How to Play Baccarat: Rules, Third-Card Table and Odds
A complete beginner's guide to baccarat for Malaysian players: card values, the third-card rules, Banker commission, no-commission tables, side bets and house edge.
Key takeaways
- You bet on Player, Banker or Tie; the hands are dealt by fixed rules, so you make no decisions after betting.
- Banker wins slightly more often, which is why Banker wins usually pay 0.95 to 1 (a 5% commission).
- The Tie bet pays more but has a far higher house edge than Player or Banker.
- Roadmaps record past results; they do not predict the next hand.
Baccarat is the most played live casino game in Asia. It is simple to learn, quick, and has one of the lower house edges in the casino on its main bets. This guide covers everything from card values to the third-card rule. For how live tables work in general, see live casino games explained.
Card values
| Cards | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 9 | Face value |
| 10, J, Q, K | 0 |
Only the last digit of a hand's total counts. A hand of 7 and 6 totals 13, which counts as 3. The highest possible hand is 9.
How a round works
- Place your bet. Player, Banker or Tie (plus any side bets) during the betting window.
- Two cards each. Player and Banker each receive two cards.
- Naturals. If either hand totals 8 or 9 (a “natural”), both stand and the round ends.
- Third-card rules. Otherwise fixed rules decide whether each hand receives a third card.
- Settlement. The hand closer to 9 wins. Equal totals are a tie.
The third-card rules
Player hand
The Player draws a third card on a total of 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7.
Banker hand
If the Player stood, the Banker follows the same rule: draw on 0–5, stand on 6–7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker acts according to its own total and the Player's third card:
| Banker total | Banker draws if Player's third card is | Banker stands if Player's third card is |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 1, 2 | Any card | — |
| 3 | Anything except 8 | 8 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 0, 1, 8, 9 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 |
| 6 | 6, 7 | Anything else |
| 7 | — | Always stands |
You never need to memorise this to play: the dealer and software apply it automatically. It explains why the Banker hand wins slightly more often.
Bets, payouts and house edge
| Bet | Payout | Approx. house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Banker (commission) | 0.95 to 1 | 1.06% |
| Player | 1 to 1 | 1.24% |
| Tie | 8 to 1 | 14.4% |
No-commission baccarat
Some tables pay Banker wins at 1 to 1, except a Banker win with a total of 6, which pays only half. The house edge on Banker is similar to, and on many versions slightly higher than, the commission game. Check the table rules.
Side bets
Player Pair, Banker Pair, Lucky Six, Dragon Bonus and similar bets offer high payouts but typically carry much higher house edges than the main bets. If you use them, keep them small.
Roadmaps and patterns
Live baccarat tables show “roads” such as the Big Road and Bead Plate, recording previous results. Many players follow them, but each hand is dealt from a shuffled shoe and is not influenced by earlier hands in any way you can exploit. Treat roads as a scoreboard, not a forecast.
Baccarat tables, limits and variants available under the JKB Asia name have not been independently verified. Information may vary and should be confirmed through the relevant official source.
Conclusion
Baccarat rewards understanding, not prediction. Know the card values, know that Banker carries the lowest edge on most tables, avoid treating the Tie or side bets as good value, and ignore systems that claim to read patterns. Set a session budget before you sit down; see our guide to betting systems for why progressions don't change the maths.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a commission on Banker bets?
Because the third-card rules make the Banker hand win slightly more often. The commission keeps a house edge on that bet.
Is it better to always bet Banker?
Banker has the lowest house edge on standard tables, but it is still negative. No bet in baccarat has a long-run advantage for the player.
Gambling involves real financial risk and is never a reliable way to earn money. Only take part if you are an adult, it is legal where you live, and you are using money you can afford to lose. If gambling is causing stress, see our responsible gambling page for support options.
