’re able to achieve.

Baccarat Staking Strategies

In 50:50 gambling games of chance, like baccarat, you face the following problems:

• Trying to recover from losses
• Trying to get ahead from breakeven
• Trying to stay in front, when in front

It’s therefore more common to come across negative progression staking strategies, rather than flat-betting strategies.

Negative Progression Staking Strategy

A negative progression strategy is a betting system where you increase your bet after each loss, in the hope of recovering previous losses when you win. The Martingale strategy and the Fibonacci strategy are two well-known examples of this.

Certain negative progression strategies work well, but only when your gameplay can predict correct outcomes with high bet sizes.

So, the betting decisions you make:

1. Need to turn out to be right in at least 33% of the outcomes you bet on, and…
2. …with no more than three losses in a row before a win, on average.

The negative progression win/loss ratio will look something like this:

W-L-L-L-W-L-W-W-L-L-W-L-W-W-L-L-W-L-L-L

If you’re not going to follow a negative progression strategy to bet your way out of trouble while still trying to make a profit, you need to flat bet.

Flat Staking Strategy

If you flat bet to secure a profitable advantage, you need to turn out to be right in at least 55% of the outcomes you bet on in a baccarat shoe.

The more shoes you bet on in a baccarat gambling session, the higher your win rate needs to be, especially if you’re winning on Banker hands and the baccarat variant subjects you to 5% commission. Then I’d recommend a 65% win rate.

The flat betting win/loss ratio will look something like this:

L-W-W-W-L-L-W-L-W-L-W-W-L-W-W-W-L-W-W-W

When your baccarat gameplay doesn’t work out, it doesn’t really matter what strategy you use, because the result will fail to beat baccarat.

Next, let’s look at some popular baccarat betting strategies in more detail.

Martingale Betting Strategy

The Martingale betting system is well-known. You might’ve heard of it if you’ve been betting on other even-money casino games such as roulette or baccarat.

But even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, if you’ve ever chased your losses, you’ve used the Martingale to some extent.

This popular baccarat betting strategy involves doubling your wager after each loss, with the goal of recovering previous losses and making a small 1 unit profit. But the Martingale strategy isn’t as gold as some gamblers make it out to be.

What makes the Martingale betting strategy tick is the theory a player will eventually win a hand, thereby recovering all losses and making a small (1 unit) profit.

It doesn’t consider the 5% commission if the win occurred on Banker. If it did, depending on the bet size, this could even negate the 1 unit of profit sought!

Martingale Strategy Pros

• Straightforward to understand.
• Can lead to quick recovery of losses in theory.

Martingale Strategy Cons

• Requires a large bankroll to sustain losses during a losing streak.
• Risk of reaching the table maximum bet size limit or running out of money before a win.
• Doesn’t consider the house edge, or 5% commission on Banker wins, which can lead to long-term losses.

Fibonacci Betting Strategy

The Fibonacci strategy is based on the Fibonacci Sequence, where each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers:

Example: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13

• 1+1=2
• 1+2=3
• 2+3=5
• 3+5=8
• 5+8=13

Following the Fibonacci sequence in baccarat means you increase your bets after each loss (moving to the next number in the sequence), and decrease your bets after each win (moving back at least two in the sequence). You can decide which lower number to start the sequence again with. E.g. If you won on 13, you could start on 5 or 2.

Fibonacci Strategy Pros

• Provides a more gradual increase in bets compared to the Martingale betting system.
• Less aggressive and lower risk of large losses. Recommended for beginners just getting started.

Fibonacci Strategy Cons

• Requires a moderate bankroll to withstand consecutive losses.
• Winning streaks may not always make up for previous losses.

1-3-2-6 Betting Strategy

The 1-3-2-6 is a progressive baccarat betting strategy, where you increase your bet size in a certain order after each win:

• 1 unit for the first win
• 3 units for the second win
• 2 units for the third win
• 6 units for the fourth win

Following a loss, the sequence returns to 1.

1-3-2-6 Betting Strategy Pros

• Structured approach with clear betting progression.
• Limits losses during losing streaks.

