Baccarat Side Bets
People flock to Baccarat because of its lack of complexity, but without any cerebral effort or game planning, it can become a bit monotonous. Think about it – the only decision you need to make is heads or tails! But with a bit more thought and strategizing put into it than that, this classic card game can be much more exciting.
But there’s no need to fear; game developers have an endless supply of creativity when it comes to innovating their products. Baccarat side bets are a great way to spice up the classic gameplay and can be found in both online and land-based casinos. Let’s explore some of the most beloved ones!
Most Popular Baccarat Side Bets
Bellagio Match: In an online game hosted by an animated dealer, players can make a side bet on three-of-a-kind with a payout of 75:1 for a Player three-of-a-kind and 68:1 for a Banker’s, both with a house edge of 5.27% and 8.57%, respectively.
Super 6: UK land-based casinos and some live casinos online offer a side bet where players can win 12:1 if the winning Banker hand is a total of six. This bet has the highest house edge of 29.98%.
3-Card Six: The Pala Casino offers a side bet where players get a 100:1 payout if both the Player and Banker hand are 3-card 6s, and an 8:1 payout if only one hand does; with a house edge of 13.37%.
4-5-6: Players in Atlantic City can make 3 bets on the total value for each hand – 4 pays 3:2, 5 and 6 pays 2:1.
Lucky Bonus: At the commission-free Baccarat tables in California’s Pala Casino, players can make a Lucky Bonus side bet on the Banker hand being a winning 6. This side bet gives a Player advantage of 2.34%, so the wager is limited to no more than 10% of the Banker bet. It has one of the most player-friendly RTPs with a house edge of 1.11%; and pays out 18:1 in winnings.
Royal Match: At London casinos, players can make a side bet on either the Player or Banker drawing a King and Queen with their first two cards. This wager offers a very player-friendly house edge of 2.13%, with a 75:1 payout for suited Kings & Queens and 30:1 for non-suited pairs.
Dragon 7: EZ Baccarat is particularly popular with Chinese customers, and it offers a Dragon 7 side bet for when the Banker scores a 3-card 7. This side bet boosts the house edge to 7.61%, but there’s no commission on the Banker; and it pays out 40:1.
Dragon Bonus: The Dragon Bonus is a side bet placed before making the standard baccarat wager, on whether the same side (player or banker) wins with a natural 9 or 8, or by at least four points. The maximum payout of 30:1 applies to non-natural hands that win by nine points; and the same payouts apply both to the Banker’s and Player’s sides.
- Natural win (two-card 8 or 9) pays 1:1
- Natural tie (two-card 8/8 or 9/9) is a push
- Win by 9 pays 30:1
- Win by 8 pays 10:1
- Win by 7 pays 6:1
- Win by 6 pays 4:1
- Win by 5 pays 2:1
- Win by 4 pays 1:1
- All other results are a loss
All other results are a loss
In the case of a tie between two natural hands, the Dragon Bonus bet is pushed. The side bet increases the house edge to 2.65% for Player (from 1.24%) and 9.37% for Banker (from 1.01%). Despite its popularity in Asian casinos, this version of Baccarat can also be found around the world and on many online casino websites.
Matching Dragon: The Dragon Bonus encompasses 13 side bets that pay out based on the number of cards of a certain rank that will appear in the following hand – all dealt cards count. Here are the payouts:
Matching Cards | Payout |
---|---|
6 | 100:1 |
5 | 60:1 |
4 | 40:1 |
3 | 20:1 |
2 | 3:1 |
1 | 1:1 |
For example, if a Player has Q – 2 – 2 and Banker has K – Q – 2 with a bet on the rank of 2, the reward would be 20:1 for 3 twos, 3:1 for two Queens and 1:1 for one King; all other bets lose.
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Either Pair: A side bet available at online casinos that pays if the first two dealt cards of either the Player or Banker form a pair. It’s got a 5:1 payout.
