Baccarat has few decisions, but its bet names and third-card rules confuse first-time players. This guide explains how a round is dealt, what each bet means and how the round ends, without suggesting which bet to choose.
A round uses two hands, the player hand and the banker hand, each dealt two cards. Cards from ten upward count as zero, aces count as one, and a hand's total is the last digit of the sum. The total closest to nine wins, and a tie is a separate outcome. The same rules decide every round, so learning the sequence makes the table easier to follow.
Each round offers the same three main bets, and each pays under its own rule. The rules shown in the game are the ones that apply to that table.
Pays if the player hand finishes with the higher total when the round ends, under the rules shown in the game.
Pays if the banker hand finishes with the higher total. Banker bets usually carry a commission, so read the figure in the game information before you choose.
Pays when both hands finish with the same total. Ties are less frequent than the other two results and carry their own payout terms.
A third card is drawn only when the standard rules call for one, and those rules depend on the totals of both hands. Payout terms are set by each game, so the table information is the reference for any number.
A total of eight or nine on the first two cards is a natural, and the round ends without third cards.
Standard baccarat uses fixed bands to decide whether each hand draws a third card. Check the rules of the specific table before you play.
Payouts differ by bet. Read the payout terms for each bet before you place it, since the commission on banker wins changes what you receive.
A question about the rules of a round is different from an account question. For account issues, use Stake's contact channels. For the rules of a table, check the game information and the casino section of the help centre.
support@stake.com handles account questions. Do not send a password or a two-factor code.
help.stake.com has a casino section that should be read alongside the in-game information for the table you are playing.
The rules here are general baccarat rules, not a statement about any one Stake table. The game information and the help centre are the reference for a specific table.
The hand totals, the natural rule and the third-card bands are standard baccarat rules used across many casinos.
Each game's information describes the bets and payouts it offers, and that information takes priority over this page.
Short definitions of the words used in baccarat rules and bet names.
A natural is a total of eight or nine from the first two cards. When a natural appears, neither hand draws a third card.
A charge on banker wins in many baccarat versions. Check the game information, because the commission rate can differ.
The sum of the card values with the tens digit dropped. A total above nine loses its leading digit, so 15 counts as five.
A tie happens when the player and banker hands finish with equal totals.
Answers about the bets, the round sequence and the account checks to finish before a session.
Once the cards are dealt, the round follows fixed rules, and the player mainly chooses which bet to place. This guide does not suggest a bet or a strategy.
This guide does not recommend a bet. Read the payout terms and commission rules for each option, then decide within your own limits.
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Yes. Stake offers daily, weekly or monthly loss limits and wager limits, plus daily deposit limits. For loss and wager limits, decreases apply right away and increases take 24 hours.
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