1-3-2-6 Betting Strategy Cons

• Requires a winning streak to be profitable, which may not be that simple for beginners or players who struggle to make the right calls (Banker or Player).
• It’s harder to win on 3rd and 4th consecutive outcomes: 3-in-a-row and 4-in-a-row wins. Equally, it’s not easy to get single and double outcomes correct.
• Doesn’t guarantee long-term success and may result in losses if the streak is interrupted by a loss.

Paroli Betting Strategy

This is often referred to as the “reverse Martingale” strategy. Here, you double your bets after each win to capitalize on winning streaks and maximize profits. The pros and cons are like the 1-3-2-6 system, but let’s go over them.

Paroli Betting Strategy Pros

• Capitalizes on hot streaks and maximizes profits during winning streaks.
• Limits losses during cold streaks by resetting the bet size after a loss.

Paroli Betting Strategy Cons

• Relies on consecutive wins to be profitable.
• Vulnerable to losing streaks that can quickly wipe out profits or reduce your bankroll.

Strategy For Predicting The Correct Banker Or Player Outcome

Ultimately, there isn’t one. If it were easy to always make the right call, there wouldn’t be so many gambling strategies telling gamblers to wager more in a losing streak. Good gambling strategies do not include a method for selecting whether to bet on Banker or Player hands in baccarat games.

There are only two hands in baccarat, but four possible outcome patterns, as follows:

1. Streak of Banker outcomes
2. Streak of Player outcomes
3. Choppy streak of both hands
4. Combination of a, b, and c, including short streaks and changing patterns

This combination of patterns makes it difficult to predict correct Banker or Player outcomes.

Below are some examples relating to the above patterns. Note: I believe a streak forms at a minimum of 3-in-a-row.

• Banker pattern streaks: B-B-B-B-B
• Player pattern streaks: P-P-P-P-P
• Choppy streak: B-P-B-P-B-P
• Short streaks: B-B-B / P-B-P / P-P-P
• Changing patterns:   P-P / B-P / B-B / P-P-P / B-P-P / B-P-B / P-B / P-B-B   

A run of Player outcomes can be just as long as a run of Banker outcomes. And choppy runs can be long too.

In the game of baccarat, we know that the Banker hand has a slightly higher probability of occurring due to the baccarat drawing rules. However, over a limited number of shoes, Player outcomes could in fact dominate.

You might conclude that runs of Banker outcomes are more likely, but each shoe produces vastly different results, so don’t bank on it.

Baccarat House Edge And Baccarat Betting Strategies

It’s important to address the casino’s house edge in baccarat.

Whatever baccarat technique you end up using, you should bear in mind the forces that are working against you. These are built into the game and function in the background.

The house has the following edge on Banker and Player bets (based on an 8-deck shoe):

• 1.06% for Banker
• 1.24% for Player

It doesn’t really matter if the outcome results in a tie, because you won’t lose your stake.

The most common version of baccarat deducts a 5% commission from the winning portion of a winning Banker bet. So, if you bet $20 on Banker and win, you’ll receive $39 (consisting of your $20 stake + $19 total win amount).

Obviously the 5% commission takes more out of your winnings the higher your stake, even though the house edge remains the same. If you only (or mostly) bet on the Banker hand, you should factor in what you stand to lose over the long-run.

The Impact Of Commission On Baccarat Strategies

You have two hurdles to overcome when playing baccarat:

1. Making the right call i.e. has the hand you bet on won the round?
2. How badly is all that commission you’re paying affecting your baccarat bankroll?

The deducted 5% commission of 20 flat betting Banker wins is equivalent to one unit.

When you bet higher stakes and win on Banker, it costs you more. And you’re not going to win every Banker hand, even the ones you stake more on. This means that the house has you cornered.

Naturally, baccarat bettors are attracted to betting on Banker because of its lower house edge. The leading baccarat bet selection strategy (common amongst baccarat game authors) is to bet the Banker no matter what. But this is not a clever strategy.