Perfect Pair: In Online Baccarat games, it’s possible to make a wager similar to Blackjack that the first two cards of either the Player or the Banker form a suited pair for a 25:1 payout.
Rabbit Play: In Las Vegas, there are two side bets with a house edge of 8.07% for the Player and 9.31% for the Banker.
Egalite bets: With these side bets, there are specific ties that can be wagered on, such as both totaling 6. These can have different payouts for each tie, or they can be grouped into one category. The payouts for Egalites on specific ties are:
Bet | Payout |
---|---|
9 | 80 |
8 | 80 |
7 | 45 |
6 | 45 |
5 | 110 |
4 | 120 |
3 | 200 |
2 | 225 |
1 | 215 |
0 | 150 |
Panda 8: Another side bet from EZ Baccarat is available, which pays 25:1 if the Player gets a winning 3-card 8. However, the house edge with this option is 10.19%.
All Red/Black: With this side bet, you will be rewarded with 22:1 or 24:1 if you get all red cards or all black cards respectively. You can find this bet offered at live casinos.
First Two Banker/Player Cards Same Suit: This wager is pretty self-explanatory, betting on the first two Player or Banker cards being the same suit. If you get a suited Player hand, you will be rewarded with 2.87:1 at a house edge of 4.20%, and for Banker, you can take 28.6:1 with a house edge of 3.95%. You can find this side bet in some live games online.
Suited 3-card 8: If either the Banker or the Player has a suited 3-card 8, you will receive a payout of 25:1.
Double 8: You can make a wager that both the Banker and Player hands will total 8 points. If successful, you will receive a payout of 15:1.
Lucky 8: You can place a bet on either the Player or Banker hand to win with a total of 8 points – the opposite of an Unlucky 8 bet. If you are successful, you will receive a payout of 4:1, while the house edge is 13.65% for Player and 16.60% for Banker.
Unlucky 8: If you place a side bet on either the Player or Banker hand to lose with a total of 8 points, you will receive a payout of 8:1.
Double suited 3-card 8: You can wager that both the Player and Banker have a suited 3-card 8, with their suits being different. If successful, you will receive a payout of 200:1.
Total Points Over/Under 9.5: With this side bet, you are betting on the sum of the final Player and Banker points. If both hands total more than 9.5 points you will be rewarded with 66:1, or if the total is under 9.5 points, 1.23%. This wager, similar to sports over/under bet, is available at online casinos.
Total Points Odd/Even: At live dealer casinos, you can make a wager on the sum of both Player and Banker hands being either odd or even. If the total is odd, you will be rewarded with 0.92:1 and if it’s even, you receive 0.91:1.
Quik is a side bet with 8.155% house edge, based on the combined total of the Player and Banker points. If the combined points are:
- 0 – pays 50:1
- 18 – pays 25:1
- 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 17 – pays 1:1
- 4 to 14 – loss
Big and Small: Offered at online casinos, this side bet has payouts similar to the 4-5-6 bet. A ‘Small’ will pay out 3:2 if the total of the Player and Banker’s hands is 4. If the total is 5 or 6, a ‘Big’ will yield a payout of 2:1. The house edge for a ‘Small’ bet is 5.27%, while it is 4.35% for a ‘Big’ one.
To learn more about the general rules of Baccarat, please check out Baccarat-Tips’s Baccarat Guide page for information on drawing additional cards and tracking patterns. In addition, the page offers insights into the various baccarat terms used in the game.
Conclusion
Baccarat side bets offer a variety of options for players to increase their chances of winning. From the classic Egalite wagers to the more obscure Double 8 and Quik bet, there is something for everyone’s taste in Baccarat side betting. With house edges ranging from 3.95% – 10.19%, these exciting extra bets can potentially turn your luck around with high payout ratios and low risks involved. Whether you are playing at a live casino or online, make sure to check out all the available baccarat side bets before placing any real money on them!