# Baccarat — Quick Reference

## How it works

In punto banco, choose Banker, Player or Tie before the deal. Fixed rules determine any third card. The hand with the higher final total, from 0 to 9, wins; equal totals tie.

## The key numbers

These are eight-deck examples, per initial wager, including pushes:

- **Banker:** 1.06% house edge with 5% commission on wins.
- **Player:** 1.24% with even-money wins and a push on Tie.
- **Tie at 8:1:** 14.36%.
- **Tie at 9:1:** 4.84%.

The net payout excludes the returned stake. “8 to 1” and “9 for 1” describe the same total return; “9 to 1” pays more.

## One thing to know

Cards dealt without replacement change the shoe. Successive hands are not independent, and initial-shoe averages are not exact probabilities for every later hand. A scorecard streak alone does not establish a reliable prediction or make the opposite outcome due.

## The math in plain English

Under the stated assumptions, $100 of total Banker wagers has an expected loss of about $1.06. The Tie examples are $14.36 at 8:1 and $4.84 at 9:1. Actual sessions vary; these values do not promise a particular result.

## Sources and scope

[Eight-deck payout analysis](https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/basics/) and [card-removal analysis](https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/appendix/2/), Michael Shackleford. Checked September 5, 2026.

[Full Baccarat guide](https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/baccarat/) · Playbook RG · Free to copy and adapt under CC0. External sources have their own terms.