And why not? Start out on the premise that:

• You have a 50:50 chance of winning on Banker and Player
• The outcomes of the average 8-deck shoe return 37x Bankers, 33x Players and 5x Ties
• The outcomes occur within a combination of patterns, as explained above.

No hand gets ahead of the other by much at any stage of a shoe. Flat betting Banker all the way will result in you losing almost 2 units on commission!

Also, when you increase wagers, you run the risk of losing more on commission and/or losing more chips when Banker doesn’t hit.

Expert Tips For Trying To Win At Baccarat:

Whether you’re a baccarat beginner or have been playing the game for ages, the following baccarat tips should come in handy.

• Bankroll management: Proper bankroll management is essential. Set loss limits and stick to them to avoid chasing losses and overspending.
• Consistency: Stick to a consistent baccarat betting strategy and avoid making impulsive decisions based on gut feelings.
• Discipline: Avoid chasing losses or deviating from your initial strategy. During both winning and losing streaks, stay focused and stick to your plan.

Baccarat Strategy Myths And Misunderstandings

A common misunderstanding about baccarat outcomes is the belief that the same patterns or trends will continue or end. Since baccarat is a game of chance, each hand is independent of the previous ones.

You may see a streak of Banker or Player outcomes, but each subsequent hand is statistically independent and unaffected by previous results. So, it’s difficult to win if betting on a certain pattern to form.

Nonetheless, identifiable reoccurring patterns do form. If you can ride the wave of a forming pattern, you could rack up some nice wins.

Baccarat Strategy Conclusion

When it comes to baccarat betting strategies, most of what you’ll come across online isn’t written by those with actual gambling experience. So, pay close attention to this baccarat strategy guide.

This guide is meant to be a learning curve for beginners. But it’s detailed enough to be read by seasoned baccarat gamblers.

Predicting outcomes and deciding how much you’re willing to stake on baccarat rounds isn’t easy. Trying to beat the game of baccarat is a journey of modifying bet selections and staking strategy techniques.

For more on baccarat, check out this article on baccarat side bets.

Lead image credit: Vectorportal.com, CC BY 4.0

The only real differences are that Mini Baccarat takes place on a smaller table with fewer seats, games are faster, and minimum stakes are lower. All of this makes it more accessible to less experienced players.

The way the cards are dealt is also handled differently. Whereas players take turns dealing the cards in traditional baccarat, in Mini Baccarat, the dealer is always the banker and the players only place bets.

Read on to learn how to play Mini Baccarat and get an overview of strategies.

Mini Baccarat Rules: How Do You Win At Mini Baccarat?

In Mini Baccarat, you bet your money on whether the Player’s hand or the Banker’s hand will win, or if they will Tie.

The winning hand must have a higher total card value of up to 9 points. In Mini Baccarat, 9 is the highest possible score.

The score of a winning hand can be any value i.e. 1 through to 9 over the losing hand’s score 0 through to 8.

Value Of Cards In Mini Baccarat

• An Ace card is worth 1 point
• Cards numbered 2 through to 9 function as their face value
• The value of 10s and picture cards J, Q, K each equal 0

To work out the total value of any hand when two or three cards have been drawn, just ignore the tens and picture cards that function as zeros, unless of course the total value of a hand results in a zero.

Zero value hands are losing ones, except when the opposing hand also results in a zero. In such situations the hand outcome will be a Tie.

In Mini Baccarat, the Player’s hand is revealed first.

Examples of how to add up the points in Mini Baccarat:

Example 1:

• P’s first two cards: 7+4=1 (not 11, because the first digit 1 is dropped)
• B’s first two cards: J+5=5 (The 10 of the Jack picture card is ignored)
• P’s 3rd card is 7 so P’s total score = 8
• B’s 3rd card is 5 so B’s total score = 0
• And so, Player wins the round with 8 points.

Example 2:

• P: 9+7=6
• B: 6+A=7 (Ace is worth 1 point)
• No third cards are required. Banker wins the round with 7 points.

