Baccarat Rules: Card Values and Scoring

The aim and card values

Baccarat compares two hands, called Player and Banker. The aim is to predict which total will be closer to nine, or whether the hands will tie. Aces count as one, cards from two to nine count at face value, and tens and face cards count as zero. Only the rightmost digit of the total is used: a hand worth 15 counts as five.

Both sides usually receive two cards. A total of eight or nine is a natural and can end the round immediately. If neither hand has a natural, a fixed drawing table determines whether a third card is dealt. Players do not choose whether to hit or stand.

The three common bets

A Player bet and a Banker bet win when the named hand has the higher total. A Tie bet wins when the totals match, but its payout and probability vary by table. Banker bets often pay slightly less than even money because a commission or alternative payout accounts for the fact that Banker wins somewhat more often under standard drawing rules.

Check whether the game charges commission, uses a no-commission variant, or changes the payout on a specific Banker result. The table layout and paytable should state this before a bet is made.

What a score history can tell you

Scoreboards record previous outcomes. They do not change the drawing rules or make a side more likely to win the next hand. Baccarat remains a game of chance with a house edge under standard casino rules; betting patterns cannot guarantee a profit.

When each hand draws a third card

In standard Punto Banco, the Player hand draws on 0-5 and stands on 6-7; a natural 8 or 9 ends the draw. The Banker rule depends on its first two-card total and, for totals 3-6, the Player's third-card value:

If the Player stands on 6 or 7, the Banker draws on 0-5 and stands on 6-7. This is the common Punto Banco tableau; variants can differ. Read the exact game rules. An example of published table rules is Casino St. Moritz's Punto Banco article.

How the table settles each wager

The hand closest to nine wins; a matching total is a tie. A winning Player wager commonly pays even money. A Banker wager may pay less than even money because of a commission, or use a no-commission rule with a different payout on selected Banker results.

Tie settlement depends on the table's rules. A Tie wager has its own payout; a Player or Banker wager may be returned, lose or be settled under a special rule when hands tie. Side bets can use separate outcomes. Check the paytable for the actual return, commission, minimum stake and whether a tie pushes the main wager.

What the score history shows

Roadmaps and bead plates record earlier hands. They can help follow a shoe, but do not alter the drawing table or reveal the next outcome. A streak is not evidence that a hand is due to change. In online play, compare the displayed result with the account transaction record if a settlement looks wrong.

Before a round, confirm whether the game is Punto Banco, whether cards are drawn automatically and how a disconnection is handled. The labels Player and Banker name the two hands; the customer does not choose their cards. The customer chooses a wager; the table determines the draw.

Example: a 7 and 9 count as 6

Suppose the Player receives a 7 and a 9. Their total is 16, so only the rightmost digit counts and the hand value is 6. A Banker hand of 4 and a 2 totals 6. The hands are tied at that point, but the third-card table still determines whether either hand draws; do not settle the round until the rules have completed. A 9 and a King count as 9 and 0, so that is a natural 9.

Here 16 counts as 6, and a later card can change the hand again. If the result looks wrong, compare the card values with the table's point calculation and the final hand history.

Baccarat variants and formats at a glance

The score is an editorial rating of how easy the format is to learn, not its payout, house edge or chance of winning. New Zealand’s Division 5 baccarat rules include mini and midi formats, but not every casino offers every authorised game. Other entries below are international variants or presentation formats; their inclusion does not mean they are approved or available in New Zealand. Always read the rules for the specific table.