Baccarat in the Philippines

Basahin sa Filipino →

The rules in one minute

Two hands, Player and Banker, are dealt from the shoe. Cards 2-9 count face value, aces count 1, and tens and face cards count 0. Add the cards and keep only the last digit (7 + 8 = 15 counts as 5). The hand closest to 9 wins; equal totals are a Tie. Whether a third card is drawn follows fixed rules, so there are no decisions to make beyond the bet.

When a third card is drawn

The dealer follows a fixed table, so you never decide. In the standard rules, a hand that totals 8 or 9 on its first two cards is a "natural" and ends the round. Otherwise the Player hand draws on a total of 0-5 and stands on 6-7. If the Player stands, the Banker draws on 0-5 and stands on 6-7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker follows this table:

You do not need to memorise it; the dealer, or the software, applies it. These are the rules described by Wizard of Odds and the ones our calculation below uses.

Worked example (invented)

Player: 9 + 4 = 13, so the total is 3, and the Player draws a third card (a 4), for a total of 7. Banker: 6 + 1 = 7, which stands. The totals are 7 and 7 and it is a Tie. A bet on Tie would pay (usually 8:1 or 9:1); Player and Banker bets are normally returned (a "push") on a Tie, but check the table rules.

Bets, odds and house edge

• Banker: pays 1:1 minus a commission, commonly 5%.
• Player: pays 1:1.
• Tie: usually pays 8:1 or 9:1 and has a much higher house edge.

Under eight-deck rules with a 5% Banker commission, the house edge is 1.06% on Banker, 1.24% on Player and 14.36% on Tie (paying 8 to 1), per the Wizard of Odds eight-deck analysis. Table rules vary, so verify them at the table. Even the best bet loses money over time.

Where those numbers come from

We checked them ourselves by working through every possible eight-deck deal with the drawing rules above (an exact calculation, not a simulation). The results match Wizard of Odds to every published digit:

The arithmetic, per ₱1 bet, with Player and Banker bets returned on a tie:

• Banker: win 0.95 × 45.86%, lose 1 × 44.62%: 0.4357 − 0.4462 = −0.0106.
• Player: win 1 × 44.62%, lose 1 × 45.86%: −0.0124.
• Tie at 8:1: win 8 × 9.52%, lose 1 × 90.48%: 0.7612 − 0.9048 = −0.1436.

Banker wins more often than Player because of the drawing rules, which is why casinos take a commission on it. "Expected loss" is a long-run average: in a short session you can be well ahead or behind. Other table rules (six decks, different commission, side bets) change these figures, and side bets usually carry much higher edges; check the table's rules screen.

Systems do not work

Each hand is independent. Betting systems and "road" patterns do not change the edge. Decide a budget and walk away when it is spent.

Playing baccarat online: what to check at the table

• Commission or no commission. A 5% commission table gives the Banker bet the lower edge (1.06% against 1.46%).
• Tie payout. 8:1 or 9:1 changes the Tie edge from 14.36% to 4.84%, still the worst main bet.
• Live or RNG. A live table deals real cards on camera; an RNG table deals by software. The rules above apply to both; check the number of decks in the rules screen.
• Table limits and speed. Faster rounds mean more bets per hour, so the same edge costs more per hour. Decide a budget in pesos and a time limit before you sit down.
• Bonus terms. Baccarat often counts little or nothing toward bonus wagering; see how wagering works.

Live baccarat and safety

Live baccarat streams a real dealer. Use only a PAGCOR-verified site; PAGCOR has warned that gambling livestreamed on social media is likely illegal, so a Facebook "baccarat room" is a red flag (scam signs).