Example 3:

• P: A+9=0
• B: A+7=8
• No third cards are required. Banker wins the round with 8 points.

Example 4:

• P: 8+9=7
• B’s first two cards: 8+2=0
• B draws a third card which is K, total value of points = 0
• Player wins the round with 7 points.

Example 5:

• P’s first two cards: 3+2=5
• B’s first two cards: 9+4=3
• P’s third card is 6 so P’s total score = 1
• B’s third card is 9 so B’s total score =2
• Banker wins the round with 2 points.

So, you ignore the first digit when seeing double digits, i.e. a 10 or picture card is = 0, 11=1, 12=2, 13=3, 14=4, 15=5, 16=6, 17=7, 18=8, 19=9, 20=0, 21=1 and so on… up to 30=0

With each set of the first two cards, just because one of the cards might be an 8 or 9, this is not an automatic win. The other card in the hand can cause the total value to be low.

For instance, 9+2=1 and 8+4=2.

So, if you see an 8 or 9 on one of the first two cards in any hand, you should hope for a zero value card to be next because this will seal the hand as a Natural.

Examples of winning Mini Baccarat hands:

• The Banker’s hand wins over the Player’s hand with the following score: 1-0
• The Player’s hand wins over the Banker’s hand with the following score: 9-8

A winning hand over a losing hand is any of the following nine combinations: 9-8, 8-7, 7-6, 6-5, 5-4, 4-3, 3-2, 2-1, 1-0.

You can also win a bet on a Tie outcome when the final total card values of both hands result in one of Ten draws: 0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9. 

You can bet on any Tie occurring with payout odds of 8 to 1. The house edge is steep at 14.36% (stats based on eight decks).

How Are Mini Baccarat Outcomes Decided?

Banker or Player winning sides:

As per the drawing rules for baccarat, the dealer will deal two sets of two cards each for Banker and Player hands.

The side that is recorded as the winning outcome would have a total hand value of 9 (the highest possible total value), or a score closest to 9 yet still beating the other hand’s total value.

Tie outcomes:

Once all cards for each side have been drawn, if both hands share the same value (0 to 9), the winning outcome will be declared a Tie.

When the first two cards are drawn for each hand, there may be an expectation of a win upon the disclosure of a high value first card. However, this can be cancelled to a zero score when the second card is revealed, and both cards added together equal 0.

There are five possible zero outcomes involving card values 1 through to 9 as follows:

• 5+5=0
• 6+4=0
• 7+3=0
• 8+2=0
• 9+1=0

After the first two cards have been drawn for each hand and the scores of both hands add up to 0-0, two further cards are drawn; one for each hand. And this will conclude the outcome of the game.

If zero cards are drawn for each of the hands – i.e. 10s and picture cards J, Q, K, the result will end in a Tie outcome.

Third Card Drawing Rules In Mini Baccarat

As in the above example, after two sets of two cards for each of the hands have been drawn, the dealer may draw one further card for one hand, or for both hands – depending on the total value of each hand. You can refer to the hand chart on this how to play baccarat article if you want to learn the drawing rules.

What To Do After A Tie Outcome

In the event of a Tie outcome when playing online baccarat, the initial stakes on Banker or Player are usually returned to the bettor in a process referred to as ‘a push’ bet.

If you’re playing in a land-based casino, push bets are not physically returned to players. Therefore your options are as follows:

• Leave your chips on the hand you last bet on (before the Tie result) to function as a bet for the next game.
• Move your chips onto the other hand for the next game or bet them on another Tie occurring.
• Remove your chips to skip one or more games. Or when taking the time to decide what to bet on before the next game begins.

It’s worth noting that some land-based casinos only allow Tie betting if either Banker or Player is also bet on, whereas many online casinos allow Tie betting regardless.

Mini Baccarat Strategy

Okay, you’re not going to alter the house edge: Banker bet is 1.06% and 1.24% on the Player bet (stats based on 8 decks).

But it’s possible that a good method for selecting Banker or Player bets – along with a good staking strategy – could enhance your prospects of increasing your bankroll within an average Mini Baccarat gambling session.

