Mini-Baccarat was developed as a floor table game in casinos to suit the average player. However, along with that, optional side bets were also introduced to increase the house edge. Before detailing them, I will explain how the game is played.
objective
The objective of this board game is the same as that of the original Baccarat, where the player must get as close to the number nine as possible. Aces count as one, two through nine are face value, and ten through kings count as zero. Regardless of the number of players, the dealer only deals two hands of a 6 or 8 deck shoe. Before the deal, players must place a bet on the dealer’s hand, the player’s hand, or the tie.
When a hand is added, it cannot exceed nine. If the two cards add up to more than nine, the first digit (number one) is removed. The second digit becomes the total. Some examples are:
7, 8 = 15 (drop 1) total = 5
4, 3 = 7 (two cards, face value)
10, 6 = 6 (10 is zero, 6 is the nominal value)
K, 9 = 9 (the king is zero, 9 is called natural)
Baccarat does not require any skill on the part of the player. All you have to do is decide where to place a bet before the deal. The dealer examines both hands and then decides whether to draw a third and final card for each hand. The determination is made according to a fixed set of rules of the game.
A bet on the player’s hand returns the same money if it is won. A bet on the banker’s hand returns the same money minus a 5% commission to the house if it is won. A tie bet returns 8 to 1 if it is won; otherwise it is a draw when no bet is made. The reason for the 5% commission on the Bank’s profit is that the advantage of drawing is with the Bank, according to the following rules of the game:
Player
The player’s position is always based on a 0, 1 and 2, 3, 4, 5 unless the bank has an 8 or 9. The player always stands on 6, 7, 8 and 9. When a player has a 8 natural or 9, the game is over.
Banker
The bench position is always based on a 0, 1, 2 unless the player has a natural 8 or 9.
The bank is always at 7, 8 and 9. When a bank has a natural 8 or 9, the game is over.
Baccarat Side Bets
There are a number of optional side bets available at Mini Baccarat tables everywhere and, like any side bet, they all exist to increase the house edge. However, players are drawn to them due to the large winning payouts. Here are some of the most popular:
Dragon Bonus
The bettor can bet on the player’s or banker’s side that the hand will win by a natural or by 4 or more points. The bet must be made before the hand is dealt. The higher the number the hand wins by, the higher the payout:
Earn by: payment
9 – 30/1
8 – 10/1
7 – 6/1
6 – 4/1
5 – 2/1
4 – 1/1
Natural – 1/1
The house edge for this bet is 2.7%.
The payouts are the same for a bet on the bank side, however the house edge jumps to 9.7% if chosen.
4-5-6
This is a side bet that the total number of cards combined to complete the player’s hand and the dealer will be 4, 5, or 6.
# Payout House Edge Cards
4 – 1.5 / 1 – 5.3%
5 – 2/1 – 8.9%
6 – 2/1 – 4.7%
3 letter six
This is a bet to win 3 six cards. If the player and the banker have 3 six cards, the bet pays 100/1. If there is only a three card six, the bettor wins 8/1. The house edge is a whopping 13.4%!
Royal party
Betting that the player or the dealer’s hand will have a king and queen on the first two drawn cards, called a Royal Match. Not to be confused with the option of the same name found in the game of Blackjack. The bet pays 75/1 for a suited king and queen, and 30/1 for an unsuitable royal match. The house edge has been calculated at around 2.1%.
Dragon 7
Dragon 7 is an optional side bet found in EZ Baccarat, which is played in the same way as regular Mini-Baccarat, except that the game has a commission-free banking hand with one exception: a winning banking hand with a total three-card seven will push instead of paying even money. A player can bet on that outcome for which the winning payout is 40/1. The house edge is approximately 7.6%.
Panda 8
The Panda 8 side bet is sometimes found in EZ Baccarat games. The bet pays 25/1 if a player’s hand has a total of three eight cards. As for the house edge, it is 10.2%.
Tie bet
The tie bet is not considered a side bet as it is included in all Baccarat table games. However, due to the appalling 14% house edge, it should be avoided at all times.
Remember that Baccarat, along with Blackjack, has a very low house edge of 1.2% when the Play bet is chosen, and a smaller 1.06% edge when the Banker is wagered when avoiding side bets.
Good luck!