Payout odds are not 1 for 1 on Banker wins because of the 5% commission. But they’re 100% even-money payouts for Player wins.

What do baccarat heads say the best strategy is?

You can read thousands of articles telling you that betting on the Banker is the best baccarat strategy.

Take any advice to ‘always bet on the Banker side’ with a pinch of salt. Do your own research and assess the facts.

Bear in mind the following about Banker only bets:

• The 5% commission on every Banker win will eat into your bankroll gradually. For instance, the commission deducted for just 20 Banker wins is the equivalent to 1 staking unit.

Banker hands don’t dominate every Baccarat shoe! But even when they do:

• Due to the drawing rules, the Banker side only has a slight advantage over the Player side: Probability of a Banker hand win is 45.9% vs. 44.6% for a Player hand win (stats based on 8 decks).
• Within one shoe consisting of 80 outcomes, on average the Banker may have around a 4 hand advantage. But this is not true in every shoe. It really depends on the shuffle.

Those 416 shuffled cards secured inside a shoe, most to be used in Mini Baccarat rounds, is key to how results will play out.

Mini Baccarat vs Baccarat: Why Mini Baccarat Is The Best Game

Let’s consider Mini Baccarat vs. traditional baccarat. What are the differences?

1. Table size is smaller: Traditional baccarat is played on a larger table of up to 14 players, whereas Mini Baccarat tables seat 6 or 7 players.
2. Games are faster: Mini Baccarat is played at a faster pace. Baccarat system players love to play Mini Baccarat because the outcome of hands conclude swiftly, especially when playing in an online casino.
3. Betting limits are lower: You don’t need deep pockets to gamble on a live Mini Baccarat game, since minimum stakes are super low.
4. The dealer always handles the cards: In traditional baccarat, players “take turns” acting as the dealer. In Mini Baccarat, the dealer is always the card handler.

If you enjoy staking money in online casino games with even-money payouts (and close to 1 for 1 paying odds when it comes to winning on Banker bets), then Mini Baccarat games are an excellent choice, particularly for beginners or system players.

Baccarat Game History

To understand why Mini Baccarat was developed, we should look at the structure and history of traditional baccarat games. And these consist of two main variants, namely:

1. Baccarat en Banque (also known as Baccarat à Deux Tableaux), which is the older form of baccarat.
2. Baccarat chemin de fer. A later variant.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the invitation requirements to gamble on traditional baccarat, and the rules of the game, were long-winded. For instance, who could play baccarat was determined by a person’s class and/or status in society, and once allowed to play, there were tedious game procedures to decide on, such as:

• When bettors can place wagers
• On what side bettors can bet on i.e. on Banker or Player hands
• Whether cards should be drawn in some games

Evolution of Baccarat Variants

The journey to modernize the game saw the introduction of a variant of baccarat called Punto Banco (Punto=Player & Banco=Banker).

This game was formed in the 1950s in Argentina. Punto Banco spread to casinos in Cuba and then in America.

Thereafter the following variations were invented:

• Big Baccarat
• Midi Baccarat
• Mini Baccarat

The central idea of modern day baccarat makes it easy to bet on either side.

Those gambling on baccarat need only bet Player or Banker. The dealer manages the rest pertaining to the drawing rules. So, baccarat games, especially Mini Baccarat games, progress quickly.

Today, there’s at least 20 variants of baccarat. Mini Baccarat being one of the most popular.

In the 21st century, the rules and procedures of old style baccarat don’t resonate with casino goers. So online, you’re only likely to come across modern versions of baccarat.

Gamblers can still find simplified forms of the old style baccarat games in land-based casinos. Though generally, such games are only available to high rollers or VIPs and played in exclusive gaming rooms.

Table layouts for these traditional baccarat variants differ to modern games like Mini Baccarat. For instance, in some old style baccarat games, two tables, one each side of the dealer, are used to seat up to 16 players.

A Mini Baccarat table seats a cozy seven players.

Lead image credit: BachelorVegas.com